The Devil's Favourite Obsession-Chapter 54: Fine with the dance

"I am sorry," Binge grunted in submission. "What about the other two?"

"If my fiancée does not agree — whom I apparently just got formally reintroduced to today in a torture chamber..." A dark, dangerous smirk played on Cassian’s perfect lips. "Would it reflect well on me if I handed her friends over to men who meant them harm? What impression would that leave?" He spoke as though he genuinely valued Binge’s opinion on the matter. "I cannot allow you to take them. Rest assured, I will thoroughly check whether they were behind your runaway wife’s escape. If they were involved, we would have a talk again. And if they were not... then you are in serious trouble, Binge."

Fear flashed across Binge’s face. Afraid his lie would tatter, he rushed to reshape the accusation. "When I was about to catch my wife, who had been kissing another man, that Mexican girl," he pointed his thick finger directly at Marion, "pushed me hard and started a commotion. It alerted my wife and gave her plenty of time to run away. And not only that, but the other girl—" He shifted his accusing finger to Lily. "She sprayed pepper spray straight into the face of one of my men. And a mob boss has every right to take revenge for his men." Binge lifted his chin, reminding Cassian of standard mafia ethics. "What reputation would I be left with if I did not teach a lesson to the women who attacked my crew and me? Wouldn’t the underworld laugh at me?"

"It was a misunderstanding!" Marion burst out, her voice trembling. "I am sorry for kicking your balls. But I thought I was in danger. My friends and I did what we had to do to protect ourselves, and protecting your own is not a crime. If you want, I will kneel and apologise on behalf of all of us." She was desperately grasping for a way to stop the situation from spiraling further.

Among the three of them, she was the oldest. She should have been the one acting more maturely, but what could she do? In the past, almost every man had tried to grope her, so she had naturally assumed this brute was trying to do the same.

Cixi stood up from the leather couch and moved to stand protectively beside Marion. "You heard her!"

Cassian’s men, who had been firmly holding Lily and Marion, immediately let go and took a respectful step back. Seeing their boss threaten to gouge out another man’s eyes simply for staring at his supposed fiancée meant they now needed to treat her and her friends with the utmost respect.

"It was all a misunderstanding," Cixi continued. "I am sure your ego is not so massive that you cannot let go of an incident that was entirely circumstantial and had no hidden agenda."

Cixi refused to let her friends kneel and beg, especially now that she held the immense, if temporary, power of being the Devil’s fiancée in front of another gang.

She did not know exactly how far she could push this insane farce or how boldly she could challenge Binge. So she glanced at Cassian, whose back was turned to her.

She caught the movement of his hand. He calmly slid a cigarette from his tailored pocket, lit it, and took a long, slow drag, filling his lungs before exhaling just as slowly.

That single act felt like permission, as though he were giving her consent to continue her performance.

So she did.

"How about we go back out to the club?" Cixi proposed, her voice much steadier now. "We sit together, have a drink, and act as though everything is perfectly settled between us. My friends and I will even offer you a playful public apology for everyone to notice."

Cixi prayed inwardly that Binge would agree to the neutral offer. It would benefit both parties publicly without any further bloodshed. When Binge hesitated, she pushed harder.

"We can even hit the dance floor... together?" she added.

Most of the men were forever hunting for excuses to seize a woman on the dance floor and parade their dominance before others. If a public dance could soothe his wounded pride enough to save her friends, then she would offer it.

"Fine," Binge grunted at once, taking advantage of the offer.

Once the underworld found out he had been seen publicly dancing and drinking with Cassian Crown’s fiancée, what kind of massive reputation boost would he gain? The thought alone filled him with ugly satisfaction. He would milk this moment for every scrap of value it held.

Cassian took another long, heavy drag of his cigarette, exhaling the smoke smoothly through his perfectly straight nose. He gave Binge one flat, unreadable look before casually lifting his hand and offering a silent signal to his guards that the girls were free to move.

At first, Lily, Marion, and Cixi stepped forward hesitantly, their movements shaky as they still did not trust Binge or his men, even though Cixi had offered the solution. Binge and his surviving men moved towards the heavy exit, and one of the soldiers pulled the door open to let the women pass.

Once Cixi reached the threshold, she turned back to see whether Cassian was coming. But when she saw him still lounging on the couch, she frowned. "Are you not coming?"

He took another slow drag, keeping his pitch-black eyes fixed on her. "I have business to attend to." He offered no further explanation.

Cixi glanced nervously towards the red hallway, which looked more like a maze. "As in... torture?" She dared to ask.

Cassian nodded once in confirmation, his gaze never leaving her face.

Cixi bit her lower lip, uncertain whether she and her friends should truly go alone with those men. She had wanted Cassian to join them. That was why she had proposed the deal. Yet here he was, letting her go — his rumoured fiancée — with another man.

Seeing her hesitation, Cassian finally offered her a measure of reassurance.

"They won’t break the deal, or else they will have to give me their heads. Mafia law..." Cassian exhaled smoke that curled around his devastating features. "... fiancée."

The way he purred the word fiancée sounded less like a term of endearment and more like a promise of an approaching storm she was entirely unprepared for.