Chapter 3

I splashed cold water on my face, taking a moment to gather myself. The steady pulse in my temples reminded me just how much I’d had to drink, but I was trying, really trying, to pull it together.

When I stepped out of the washroom, I found Adam still standing there, his posture relaxed, as though he hadn’t moved an inch since I left. His eyes caught mine immediately, that same sharp, knowing look still in them.

I couldn’t help the scoff that escaped my lips, or the eye roll that followed.

“I thought you’d be gone by now,” I muttered, trying to sound more composed than I felt.

“ Thought you might need help walking straight,” he said, his voice low, dripping with that arrogant confidence I was growing to hate.

I ignored that remark, keeping my face neutral, even though I could feel the alcohol still pulling at my edges. " The hell do you think you are to lecture me?”

He smirked, but there was something else in his eyes now. Something sharper, almost predatory. “ Why do I get the feeling I'm getting under your skin a suspicious amount?”

My pulse spiked, and the anger in my chest flared up again, stronger this time. " Maybe because I don't need some entitled, pompous bastard telling me shit."

His eyes darkened, and before I could blink, he was right there, too close, pinning me against the wall with a force that was entirely too intimate. His arm is above my head, his body so close I could feel the heat radiating off of him, and I swallowed, my breath catching. If I'd been turned on before, I was positively in heat at the moment.

“Entitled?” he growled, his voice rough, dangerous. His gaze was trained on me with a lethal intensity, like he was daring me to make another move, to push him again. “You think you’re the only one who can throw a punch, flower?”

My heart was thundering in my chest, and for a split second, I couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol or the way his proximity was affecting me. I felt the tension crackling between us, heavy, thick, suffocating.

I leaned forward just a bit, our faces inches apart, and for the first time, I let myself show the frustration, the fire I’d been holding in all night. “I think you're just a man who’s used to getting everything he wants coz his daddy's rich. Why bother denying it? Did I strike a nerve? "

His eyes narrowed , his jaw tightening as if my words had stung him more than he was willing to admit. The moment stretched between us, then he leaned in, his breath brushing against my ear as he spoke, his voice smooth, but carrying an edge of something darker. “ Are you wet, Layla? Have you already imagined how it would feel like to have my cock buried inside you? Because I definitely have. ” He suddenly said, and I was caught so off guard my eyes literally widened, my lips slightly parting.

He stepped closer, and I felt the outline of his erection brushing across my thigh, and his hand suddenly wrapped around my waist.

Too much was happening way too quickly. I tried to scrape for any remaining shreds of self-respect, even though I normally didn't have any.

I shoved back against the wall, hard enough to push him away, but I wasn't sure if it was because I wanted space, or because I couldn’t stand how much I was fighting the urge to lean into him.

“ Are you fucking crazy?!” I snapped, the words sharp and furious.

He stepped back, his eyes never leaving mine, but the intensity in his gaze didn’t fade. There was something in his expression, something raw and intense.

But all he did was tuck his hands into his pockets and continue undressing me with his deep grey eyes.

I held my ground, every inch of me seething with the need to get away, but also… something else. The heat between us was almost unbearable now, a tension that was so thick it was suffocating.

I don’t know how long we stood there, caught in this twisted, charged moment, but eventually, Adam looked away, the edge of his jaw tightening. “ You know, for such a pretty thing, you sure have a vile tongue. ”

His eyes flicked back to mine, still brimming with the same damn arrogance. “ I think we'll have to work on that”

I swallowed, my chest rising and falling too quickly. “ Says the guy who just came onto his stepsister! ”

And with that, I turned, stumbling slightly as I pushed past him, not daring to look back.

But the heat from his stare lingered, following me as I made my way through the crowd. As soon as I stepped outside, the cold air hit me, sharp and biting, but it didn’t do much to cool the fire that was still burning in my chest....and between my legs. Adam was following closely behind me. The valet rushed forward, his movements quick and polite, but I barely registered him.

I spotted my Uber pulling up at the curb and I felt deep relief. I glanced over at Adam, who was still watching me with that infuriatingly smug expression.

I forced a smile onto my face, tight and fake, knowing it wouldn’t reach my eyes. “It’s been eventful, Mr.Crest. But I’m not gonna waste my time pretending it was nice meeting you.”

He stared at me, his brow furrowing slightly as if my words actually registered, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of lingering. Without another word, I pulled off my heels, the sharp sting of the pavement hitting my bare feet. I knew I'd probably fall if I kept trying to walk in them that drunk.

I didn’t look back, not even once, as I rushed to the waiting Uber. I heard the soft echo of Adam’s voice behind me, but it didn’t matter. I climbed into the car, shutting the door behind me with a slam.

As the car pulled away, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, trying to shake off the weight of the tension that still clung to me.

Everything was gonna be fine, all I had to do was make sure that asshole and I never crossed paths again until the wedding.