Selene stood motionless for a moment, her heart racing, as the pulse of the music and chatter filled the air. Kieran's sudden appearance had shattered the fragile calm she had built in her life over the years. She reached for her drink, her fingers trembling slightly, and took a slow sip, trying to regain control.
The taste of the whiskey burned as it slid down her throat, grounding her in the present. She could feel the weight of his absence, even as he had left. It was as if a part of her had been severed when he walked away all those years ago, but the wound never fully healed. She had built walls around that part of her heart—her youthful naivety, the part of her that had believed in love.
Now, it was just a scar.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sharp vibration of her phone. She glanced at the screen and saw Damien's name flashing in bold letters.
Damien. The name she once loved, now a reminder of her shattered trust.
She hesitated, then swiped to answer.
"What?" she asked coldly, her voice betraying none of the bitterness that churned within her.
"Selene," Damien's voice crackled through the line. His tone was smooth, almost too smooth. "Where are you?"
"I'm out." She took a breath, trying to steady herself. "Why?"
"You know the drill." His voice was laced with something she couldn't place—distant, distracted. "I need you to come back. There's… business to handle."
She could hear the faint sound of laughter in the background, the muffled clink of glasses. He was with someone. Probably one of his other lovers. The thought made her sick, but she kept her voice steady.
"You can handle it without me. I don't need to be your accessory tonight."
"Don't be difficult, Selene," he warned, his tone sharpening, though it still lacked any real urgency. "You know what happens if you don't comply."
Her chest tightened. She clenched her fists around the phone, resisting the urge to throw it against the nearest wall. She hated him in this moment. Hated the way he thought he could control her.
"You're not my master, Damien. Don't forget that." She hung up before he could respond.
A rush of anger flooded her veins, but it was quickly replaced with something darker. Something cold. She turned toward the bar, where a bottle of liquor beckoned to her, ready to drown her frustrations. But as her hand hovered over the bottle, a sudden presence made her stop.
"Selene." The voice was low, smooth, almost dangerous. She didn't need to turn to know who it was.
Kieran.
Her pulse quickened, but she didn't turn to face him. Not yet.
"You should go," she said, her tone sharp. "I don't need anyone here right now."
Kieran's footsteps were silent as he approached, his presence nearly overwhelming as he leaned against the bar beside her. The air between them felt electric—charged with the unspoken history that neither could ignore.
"I'm not leaving," he said quietly, his voice carrying the weight of something far deeper than a mere statement. "Not yet."
Selene finally turned to face him. His eyes were locked onto hers, those familiar golden irises filled with a storm of emotions she couldn't quite place. Anger? Desire? Regret?
"I thought you'd forgotten about me," she said, her voice cutting through the tension. "But here you are. Why?"
Kieran's lips tightened, a flicker of something dark passing through his gaze. "You think I can forget you? After everything?" His words were barely a whisper, but they carried the weight of years.
She swallowed, suddenly aware of how close he was. The scent of him—citrus and earth—invaded her senses, pulling at something deep inside her. But she pushed the sensation away. She wasn't some naive girl anymore. She was hardened, cautious.
"I don't need your pity, Kieran," she said, her voice steady, even as her heart began to betray her.
He didn't respond immediately, his gaze never leaving hers. For a long moment, neither spoke, the silence between them louder than anything they could say.
"Damien's not good for you," Kieran finally said, breaking the silence. His voice was almost too calm, but there was an underlying tension that didn't escape Selene.
She scoffed, turning away. "And you think you are?"
"I don't know," Kieran admitted, his voice raw. "I never thought I'd come back here. But now that I have, I can't ignore what's happening. I can't just walk away while you…" He trailed off, his words hanging in the air.
"While I what?" she asked, her voice low, almost daring him to finish.
"While you destroy yourself," he finished, his gaze hardening.
Her breath caught, the words stinging more than she expected. She wanted to lash out, to push him away. But instead, she felt something shift within her a mix of anger, hurt, and something else… something dangerous.
"I'm fine," she snapped, though the words felt hollow in her throat.
Kieran's expression softened, just slightly, but the warmth in his eyes only served to make her more furious. "No, you're not," he said quietly. "And I won't pretend that I don't care."
She met his gaze, her chest tight with an overwhelming mix of emotions. Her body felt on fire every nerve alive, thrumming with the intensity between them. The air felt thick, suffocating, and she couldn't breathe.
"Stop it," she whispered, though the words held no real power.
But Kieran didn't stop. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out, brushing against her arm. The contact was electric his touch sending a jolt of heat straight to her core.
Selene recoiled slightly, but he was there, his presence consuming her, pulling her in, tempting her. She could feel the weight of the years between them, the hurt, the desire everything they had once been and could never be again.
"I never stopped caring about you, Selene," he murmured. "And I don't think I ever will."
Her heart raced as she fought to control herself. She had told herself no more love, no more games. But with Kieran standing before her, the walls she had carefully constructed were starting to crumble, piece by piece.
"I can't," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
But the storm between them was already building, and it was far too late for either of them to escape.