Chapter 2 – The First Move (18+)

The rain had eased to a drizzle by the time Aria left the gala, her heels clicking against the marble steps outside the hotel. She pulled her coat tighter, ready to make the short walk to the subway, when a sleek black car pulled up beside her.

The tinted window rolled down, and she found herself staring at the same steel-gray eyes she’d tried so hard to ignore all evening.

“Get in,” Elias said — not as an invitation, but as a command.

Her pulse quickened. “I’m fine, thank you—”

“It’s raining,” he interrupted, his tone final. “And I don’t let women I’m interested in walk alone at night.”

That last part made her skin prickle. Against her better judgment, she slid into the leather interior, the scent of him filling the enclosed space — dark, warm, intoxicating.

The car glided forward, city lights streaking past the windows. He didn’t speak right away, simply studying her like she was a puzzle he planned to solve.

“You don’t belong in that crowd,” he finally said.

“I was working,” she replied, trying to keep her voice neutral.

“Working,” he repeated slowly, as though tasting the word. “You have the posture of someone who’s used to being served, not serving.”

She stiffened. “You don’t know me.”

He smiled faintly — the kind of smile that said I will.

When the car stopped, she realized they weren’t at her apartment. They were in front of an exclusive rooftop bar, its glass walls glowing against the night sky.

Inside, the place was nearly empty. He led her to a private corner booth without asking, his hand resting low on her back — a touch that was both protective and claiming.

The moment they sat, he leaned in, close enough for his breath to brush her ear. “I’ve been watching you all night, Aria. You keep your head down, but your eyes…” His gaze flicked to her lips. “They tell a different story.”

Her throat went dry. “And what story is that?”

“That you like being looked at.”

She swallowed, unsure whether to deny it.

He didn’t wait for an answer. His hand slid under the edge of her coat, fingers tracing the curve of her hip. She should have pulled away, but her body betrayed her — leaning in, heat pooling low in her stomach.

Elias’s lips brushed hers — not quite a kiss, more a promise of one. “If I kiss you now,” he murmured, “you won’t want to stop. And I don’t do it halfway.”

The air between them was molten. She was tempted to pull him in, to see just how far he would take it. But he drew back, the faintest smirk playing on his lips.

“Not tonight,” he said, standing. “But soon.”

And as he walked away to settle the bill, Aria realized she wasn’t disappointed.

She was already waiting for soon.

---

WARNING : MUST BE AT LEAST 18+ TO READ THIS!!!

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***