Chapter 4 The Perfect Night

• Ronan
• Chloe sat at the vanity, her back to me, meticulously combing her hair. Each stroke was deliberate, a soothing rhythm that contrasted sharply with the turmoil brewing inside me.
• I lay on the bed, propped up on my elbows, watching her through half-lidded eyes. She looked serene, content even. But I felt anything but. The weight of the day's events pressed heavily on my chest. This marriage, arranged and devoid of genuine affection, felt like a fucking cage.
• Chloe turned slightly, her eyes meeting mine in the mirror. "Are you ready?" she whispered, her voice tinged with anticipation.
• I furrowed my brows, tearing my gaze away. "Give me a moment," I replied, my voice barely audible, and left for the bathroom.
• Opening the cabinet beneath the sink, I rummaged through the clutter until my fingers closed around a small, familiar bottle. I retrieved it, examining the label with a detached gaze. Aphrodisiac pills—something I never thought I'd resort to again after what had happened this morning.
• Without a second thought, I popped one into my mouth, swallowing it dry. The bitterness lingered on my mouth, cruelly reminding me of the bitterness in my heart.
• I splashed cold water on my face, attempting to calm myself down. Taking a deep breath, I steeled myself and exited the bathroom.
• I stepped out of the bathroom, the cool air brushing against my skin as I re-entered the bedroom.
• Chloe was sitting on the center of the bed, her posture tense, eyes avoiding mine. She wore a delicate silk dress, the fabric clinging to her form, revealing more than concealing. Her hands fidgeted nervously in her lap, and she bit her lower lip—a gesture of vulnerability.
• I approached her slowly, each step feeling heavier than the last. Kneeling before her, I reached out, my fingers gently sliding the strap of her dress off her shoulder, exposing the curve of her breast. She shivered slightly, whether from anticipation or apprehension, I couldn't tell.
• But as I continued, a wave of nausea washed over me. Despite the pill I had taken, my body refused to cooperate.
• I pulled back abruptly, standing up and stepping away.
• "I need to leave," I muttered, avoiding her gaze.
• Chloe looked up, confusion clouding her features. "What?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
• "I can't do this," I said more firmly, already moving towards the door. I slipped on my slippers, grabbed my jacket, and exited the room without another word.
• ***
• The Bar
• I sat alone, nursing a drink, trying to cool off. Despite the alcohol, the tension in my body refused to dissipate. I shifted uncomfortably, attempting to conceal the evidence of my arousal, an effect of the pill I had taken earlier.
• Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the haze.
• "Ronan?"
• I turned to see Liam standing there, a look of surprise and concern on his face. He took a seat beside me, ordering a beer, acknowledging the obvious. His presence was both comforting and unsettling.
• We sat in silence, sipping our drinks, the air thick with unspoken words.
• Unable to resist any longer, I leaned closer to him, my voice barely above a whisper.
• "I'm straight as fuck... but I need you right now. Can we do what we did back then at the dressing room?"
• I regretted it the moment the words left my mouth. What the hell did I say to him? Why did I ask him that? Of all people—him. Liam. The one that agitates me to the core. What was I even thinking?
• I leaned back against the cold metal chair, cursing under my breath. The buzz of the alcohol did nothing to dull the shame rising in my chest. I should’ve just left Chloe. I should’ve stayed in that stupid room and done what I was supposed to do. But no. I ran. I ran out like a fool, found myself here with Liam, and I asked him with no guilt or shame.
• I wish I could rewind time and rip those words out of existence. What the hell is wrong with me?
• Liam gulped hard, shaking his head as he took another swig of his drink. "We can't do this," he murmured. "You're my sister's husband."
• I scoffed, bitterness lacing my words. "Not like I have a choice."
• He closed his eyes tightly and let out a sigh, but soon enough, I noticed his gaze drifting downward, lingering each second as he took sips from his glass.
• "If you're not going to help me with my erection, could you at least stop staring?" I snapped.
• His cheeks flushed crimson as he looked away, focusing intently on his drink.
• "Do you probably have a problem with your dick?" he asked, his eyes in front. "You should go see a doctor or something."
• "I don't think I can stay here listening to you," I hissed, my voice sharp with frustration as I stood.
• "But how will you leave like that?" he asked, his gaze dropping down.
• I followed his eyes and cursed under my breath the moment I saw it—the bold, unmistakable tent pressing against my shorts.
• With a grunt, I sank back down into the seat. "Damn it," I muttered, avoiding his eyes.
• "You could just wait till it goes away," he said casually.
• I shot him a glare, my jaw tightening. "It won't."
• "What?" He blinked, confused. "But why?"
• "It won’t fucking go away until I find relief!" I snapped, my voice rising without warning.
• Liam let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "You were right. We shouldn't even be having this conversation. I’m leaving."
• My eyes widened in disbelief. "You’re seriously leaving me like this?" I growled, like he had anything to do with my current state.
• He looked at me, brows drawn together. "And what exactly do you expect me to do? Stay here and keep bickering with you like we are in some twisted drama? No. I'm done. Handle whatever this is by yourself—and maybe go see a doctor while you're at it. I'm serious. This is a big problem."
• "Excuse me?" I snapped, rage bubbling under my skin.
• He didn’t get it. He never did. Yet here he was, throwing words around like they didn’t mean anything.
• "It’s a serious issue, Ronan," he said quietly, tossing a few bills onto the table before standing.
• But before he could take a step, he wobbled—just slightly. It was enough. He tripped and fell backward.
• He fell onto my lap, his ass landing squarely on my lap, right on my growing erection. I felt revolted and wanted to shove him off, but my traitorous manhood seemed to have other ideas.
• My hardening cock was straining against my shorts, repeatedly pushing against his ass. Fuck! The thought of being inside him crossed my mind - anywhere, just to find some fucking relief. Not that I actually liked this asshole - hell, I barely even found him attractive.
• "Ro... Ronan?" he stuttered, his voice laced with embarrassment.
• Just as he started to get up, I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding him down.
• "What are you doing?" he asked, glancing around at the few people in the bar who were either too drunk or too busy to care. Some were drinking, others chatting, some laughing—the usual mix of people, both same-gendered and opposite.
• "Just one night," I said, my voice low. "One last night, and we'll forget this ever happened. We'll go back to our normal lives as typical in-laws, and we can even act like strangers if you want."
• A heavy silence settled between us.
• "Fine," he finally muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "After tonight, let’s not even think about it."
• "Deal," I replied, slowly pulling my hands away from his waist.
• He nodded, almost reluctantly. "There are rooms upstairs. We can book one."
• I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe I was in this situation.
• Now, here I was, standing in the middle of a room with Liam. How did I even end up here? This wasn’t part of the plan. Also, I had no idea what to do next. I hadn’t done this before, not like this. Not with a guy.
• I didn’t even know what I was supposed to say or how to begin.
• I cleared my throat, trying to find some semblance of control. "What now?" The words came out rougher than I meant them to.
• Before I could process anything, he was taking a step closer to me. My body stiffened instinctively.
• "Just follow my lead," he muttered, his voice low and almost seductive. Something that actually made me very uncomfortable.
• And then, in a blink, his lips were on mine.
• It was jarring. I felt the warmth of his mouth against mine, his breath mingling with mine, and something inside me twisted. I wasn’t ready for this. Hell, I didn’t want this.
• I pushed him away with a force I hadn’t realized I had, making him stumble.
• "What the hell was that?" I yelled, my voice tight with anger and confusion as I covered my mouth with my palm. I clenched my teeth so hard it felt like they might crack.
• I grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling him toward me, desperate to make sense of the situation. "What was that for?" I asked again, my voice raw with emotion.
• "You wanted this, didn't you?" he said, his voice low and serious.
• “Well, I don’t want to get kissed by some guy!” I snapped, my voice loud and sharp, trying to shove down the rising tension in my body. “I’m straight.”
• "You’ve said that many times already," he said with a shrug, as if it didn’t matter anymore. "If you don’t want this, fine! I don’t want this either."
• And with that, he turned sharply, heading toward the door. The moment I saw him move away, something inside me snapped. No, I couldn’t let him leave like this. I couldn’t just let everything go. Not now. Not when the drug is still in my blood, making me feel this way.
• “Wait!" I said.
• Liam stopped in his tracks, but he didn’t turn around. He didn’t need to. I could hear the frustration in his breathing.
• "What?" he asked, his voice clipped, still not facing me.
• I swallowed hard, knowing full well I was probably making the biggest mistake of my life. But I couldn’t ignore the aching pressure in my pants. I was a fucking mess, and it wasn’t going to go away just by standing there pretending everything was fine.
• "Let’s give this another try," I said, my voice quieter this time.
• I looked down at my bulge. It wasn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, it was damn obvious. I wasn’t fooling anyone. "But no kissing," I added quickly, hoping that would make this less... messed up.
• Liam let out a deep sigh, like he was done with this ridiculousness but knew there was no turning back now. He turned slowly, his eyes dark with something unreadable. "Let’s make this really quick," he said, his tone flat.
• And then, he reached out and pushed me toward the bed. My back hit the mattress with a soft bounce, and my breath caught in my throat. This was it. This was happening.