Luna Nakahara
Luna stared at her laptop screen, the RedLab logo spinning ominously as the Zoom call connected. She'd spent the last 20 minutes debating whether to wear a bra (no) and whether to mute herself if she cursed (also no).
The screen flickered, and there he was.
Elias Blackthorn.
Executive, Head, Director of RedLab Programming. Billionaire. Tech overlord. And, apparently, the human embodiment of a spreadsheet. His icy blue eyes scanned her through the screen, his expression unreadable. He was wearing a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, and a watch that probably cost more than her entire streaming setup.
"Ms. Nakahara," he said, his voice smooth and clipped. "Thank you for joining."
Luna leaned back in her chair, propping her feet on her desk. "Oh, I'm thrilled. Nothing like a corporate meeting to spice up my day. Should I take notes, or are you gonna mansplain everything twice?"
His jaw tightened, but he didn't rise to the bait. "This call is to discuss the terms of our collaboration. RedLab is launching a new VR headset, and we believe your… unique brand could help us reach a younger demographic."
"Aww, you think I'm unique?" She batted her lashes. "Careful, Elias. That almost sounded like a compliment."
"It's Mr. Blackthorn."
"And I'm Luna.exe, but you can call me 'Your Highness.'"
He exhaled sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Let's focus. RedLab's VR headset is a game-changer, but we need influencers to showcase its potential. You'll receive a prototype, along with a list of features to highlight during your streams."
"Cool, cool. And what do I get out of this? Besides the honor of carrying your overpriced tech?"
"A six-figure contract. Exposure to our global audience. And—"
"A date with you?" She grinned, leaning closer to the cam. "Kidding. Unless…?"
His expression didn't change, but his eyes darkened. "This is a professional partnership, Ms. Nakahara. I suggest you treat it as such."
"Oh, I'm very professional." She winked. "Ask anyone who's seen my OnlyFans."
The call ended shortly after that.
Kai Johnson
The art gallery was packed, the air thick with the scent of wine and pretension. Kai stood in the corner, nursing a drink and glaring at his mural of Luna. It was the centerpiece of the show, her wild energy captured in bold strokes of neon and shadow.
Priya appeared beside him, her heels clicking against the polished floor. "You're hiding."
"I'm observing."
"You're brooding. It's not a good look." She nodded toward a redhead across the room. "That's Tess. She's a critic for ArtFront. Go talk to her."
Kai sighed. "I'm not in the mood."
"You're never in the mood. But this is your career, Kai. You can't just—"
"Kai!"
The voice cut through the room like a gunshot. Luna stumbled in, glitter in her hair, heels in one hand and a half-empty bottle of tequila in the other. She was wearing a sequined dress that barely covered her thighs and a grin that spelled trouble.
"Luna," Kai said, his voice low. "What are you doing here?"
"Supporting my bestie," she slurred, throwing an arm around his shoulders. "And wow, this place is… beige. Like, aggressively beige. Who hurt these people?"
Priya groaned. "I'll leave you two to… whatever this is."
Luna ignored her, leaning heavily on Kai. "So, where's your art? Oh, wait—there it is." She pointed to the mural, her eyes widening. "Holy shit, K. That's… me?"
He stiffened. "Yeah."
"I look… hot."
"You are hot." The words slipped out before he could stop them.
She froze, her gaze snapping to his. For a moment, the noise of the gallery faded, and it was just the two of them, the air crackling with something unspoken.
Then Tess appeared, her smile polite but pointed. "Kai, your work is incredible. I'd love to feature you in ArtFront."
Luna's grip on Kai tightened. "Oh, hi. You must be the critic. Let me guess—you're gonna call his art 'raw' and 'unpolished,' right? Classic."
Tess blinked. "I was going to say 'revolutionary,' actually."
"Uh-huh. And I'm sure you're totally unbiased."
Kai stepped between them. "Luna, stop."
"Why? Because I'm embarrassing you?" Her voice cracked, and she pulled away, swaying slightly. "Whatever. I'll just… go."
She stumbled out of the gallery, leaving Kai torn between following her and salvaging his career.
Elias Blackthorn
Elias stared at his laptop long after the call ended, Luna's smirk burned into his mind. She was infuriating. Reckless. And, unfortunately, exactly what RedLab needed.
Marissa appeared in his office doorway, holding a tablet. "So? How'd it go?"
"She's… a lot."
"But you signed her."
"I did."
Marissa grinned. "Good. Because she just tweeted about you."
Elias opened Twitter, his stomach sinking as he read the post:
@Luna.exe: just got off a call with @EliasBlackthorn. verdict: hot but needs a personality transplant. also, his zoom background is tragic. #RedLabCollab
He closed the app, pinching the bridge of his nose. This was going to be a long partnership.