Chapter 5 005

• Gina leaned closer, her tone conspiratorial. “You know what you need? A rebound. Someone hot and dirty. Like... rip-your-clothes-off dirty. Ever thought about trying out that fat ass of yours on a man who knows how to handle it?”
• Ella laughed, shaking her head. “Gina, you’re impossible.”
• “I’m serious! You’re way too wound up, babe. Loosen up, live a little, and maybe get laid while you’re at it.”
• The drinks kept coming, and the night blurred into laughter, Gina’s dirty jokes becoming progressively more outrageous. For the first time in days, Ella felt a sliver of lightness, like maybe, just maybe, she could breathe again.
• But the club was starting to feel stifling, the air too thick with sweat and smoke. “I need some air,” Ella said, standing unsteadily.
• “Don’t go too far!” Gina called after her, but Ella was already making her way to the exit.
• The night was cool against her flushed skin as she stepped outside. She walked a short distance until she found herself in a small park nearby, a quiet escape, different from the noise she’d left behind.
• Her fingers twitched at her side, a long-buried urge creeping up on her. She hadn’t smoked in five years, not since her mother’s condition had taken a turn for the worse. But tonight, she needed something, anything, to take the edge off.
• As she rounded the corner toward the bench she’d been eyeing, she stopped short. Someone was already there.
• The man sat with his shoulders hunched slightly forward, his large frame illuminated by the faint glow of a nearby streetlamp. He was huge, broad and muscular, the kind of presence that demanded attention without trying. His face was partially obscured in shadow, but she could see the sharp line of his jaw, the way his lips curled slightly around the cigarette he was smoking.
• The smell of tobacco mixed with something else, woodsy, clean, and maddeningly intoxicating.
• She hesitated for a moment before deciding to sit on the opposite end of the bench. If he noticed her, he didn’t show it, his gaze fixed on some distant point in the dark.
• After a while, he spoke, his voice low and smooth. “Didn’t expect company.”
• Ella shrugged, pulling a cigarette from her bag and lighting it with shaky hands. “Didn’t expect someone to be in my spot.”
• He chuckled softly, the sound vibrating through the cool air. “Your spot, huh?”
• “Yeah. Needed some air,” she said, taking a drag. “Or maybe just needed to feel like I’m not completely losing my mind.”
• He turned his head toward her then, his eyes dark and assessing. “Rough night?”
• “Rough life,” she corrected, exhaling a plume of smoke. “And you? What’s your excuse for sitting in the dark, looking all broody and mysterious?”
• He smiled faintly, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Let’s just say life’s got a funny way of reminding me that no matter how far I think I’ve come, I’m still tangled in the same old mess.”
• For a moment, silence settled between them, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.
• “What do you want out of life?” she asked suddenly, surprising even herself.
• He tilted his head slightly, as if considering the question. “Peace,” he said finally. “To build something that lasts. Something that doesn’t end in blood and regrets. To not always get what I want with violence.”
• His words hit something deep within her, a thread of longing she hadn’t realized was there. “Yeah,” she murmured. “Peace sounds nice.”
• Their eyes met, and it makes her heart skip a beat. Almost as if he has a hold on her with his gaze as they trail over her body. She was wearing a short gown that exposed a bit of her thighs but not even his gaze could make her adjust it. She loved how fixed his eyes were on her body. The space between them seemed to shrink, the world fading away until it was just the two of them on that bench.
• When he leaned in, it was slow, intentional, giving her every chance to pull away. But she didn’t. She closed the distance, her lips meeting his in a kiss that was soft at first but quickly deepened, both of them pouring everything they couldn’t say into the contact.
• The kiss deepened, pulling Ella into a haze that made the cool night air and the distant hum of the city fade away. She didn’t know who this man was, and for the first time in her life, she didn’t care. He was a temporary escape, a moment of hiding from everything crumbling around her.
• Before she realized what was happening, his strong, firm arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the bench effortlessly.
• “Hey!” she gasped, her voice muffled as his lips brushed hers again.
• His darkened eyes met hers, intense and unapologetic. “I don’t want anyone seeing us here. I don't plan giving hush money to those greedy reporters lurking around”
• Her breath caught in her throat, and she clung to him instinctively as he carried her toward a sleek, black car parked nearby. He moved as if she weighed nothing, his grip steady and sure. He made her fit perfectly in his arms.
• The car door opened with a click, and he placed her gently on the leather seat, his large frame leaning over her for a moment before he climbed in on the driver’s side.
• Ella’s heart was racing, her thoughts swirling as she felt the warmth of his presence next to her in the confined space. The scent of him, woodsy and clean, with a hint of smoke—was stronger now, making her head spin.
• He started the engine, the low rumble vibrating through the car as he drove a short distance to a secluded corner of the parking lot, hidden from view by a cluster of trees.
• The silence was loud, charged with an undeniable tension as he turned off the engine and leaned back in his seat. For a moment, he simply looked at her, his gaze dark and unreadable.
• “You can still say no,” he said, his voice low and gravelly.
• Her lips parted, her pulse hammering in her ears. She should have said no. She knew this wasn’t who she was, or at least, who she used to be. But right now, with everything in her life spiraling out of control, she wanted this. Wanted him. This irrestible stranger.
• “I’m not saying no,” she whispered. " I want it badly"
• That was all the encouragement he needed.
• He leaned in, capturing her lips with his once more, his hands finding her waist and pulling her closer. His touch was firm yet gentle, his fingers exploring the curves of her body with a deliberate slowness that made her shiver.