Her breathing quickened, escaping in short, uneven pants. Jitters wracked her body as she paced the small room, which suddenly felt like it was shrinking around her. A gnawing sense of dread settled in her chest, but she pushed it down, unwilling to trust her worst instincts. Still, as the minutes ticked by, her thoughts only grew darker.
A sharp knock at the door jolted her. She rushed toward it, but instinct made her pause and listen.
"Kylie, you in there?"
A deep, familiar voice — Alec's — seeped through the door.
Relief flooded her. "I'm in here!" she called back, but no response came — only Alec's voice again, calling her name, distant and muffled.
The room must be soundproof.
The click of the doorknob turning pulled her from her spiraling thoughts. She watched as Alec stepped inside, closing the door behind him with deliberate calm. The moment the latch clicked shut, all the fear gripping her heart melted away.
He moved toward her slowly, his steps deliberate, heavy with intent — intent for what, she could tell.
Unconsciously, she backed up, bumping into a table tucked against the wall as his predatory gaze pinned her in place. Every move she made, he tracked, like a hunter cornering his prey.
A foreign heat curled in her stomach, making her legs feel like water.
The distance between them thinned quickly, his scent wrapping around her, pulling her deeper into his gravity. His body heat warmed her before his arms even touched her — and then, suddenly, they did.
Strong arms slipped around her waist, drawing her against him, and his head dipped into the crook of her neck and shoulder.
His warm breath ghosted over her skin, sending a shiver through her.
Then his lips followed — soft and deliberate — pressing tender kisses against the sensitive spot just above her collarbone.
She flinched slightly, unfamiliar with this kind of touch, but made no move to pull away.
Instead, she melted further into him.
His kisses continued up her neck, trailing fire along her skin, before reaching the sharp line of her jaw.
Every point his mouth touched burned hotter than the last.
His body pressed fully against hers, leaving no space between them, and she gasped when she felt his palm slide down to grasp one of her ass cheeks, anchoring her closer.
Before she could catch her breath, his mouth captured hers — a gentle, coaxing kiss that left her dizzy.
The strange, fluttering feeling in her stomach twisted tighter, growing stronger, hungrier.
He pulled back just enough for their eyes to meet.
This time, she didn't look away.
And just like that, he claimed her mouth again — but there was nothing gentle about it now.
His tongue swept past her lips, taking full possession, kissing her like he wanted to steal the air from her lungs.
She whimpered into his mouth, her body instinctively pressing closer as his hand squeezed her firmly. Alec dominated the kiss, deep and unrelenting, leaving her struggling to keep up.
When her chest tightened and she pulled back slightly in search of air, he murmured against her lips, "Breathe through your nose."
The soft brush of his words against her mouth sent another tremor through her.
Without warning, she felt herself being lifted — effortlessly — and set down on the table behind her. She tried instinctively to close her legs, but Alec stepped between them, claiming the space without hesitation.
Before she could say a word, his hand tilted her chin up, and his mouth found hers again, more demanding than ever.
His tongue invaded her mouth, leaving no room for thought, only sensation.
All she could do was hold on, surrendering to the storm he had awakened inside her.
Hands roamed her body, trailing up her thigh, caressing, claiming. His touch was insistent, possessive, and she didn't want him to stop—God, she didn't want him to stop. And he had no intention of stopping either.
But the distant sound of her name—shouted by her friends—broke through the fog clouding her senses. Kylie snapped out of it. Instinctively, she pushed Alec away. He didn't resist, letting her create space between them, though his eyes burned with unspoken frustration.
The second her feet hit the floor, the door swung open.
"Kylie, we were so worried—whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Marie's voice pitched up several octaves as she took in the scene.
"I can't believe you two were getting it on in here! In the middle of all this?" she added, eyes wide. "Didn't know you were into public PDA—"
Alec shot her a look sharp enough to slice glass. Marie immediately shut her mouth, lifting her hands in surrender.
"We'll be outside."
Kylie's face was flushed, lips kiss-swollen, and her dress was hiked dangerously high—one strap slipping down her bare shoulder, almost revealing more than she intended.
Alec, on the other hand, looked utterly unrepentant. If anything, he seemed ready to pick up right where they left off.
Flustered, Kylie fumbled to fix her dress, avoiding his gaze. Her fingers trembled as she pulled the strap back into place.
"Let's go," she mumbled, eyes glued to the floor, too shy to meet his eyes.
She turned to leave, but his hand caught hers, firm and deliberate. His body pressed against her back, close enough for her to feel his breath on her skin.
"One more time," he whispered, voice low and sinful in her ear.
Her heart skittered. Panic bubbled up—and something else, too. Heat.
"W-we can do it when we get back in the car," she blurted without thinking.
That did the trick. Alec's smirk said it all as he released her hand, clearly satisfied with her answer.
"Where's Angie? She locked me in that room," Kylie asked as soon as she stepped into the hallway, her voice laced with frustration and confusion.
"It's been taken care of," came Ryan's voice, calm and casual.
Kylie turned sharply, eyes narrowing at the brunette leaning against the wall, smirking—not at her, but at Alec.
"What do you mean, 'taken care of'?" she asked, unease starting to coil in her stomach.
Ryan's grin widened. "Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about."
The dismissive tone made Kylie bristle. She turned to Alec, silently pleading for answers. But he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were locked onto Ryan's, the tension between them thick and unspoken—like a silent challenge crackling in the air.
"Alec?" she pressed, her voice quieter now.
He finally glanced at her, his expression softening slightly. "I'll explain everything in the car," he said. "But first, let's get you and your friends home."
Kylie hesitated, glancing once more between the two men before giving a reluctant nod.
---
Inside the car, silence hung heavy. Well—awkward silence, at least for Marie and Cole, who kept sneaking glances at each other, neither willing to break the tension with words.
The moment the car stopped in front of Kylie's house, they practically bailed out—muttering rushed goodbyes before disappearing up the driveway. Kylie reached for the door handle to follow, but the sudden *click* of the doors locking froze her in place.
She turned slowly toward Alec.
"I know Angie's one of your best friends," Alec began, his voice low, measured, "but she tried to hurt you, Kylie. And I think it's better if your friends explain exactly what she had planned."
His tone was calm, but the tight clench of his jaw gave him away. He was angry—barely holding it in.
Kylie swallowed hard, then asked the question that had been gnawing at her since the hallway.
"What did Ryan mean when he said it was 'taken care of'?"
Alec exhaled slowly, then met her eyes. "I admit… I held her at gunpoint. I hit her a couple times. That's all I did. Ryan called the authorities and let them handle the rest."
His voice was controlled. Almost too controlled.
But Kylie was far from calm.
"You—" her voice faltered. "You have a gun?"
Alec nodded. "Yeah. You know my family's... well-off. Protection's kind of a thing in our world."
Kylie stared at him, eyes wide, heart racing.
"You know what? We'll talk about this tomorrow," she said finally, her voice eerily composed.
"Please unlock the door, Alec."
He hesitated. For a second, she saw the flicker of something else in his expression—want, maybe. Like he was hoping for a kiss, something to ground them both. But he knew better than to push it now.
With a quiet sigh, he pressed the unlock button.
Kylie stepped out without another word, not even a glance back.
Because they both knew—
He wasn't telling her the whole truth.