The music from the club thumped against Aiden's chest as he nursed his drink at the bar. He tried to ignore Justine's teasing, his heartbreak, and the mysterious blond stranger whose gaze had followed him all night—but he couldn't. Something about the way Damien had looked at him through the glass wall kept replaying in his mind.
Shaking his head, Aiden finished his drink and decided to step away. Maybe some fresh air would clear his thoughts. As he turned, a shadow fell across his path.
"You shouldn't wander off alone," a calm, commanding voice said.
Aiden froze. The voice… it was the same one from the bar. He hadn't expected Damien to approach him, yet here he was, standing tall and confident, eyes locked on him.
"I… I'm just going to the restroom," Aiden stammered, trying to step past.
Damien's gaze didn't waver. "I'll walk with you," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Every step toward the restroom made Aiden's heart beat faster. There was something about Damien—strong, poised, impossibly magnetic—that made his chest tighten. Fear battled curiosity inside him, but curiosity was winning.
As they reached the restroom, Aiden blurted, "You seem older, stronger… even powerful, but I don't care! And stop staring at me that way. I'm not your kind… I don't like men."
He shoved Damien lightly, intending to leave, but froze. Guards, tall and stern, blocked the exit. A shiver ran down his spine.
"You want to walk out on me?" Damien's low chuckle sent chills down Aiden's back.
"Come here this instant," he commanded, and despite himself, Aiden obeyed.
"I won't harm you," Damien said, softening, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I just want you to have a drink with me… and see if I might change your preference."
Aiden's brow furrowed. "Preference? I… I'm not changing that. I don't like men… sir." His throat tightened, but he held his ground.
Damien's grin widened, teasing yet magnetic. "Well… I like you. So I want to know you better while we talk over some bottles of vodka."
Aiden felt his heart skip. This guy is really handsome… in any mood, and that smile—heart-melting. A warning whispered in his mind: Aiden, you're getting into trouble… and yet, you're admiring him.
He couldn't explain it, couldn't stop the flutter in his chest as Damien's presence pressed closer. Against his better judgment, he followed Damien out of the restroom, curiosity and fear tangled together.
The private lounge awaited them—dim lights, soft music, and an air that felt charged with something unspoken. Damien gestured to a plush seat. "Sit," he said casually, though the intensity in his gaze suggested otherwise.
Aiden's fingers fidgeted with the edge of his sleeve. He had come to the club to escape heartbreak, but instead, he had walked straight into the enigma of Damien. Every instinct told him to run, yet every fiber of his being wanted to stay.
As the door clicked shut behind them, Aiden realized something: his life was about to change, in ways he couldn't predict. And whether he liked it or not… Damien was already at the center of it.
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