The drink in my hand felt heavier than it should have, the condensation slick against my palm. I hesitated at the edge of the dance floor, unsure if I should step in, but the moment my eyes found Vivian... already lost in the music, arms raised without a care—I felt something loosen inside me.
If she could let go, then so could I.
The beat pulsed through my chest, and I began to move, awkwardly at first, but soon I realized I wasn't any worse than anyone else here. Half the people on the floor moved like amateurs anyway, thrashing more than dancing, and somehow that made it easier.
I danced until my lungs burned, until my legs ached and the world blurred with flashing neon lights.
When I finally stopped, breathless and glowing with sweat, I glanced around for Vivian. She wasn't hard to spot—dancing with some guy now, clearly enjoying herself. I smiled faintly at the sight before letting my gaze wander further, and that was when I saw him.
A man across the room, eyes fixed on me in a way that made my skin crawl. His smile wasn't charming...it was predatory. His gaze lingered too long.
Not him. Definitely not him.
It wasn't that he was old or even unattractive. But something about him felt… wrong. Like a spider watching a fly struggle in its web. And when he began moving through the crowd toward me, my pulse spiked.
Nope. Absolutely not.
I slipped away, weaving through writhing bodies, letting the music swallow me. My heart thudded as I dodged past one couple, then another, until I was sure I had lost him. Only then did I allow myself to slow down, breath hitching as relief washed over me.
The bar counter offered a temporary sanctuary. I leaned against it, considering another drink, but one sip of the bitter liquid in my glass reminded me why that was a terrible idea. Alcohol tasted awful, and I had no idea how much it would take for me to lose control. That was the last thing I needed tonight.
My eyes caught a half-open door at the far end of the club. Beyond it, I glimpsed faint light, the cool promise of air. Without a second thought, my feet carried me toward it.
The balcony.
And goddess, I needed it.
I pushed the door wider and stepped outside, the rush of night air kissing my skin. Compared to the suffocating heat inside, it felt like heaven. The music was muffled here, distant, as though the world inside the club belonged to another universe entirely.
For a moment, I closed my eyes and breathed. The stars were barely visible through the city lights, but I drank in the sky anyway.
"So beautiful."
The voice startled me. My breath caught as I spun around, and there he was-- leaning casually against the small doorframe as though he had been standing there for hours.
And God, he was…
He was like no man I had ever seen in my entire life. Midnight-black hair, slightly ruffled as if someone had just run their hands through it. Sharp cheekbones, a shap jawline, and eyes so dark they seemed to catch the light and swallow it whole. His clothes...formal, tailored, far too refined for a place like this only made him stand out more.
For a second, I forgot how to breathe.
I snapped out of my trance quickly, forcing a polite smile. "Very beautiful," I said, turning back toward the glittering skyline. It was safer to look at the city than at him.
He was right, though—the view from here was stunning. The city glittered beneath the night sky, lights scattered like fallen stars across the horizon. For a moment, I let myself get lost in it—the hum of life below, the way the wind carried faint traces of music from inside, the freedom that seemed to stretch far beyond the walls I had always been caged in. My lips curved into the faintest smile as I tried to memorize every detail. It felt like the kind of view one could fall in love with… the kind that made you forget where you were.
"I was talking about you."
The words struck harder than they should have, making my heart stumble against my ribs. Compliments had never been my thing. They were messy, awkward—because then you were expected to return them. And looking at him, the last thing I wanted was to feed a man's ego when he clearly didn't need help in that department.
"Well… thank you," I managed, the words coming out softer than I intended. My gaze locked stubbornly on the city, as if its neon lights could anchor me.
Then I heard his footsteps.
My pulse quickened as he came closer, each step echoing in the quiet night air until he stood beside me. The heat of him—his presence—was impossible to ignore.
"Funny thing about views," he said, voice low, almost amused. "They're always better when you have someone to share them with."
I finally turned my head, and he was watching me.
Before coming here, I had thought it would be easy—find a guy, spend the night, and walk away with no strings. But now, with a real man standing right beside me, the weight of that idea felt heavier, more intimidating than I had imagined.
He towered over me, his presence wrapping around me in ways that made my pulse stumble. His gaze—dark, steady, and far too intense—felt like it could unravel me if I let it linger too long. I tried to recover, recalling his earlier words, and managed to whisper, "Yes… views are better when you share them with someone else."
He tilted his head, as if amused by my attempt at composure, and I rushed to distract myself. "You don't exactly look like someone who came here to have a good time."
I was referring to the way he was dressed—nothing casual or careless about him. His fitted black designer shirt clung to broad shoulders, two buttons undone just enough to reveal the edge of a tattoo. Dark trousers completed the picture, along with a silver Rolex that glinted under the balcony light. He looked more like he had stepped out of a private boardroom than into a club.
"I came here to meet someone," he said simply, his voice smooth and unreadable. After a beat, he added, "But you… you don't seem like the type who belongs in places like this."
He was right. And the more he said it aloud, the more this night felt like a mistake. My chest tightened with a realization I didn't want to admit.
"Yeah," I said quietly. "I thought it would be fun to dance, maybe… have a hookup for the night. But it was a bad idea."
The breeze tugged at my hair and I reached up, tucking the strands behind my ear, my fingers brushing against skin that felt warmer than usual. His eyes didn't leave me, and I wondered if he could tell just how out of my depth I really was.