CHAPTER 91: THIS MACHINE BITES

Chapter 91 – This Machine Bites

Eventually, they were both ready.

Rava stepped out in full business armor—sleek navy-blue dress hugging her body in all the right ways. Her yesterday’s clothes. High heels that clicked with purpose, and that unreadable professional expression she wore like a crown. Her hair was perfectly styled now, makeup just enough to kill if you underestimated her.

Lux? He’d gone with demon-casual elegance. Black slacks, charcoal blazer with rolled sleeves, loose tie, and a devilish glint in his eye that no mortal tailor could iron out. The only warning label he wore was himself.

They took the elevator down together. Rava checked her phone. Lux checked her.

By the time they reached the underground garage, the motorcycle was exactly where he left it—tucked in a corner like a sleeping beast, its chrome-gold trim catching the low flicker of overhead lights.

Lux walked ahead and held out his hand.

The engine flared to life with a smooth hum.

Rava raised an eyebrow as she approached, heels echoing against polished concrete. "You don’t ride reckless, do you?"

He laughed. "Do I look reckless?"

"You look like trouble."

He passed her the helmet. "And yet, you’re climbing on."

"I’m regretting it already."

She wasn’t.

She climbed on behind him, adjusted her skirt carefully, then wrapped her arms around his waist.

He smirked. "Don’t squeeze too hard, or I’ll take it as an invitation."

She squeezed harder.

He revved the bike.

The ride through the city was smoother than expected. Mortal traffic, for once, wasn’t plotting murder. They glided through side streets, past blinking signs and morning chatter, neon reflections still clinging to tinted glass towers.

Rava gave him directions with light taps to the side of his ribs—right here, slow there, careful with that turn—and Lux obeyed, if only because he liked how she leaned into him when he accelerated.

Eventually, they reached her office.

A sleek, modern tower. All steel and sky-tinted glass. The kind of place where rich people argued about percentages and smiled with their teeth too much. A sculpture out front tried to look abstract, but mostly resembled a dollar sign having an identity crisis.

Lux pulled up to the front drop-off circle, engine purring like a tamed demon, and braked with the smooth confidence of someone who always parked like he owned the place.

A valet jogged up, already eyeing the motorcycle like it might bite. Lux swung his leg over, stood, and gave the machine one last affectionate pat.

"I’m just dropping her off," he said casually, removing his helmet in one smooth motion and shaking out his hair like it was a shampoo commercial. "Then I disappear in a puff of espresso."

But before the valet could respond, Rava turned, already grabbing Lux’s wrist.

"C’mon," she said, a little too smoothly. "I need to introduce you to some people."

Lux blinked. "What, like... in there?" He tilted his head toward the glittering glass monolith. "With... air conditioning and passive-aggressive fluorescent lighting?"

"Yes," Rava said, pulling him forward. "You’ll live."

"Statistically debatable."

Lux handed the keys over like a prince giving away a treasure to the valet.

"This machine bites," he said with a grin. "Handle it like you’d handle an angry goddess with a hangover."

The valet nodded quickly. Possibly sweating.

He blinked as she dragged him through the automatic doors and into a marble-floored lobby that smelled like expensive coffee and polite tension. Her heels clicked with purpose. His boots echoed with charm.

Three people stood waiting near the elevator—two assistants and one nervous intern, all clutching tablets and clipboards like shields. They turned at the sound of Rava’s heels and—

Stopped.

Because Rava was holding someone’s hand.

And not just someone.

Him.

"Guys," she said calmly, without ceremony. "This is Lux Vaelthorn."

Lux gave a small wave, then followed it with a slow, devastating smile. "Hello, everyone."

Rava added, still calm. "My boyfriend."

The word hit like a shockwave.

The assistants blinked. The intern’s jaw dropped. One of the women choked on air.

"You—boy—" the guy in glasses stammered, looking at Lux’s open collar and confident smirk, then at Rava’s no-nonsense posture like he’d just seen a unicorn casually carrying groceries.

Rava raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"It’s just—you never—"

"You’ve never brought anyone—" the other assistant added, eyes wide. "I mean, we thought you were just... above all this."

"She’s not above me," Lux said smoothly. "Usually I’m above her, but we switch."

The intern turned bright red.

Rava elbowed Lux hard in the ribs.

He laughed.

"Okay, okay, I’ll behave. Promise."

Rava turned to her three assistants, who were still processing the sight of her walking in with a real, breathing, handsome as sin boyfriend. Their eyes darted between her, Lux, and the invisible list of impossibilities they had just mentally tossed into the shredder.

"Remember his face," Rava said clearly. "If he ever comes here and needs anything—tell me."

One of them, the guy in glasses, blinked. "Even if you’re in a meeting?"

Rava nodded without hesitation. "Even if I’m in a meeting."

Lux chuckled, glancing between them. "Thanks, but I’m not really the type to bug people while they’re working."

She shot him a knowing look. "Mmhm."

"Oh," she added, gesturing to the assistants, "and while we’re here—this is Laina, that’s Jonah, and the quiet one holding the clipboard like it’s a weapon is Mia."

Each of them gave a stunned little wave or nervous nod.

"Nice to meet you," Lux said with a grin that made Laina blink too fast and Jonah silently recalculate all of his life goals.

Then, without another word, Lux leaned in and kissed Rava’s cheek—lingering just long enough to make her assistants rethink everything they thought they knew about her. Just the hint of intimacy in the touch, the smirk that followed, the easy confidence—it was enough to make the temperature in the lobby spike three degrees.

And then, he stepped back and let Rava handle the stunned aftermath.

Rava exhaled slowly, smoothing her blazer like she wasn’t secretly blushing behind that business façade. She turned to Lux and gave him a look—half fond, half warning.

"Behave," she said under her breath. Then louder, for everyone’s benefit, "I’ll see you tonight."