(Evelyn's POV)
The rain came down in relentless sheets, drumming against the streets and bouncing off the asphalt like a thousand tiny hammers. I wrapped my coat tighter around myself, though it did little to stop the chill that had seeped through my dress. Clara's footsteps had long vanished, her anger and frustration leaving me alone on the slick streets, soaked and shivering, every droplet of rain a reminder of my vulnerability.
I had never felt so exposed, so small, yet so alive. The city at night was a different world—streetlights shimmering through the rain, the occasional car splashing past puddles, the sound of raindrops bouncing off windows like soft percussion. Each step I took felt heavier than the last, my heels slipping slightly on the wet pavement.
"Clara…" I muttered to myself, though no one could hear. The bitter sting of her departure pressed against my chest. She had left me here as a punishment, yet part of me couldn't decide whether I hated her or myself more.
And then… he appeared.
Adrian Vale.
He stepped from the shadows, his presence cutting through the rain as though he had conjured it himself. The dark suit clung to him, dampened slightly by the drizzle, but it did nothing to diminish the aura of control and power he radiated. His hair, damp at the edges, stuck slightly to his forehead, giving him a raw, untamed edge I had never seen before.
"Evelyn," he said softly, almost a whisper, yet it carried across the narrow street. "You're not supposed to be out here alone."
I froze, shivering not only from the cold but from the sheer force of his presence. My chest tightened as my heart raced, the warmth of his proximity contrasting sharply with the cold rain. "I… I'm fine," I stammered, though I knew it was a lie.
He tilted his head slightly, dark eyes assessing me with a quiet intensity that left me breathless. "Fine?" he echoed, stepping closer. I felt the heat radiating from him, a tangible warmth against the damp chill of the night. "You're soaked, shivering, and miserable. That doesn't look fine to me."
I wanted to protest, to argue, to claim independence, but the words died in my throat. His gaze was magnetic, commanding, and protective all at once. It left no room for resistance, only submission.
Adrian took a careful step forward, and before I could react, he draped his coat over my shoulders. The warmth of it spread immediately, and I inhaled sharply, grateful yet embarrassed by the closeness. "I… I don't need—" I began, but he cut me off with a quiet, "Yes, you do."
I felt his hand brush against my arm as he guided me to the sidewalk, close enough that the tip of his fingers skimmed mine. Each subtle contact made my pulse race, sending shivers through me that had nothing to do with the rain.
"You shouldn't be out here alone," he said again, more insistently this time, voice low, intimate. "It's dangerous. And you…" He paused, letting the words linger like a question. "You're reckless."
I swallowed, aware of how my damp hair clung to my neck, how my soaked clothes clung to my curves, and how every detail was visible to him. Heat flushed through me despite the chill, a blend of embarrassment, fear, and a stirring I couldn't name.
He guided me carefully toward his car, holding an umbrella high above both of us. The angle was deliberate, forcing our bodies closer together as we walked. His arm brushed mine repeatedly, subtle touches that felt casual but were anything but. The magnetic pull between us was undeniable, and each step brought awareness that I was entirely at his mercy.
"You know," he murmured, voice low, almost teasing, "you look better when you're conscious of your danger."
I blinked, caught off guard. "I… what?"
He glanced at me, smirk curling at the edge of his lips. "This," he said simply, gesturing vaguely at the soaked streets, my shivering frame, the rain-soaked coat clinging to me. "You. Vulnerable, yet still… striking. It suits you."
I felt my cheeks burn and looked away, focusing on the slick pavement beneath my feet. Yet even as I tried to withdraw, his presence pressed against me—solid, protective, and dangerously intimate.
By the time we reached his car, I was trembling from the cold and adrenaline alike. He opened the door for me with a fluid grace, guiding me inside. Once seated, he leaned in just enough to close the space, placing his coat fully around me. The warmth enveloped me like a shield against the storm outside.
"You're freezing," he said softly, brushing damp strands of hair from my face. His fingers lingered at my temple for a heartbeat too long, and I swallowed, my throat dry. "Why would you risk walking alone?"
"I… Clara left me," I admitted reluctantly, voice barely audible. "She was… angry. She wanted me to—"
"To face the rain alone?" he finished for me, dark eyes fixed on mine. "That's cruel."
I nodded silently, unable to meet his gaze fully. There was something in the intensity of his stare, the closeness, that made my heart hammer against my chest.
He leaned back slightly, offering a small, controlled smile. "Then it's my job to make sure you're safe. That's all."
The car ride was silent except for the soft rhythm of rain against the roof. His presence, so close and controlled, kept me tense yet strangely comforted. I could feel the warmth radiating from him, the subtle brush of his arm when he reached for the gearshift, the occasional close proximity that made my pulse spike.
By the time we arrived at his penthouse, I was shivering from more than just the cold. The front door opened, and he led me inside, every movement deliberate, protective, intimate. The warmth of the penthouse, the soft lighting, and the quiet space contrasted sharply with the storm outside.
He removed his coat and draped it over a chair, but not before lightly brushing my shoulders again as he guided me to the sofa. "Sit," he instructed softly, voice low and commanding, yet gentle.
I sank into the cushions, shivering, still aware of the lingering heat from his earlier touches. He knelt slightly in front of me, producing a thick, warm blanket. "Here," he said, wrapping it around my shoulders. "You'll catch your death if you stay like this."
I wrapped the blanket tighter, aware of his proximity. His knees brushed mine subtly as he adjusted the folds, careful yet intimate. Every motion was precise, controlled, and charged with unspoken tension.
"You… you didn't have to," I said, voice trembling slightly. "I could have… gone home."
He shook his head, dark eyes locking with mine. "No. You shouldn't have. Not in this rain. Not alone. Not ever if I can help it."
The simple statement sent a shiver through me, a mixture of safety and something more… something deeper, more dangerous. My pulse thumped, and my chest felt tight with a warmth that had nothing to do with the blanket.
He leaned back slightly, observing me, his presence magnetic. "You know," he said, voice low, "this is the first time I've seen you completely unguarded. Vulnerable. And yet…" He tilted his head, smirk curling faintly. "…it suits you."
I looked down, feeling heat creep up my cheeks, unsure whether to be embarrassed or flustered, or both. I couldn't escape the intensity of his gaze, the subtle intimacy of his gestures, the closeness that had defined the night.
For a moment, the rain outside seemed distant, the world beyond his penthouse irrelevant. There was only him, only the tension, only the dangerous pull between us that neither of us dared to name.
And in that quiet, warm space, with the storm raging outside, I realized just how compelling, intoxicating, and dangerously magnetic Adrian Vale truly was.
Tonight was only the beginning.