Chapter 6

The music pulsed through my veins, drowning out every coherent thought as I pulled Addy onto the dance floor. It was the weekend, and we'd just come from our shifts at Zigs. I hadn't planned on going out, but when Addy suggested it last minute, I figured why not? The lights flashed wildly, casting chaotic shadows over the crowd, and it was exactly the kind of distraction I needed. Grind was our place, our loud sanctuary from the rest of the world. Tonight, it was my escape.

I hadn’t seen Adam in days. Four to be exact. It was good, great even. The man probably got tired of his little game, moved on to someone else to torture with his insufferable arrogance. I should’ve been relieved. Ecstatic even. Instead, I was... irritated. Which made no damn sense.

It didn’t matter though. I wasn’t going to waste my night analyzing why my brain couldn’t let go of a guy I barely knew. He had most likely been using me as entertainment because he was bored. My mum had called the previous day, and she'd passively mentioned something about him having lived somewhere abroad for the past seven or so years. Italy or something. Which was probably where he'd gone back to. I should've been celebrating.

Addy was doing the name of the club justice, grinding against me like I was a magic lamp that could grand her wishes or something. Her laugh loud and carefree as she swayed to the beat. I joined her, letting the rhythm take over and push everything else aside. And when I turned to the side, I saw a familiar face. Ryan.

He was moving through the crowd, that signature smirk plastered across his stupidly handsome face. One of those faces that made you wonder if he had an agent somewhere booking him movie deals.

He reached us, his hand brushing my arm as he leaned in. “Hey, Layla.”

“Ryan.” I smiled, trying to act all chill and sober even though I was starting to see double. Handling my alcohol had never been a skill of mine. A couple more shots and I'd be tap dancing on the table tops. We’d hooked up once before, maybe twice. He was fun, not to mention he could fuck me seven ways to Monday. The perfect kind of distraction.

His eyes flicked to Addy. “Mind if I cut in?”

I raised an eyebrow at her. She shrugged, already eyeing someone else across the room. “Go for it,” she said, disappearing into the crowd.

Ryan’s hands found my waist, and I let him pull me closer, the heat of his body pressing against mine. He moved well, confident but not overbearing, his hands skimming the curve of my hips as we danced. He was already hard, and I liked that. I moved my hand over his jeans and cupped his erection, smiling wickedly at him.

“You’re trouble,” he said, his breath warm against my ear.

“You have no idea,” I shot back. I couldn't believe I'd been obsessing over my stepbrother to be. I definitely needed a thorough hard fucking to get my head screwed back on straight.

The more we danced, the more I let myself sink into the moment. Ryan ran his hand up my thigh, dipping it under the short red dress I had on. It was easy access, all we needed was a dark corner and a wall, I wasn't too picky. I welcomed it when his fingers lightly brushed over my center, leaning into his touch as he kissed my neck. It felt good to forget for a while.

After a few songs, he leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “Wanna get out of here?”

I didn’t even hesitate. “Yeah.”

He grabbed my hand, leading me through the thick crowd. A maze of sweaty, swaying people, but we were almost to the edge when I collided with someone.

Hard.

I stumbled back, Ryan’s grip steadying me as I looked up. My stomach dropped.

Adam.

He stood there, calm and collected as ever, his dark eyes locked on mine. How the hell was he there?! Was I hallucinating? And did he always look so good? The fitted black shirt, the way his sleeves were rolled up just enough to showcase his forearms, the faint smirk playing on his lips. He was so freaking sexy it was infuriating.

“Going somewhere?” he asked casually, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade.

For a moment, I just stared, caught between disbelief and irritation. Of all the people, of all the times...why now? Why him?

His tie was missing, and the top buttons of his shirt were undone, but somehow that made him look even more... unfair. His grey eyes locked on me, and I felt pinned, like the crowd had disappeared, leaving only him and his maddening presence.

Ryan, still gripping my hand, let out an impatient huff. “Do you mind stepping aside, buddy?”

Adam’s gaze shifted to Ryan, and I swear the air around us dropped a few degrees. The casual arrogance in his stance evaporated, replaced by something darker, sharper. His eyes flicked down to the arm Ryan had wrapped around my waist, and when he looked back up, there was no mistaking the warning in his expression.

“If anyone’s stepping aside,” he said smoothly, his voice like a threat wrapped in velvet, “it’s you.”

Ryan scoffed, but it was forced, like he knew better than to test whatever line Adam was drawing. “Who the hell do you think you are?” he muttered, tugging me slightly as if to say we were done here.

Adam didn’t even blink. He moved so fast I barely saw it happen, his hand closing around Ryan’s wrist. With a sharp twist, he had Ryan groaning in pain, his grip on me instantly gone.

“What the hell is your problem?” Ryan spat, wincing as he tried to wrench his arm free.

“Problem?” Adam echoed, his voice low and calm in a way that made my skin prickle. His gaze cut back to me, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. “ Flower, tell me. Do I have a problem? He was the one rubbing himself all over what's mine. ”

“Adam,” I snapped, stepping forward and tugging at his arm. “Let him go.”

Ryan shot me a look somewhere between disbelief and outrage. “Do you know this lunatic?”

Before I could answer, Adam finally released his grip, though he didn’t step back. Instead, he turned to me, his expression unreadable but his tone matter-of-fact. “You’re coming with me.”

I blinked, still trying to catch up with what had just happened. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” he said, taking hold of my arm. His grip wasn’t tight, but it left no room for argument.

I was drunk, annoyed, and fully prepared to argue anyway, but something about the way he looked at me, the heat and certainty in his eyes, made the words die in my throat. He looked scary, like he was waiting for me to push one more of his buttons just so he could put me in my place. I was almost tempted to try him just to see his reaction.

" Fucking nutcase! " Ryan mumbled under his breath, his eyes on Adam, who didn't pay him any more attention because he was already leading me toward the exit. His hold firm but not rough.

I stumbled slightly, the haze of alcohol making it hard to walk straight, but Adam slowed his pace, steadying me without a word. His arm wrapped around my shoulder and his eyes fixed on the exit.

“ You're unbelievable,” I muttered, glaring at him once the cool night air hit my face. “ Fucking unbelievable! ”

He didn’t respond, didn’t even look at me. He rested both hands on his waist and took a couple of steps forward and away from me. I watched him look up to the sky and take in a deep breath before letting it out. Like he was praying for control or something. It was freezing out there, but I hardly noticed. He was starting to positively freak me out, and it was confusing because I was probably supposed to be scared of him, which wasn't the case. The attraction was still there, and it was messing with my head. Then he turned around and began making his way towards me, and I felt my heart rate spike instantly.