The drink burned as it slid down her throat. She coughed lightly, her eyes stinging, and set the glass down.
It tasted bitter. Too strong. Nothing like she'd imagined.
Across the room, two men sat at a small table near the wall. A few papers were spread between them, the kind that meant business, not pleasure.
They spoke in low voices.
After a moment, one of them stood. "I'll send the rest by morning."
He gathered the papers, nodded once, and left.
Julian Blackwood stayed behind.
His attention had shifted the moment the woman stumbled in.
She looked out of place. Too neat. Too careful. Like a good girl who had wandered into the wrong room.
He watched as the bartender slid a drink toward her. Watched the way she hesitated before taking a sip. Watched her cough softly and blink in surprise.
Julian chuckled under his breath.
She had clearly never drunk anything stronger than wine.
He took a slow sip of his own drink, his eyes lingering on her longer than he meant to.
Amusing, he thought.
And somehow… intriguing.
Julian set his glass down and leaned back in his chair, studying her openly now.
Every few seconds, she glanced around the room, unsure, like she was deciding whether to stay or run.
She finished her drink, slower than she'd started, but she finished it all the same then raised her hand to the bartender signalling another drink.
Julian watched the way she shifted on the stool, the slight sway she didn't seem aware of.
He sighed quietly and shook his head. Second drink.
For someone like her, that would be too much.
He lifted his glass but didn't drink, his gaze fixed on her as the bartender reached for the bottle again.
She's going to be drunk by the time she finishes that, Julian thought.
And somehow, that worried him more than it should have.
Lyvana finished her drink, then realized she hadn't eaten anything. She stood up, feeling a little light-headed. She decided to find a place to get some food.
Drinking on an empty stomach was never a good idea.
Drinking at all tonight hadn't been the smartest move.
She made her way to the elevator to get downstairs. The doors slid open with a soft ding and she stepped inside, pressing the button for the ground floor.
Before she could even lean against the wall for balance, two large men entered. One grabbed her arm, the other reached for her waist.
"Hey! Let go!" she shouted, struggling, but they were stronger than her.
Panic shot through her chest. Her heart pounded. She twisted, pulling back with all her strength, but they wouldn't let her go.
One reached out trying to hold her boobs. "Calm down, we won't hurt you. We will make you happy."
She opened her mouth to scream — then the doors slid open.
Before she could react, a sharp punch caught the first man off guard, and he fell to the ground. The second one barely had time to react before the stranger was on him too. He took them down one after the other with effortless force.
Lyvana's heart raced.
The men scrambled and ran off. He stepped closer, and Lyvana found herself noticing just how breathtaking he was.
Gently, his fingers lifted her chin.
"You're drunk, sweetheart. Do you realize that?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Julian looked at her more closely.
She was beautiful. She looked soft and dangerous at the same time. This was not the kind of girl that usually caught his attention, but… something about this one did.
"I am sorry about this," He said quietly.
In the next instant, he slammed his lips against hers pushing her back into the wall.
His kiss wasn't a request, it was a claim.
She should have pushed him away.
She should have been terrified.
But shock had made her mind go blank.
His hand braced against the wall on the side of her head, locking her in.
Then he pulled back just an inch, his thumb grazing her lower lip.
For a second, Lyvana forgot how to breathe.
Then instinct kicked in.
Her hands pressed harder against his chest pushing him back.
Then she gave him a slap across his cheek.
Someone was being feisty. How cute. Julian thought.
His business here was done. He should go home. Yet he was worried about her.
She was tipsy. He shouldn't have cared… Normally, he wouldn't have.
"Technically, I already apologized for kissing you," he said, then grinned, utterly unrepentant.
"Thank you for handling those men," Lyvana said coolly, straightening her jacket, "but I was just leaving."
"You can't drive. Let me take you home."
She laughed, obviously feeling the effects of the drink. "I don't know you. You might be a psychopath or something, so just fuck off."
She slipped past him, already heading for the exit.
A low sigh escaped him. Julian didn't like feeling responsible for anyone, especially not some girl drinking more than she should. Yet tonight, that rule seemed to have… slipped somehow.
He followed her.
"I can't leave you alone," he argued. "It's not safe."
She spun around then, her eyes flashing. "You don't get to decide what's safe for me."
"No," he agreed. "But I get to decide whether I walk away knowing those men could come back."
That made her pause. She knew he was right but...
"You already crossed a line," she said. "Don't pretend this is about concern."
"Maybe it started that way."
Julian met her gaze, unflinching.
"Now," he said quietly, "I want to make it up to you for my earlier actions."
She stared at him. "Are you sure you are not a serial killer?"
"I'm quite sure."
She turned back toward the doors.
"Alright," she said. "You try anything, anything at all and I will scream."
His mouth curved slightly. "Deal. Now tell me where to go."
She could barely remember the drive back to the apartment building.