The world narrowed instantly. Elias froze—just for a fraction of a second,then his hand came up steadying Layla at her waist.
The kiss deepened slightly,not rushed but intentional,like a line being crossed that couldn't be uncrossed.
Layla's pulse thundered while her fingers curled lightly into the fabric of his jacket.
For one suspended moment,there was no Liam,no lies and no consequences waiting in the dark.Just the dangerous kind of safe she kept choosing and then—She pulled back first.
Her breath uneven while his eyes became darker than before.
"Guess you're finally accepting you're mine." Elias said as he gave out a slight smirk.
Layla didn't speak. She didn't trust herself to,instead, she slipped out of the car,closed the door gently and walked toward her house without looking back.
She felt his gaze on her the entire way.
And for the first time—She wondered what would happen if someone saw.
The walk from the end of the street to her house felt longer than usual.Layla kept her pace even, resisting the urge to look back.
She knew he was still there.He was waiting until she went inside.
The porch light was on. The curtains in the living room glowed warm gold against the night. Layla adjusted her bag on her shoulder and forced her breathing to slow.
By the time she reached the front door, she had smoothed her expression into something easy.
"Nothing happened tonight and nothing ever happened." She reminded herself as she stepped inside.
The house smelled like onions sautéing in oil and the faint sweetness of cinnamon from the candle her mother loved. The television murmured quietly from the living room while dishes clinked somewhere deeper in the house.
The door pushed open slightly before she could react, and a small golden blur rushed in.
"Milo—"
The little dog leapt straight onto her bed, tail whipping wildly. He scrambled across the sheets and pressed himself against her stomach, whining softly like he'd sensed something was wrong.
Layla dropped her phone onto the couch and gathered him into her arms.
He was warm,smaller than Titan by a ridiculous amount,soft where Titan was solid muscle. Milo's ears flopped into her face as he licked her chin repeatedly.
"Hey, hey," she whispered, her voice cracking slightly. "You're going to suffocate me."
Milo only wiggled harder.Layla pulled Milo against her chest and buried her face in his fur.
Layla's breathing slowly evened out as she held him.
"You're dramatic," she murmured softly, scratching under his chin.
Milo tilted her head, blinking at her with round, uncomplicated devotion and suddenly—Layla thought of Titan.
Of the way he had stood between her and the door, the way he had watched her leave and the weight of his head against her thigh.
Titan was imposing,controlled and trained.
Milo was impulsive,loud and protective in a clumsy, reckless way. But the loyalty was the same.
"You'd hate him," she whispered to Milo absentmindedly.
Milo barked once, as if agreeing. Layla let out a small, breathless laugh.
"You'd bark at Titan," she continued. "And Titan would just stare at you like you were ridiculous."
The image flickered in her mind—Titan's steady gaze and Milo's bouncing energy.
Two different worlds,just like the houses they belonged to.
Milo squirmed in her arms, pawing lightly at Layla's chest until she loosened her hold as she circled once and dropped Milo on the floor.
"Layla?" her mom called from the kitchen.
"Yes mom.I'm home!" Layla replied, slipping off her shoes.
Layla's voice sounded steady as she walked toward the kitchen, rehearsing the version of herself she needed to be in this space.
Daughter,student and a girl with a normal life.
Her mom stood by the stove, wooden spoon in hand, hair loosely clipped back. She turned as Layla entered—and immediately smiled.
"There you are,baby."
Layla didn't hesitate.She crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her mother from behind, pressing her cheek against her shoulder.
Her mom laughed softly."What is this? You only hug me like this when you want something."
"Maybe I just missed you," Layla murmured.
Her mom turned slightly, returning the hug properly this time and then—she paused as her brow furrowed faintly.
Layla felt the shift instantly.Her mom leaned back just enough to study her face.
"You smell different."
Layla's pulse stuttered.
"What?"
"That's not your perfume."Her mom said as she leaned closer, inhaling lightly near her shoulder.
Layla's stomach dropped.It wasn't hers but his.
Her mother's expression softened into something amused.
"Oh," she said lightly. "That's Liam's, isn't it?"
Layla forced herself not to react.
"What?"
"That cologne. It's not bad," her mom continued casually, turning back to the stove. "Does Liam have that good taste in perfume now?"
The lie came too quickly.
"Yeah," Layla said. "He… um. He got a new one."
She hated how smooth it sounded.
Her mom smiled faintly. "Well. It suits him,not too strong."
Layla swallowed.
Suits him?
If her mother knew whose scent it actually was—
The thought tightened around her lungs.
She moved to the counter, setting her bag down.
"How was Chloe's?" her mom asked, stirring the pot again.
Layla leaned against the counter.
"Good," she answered automatically.
"What did you girls do? Stay up all night gossiping?"
"Pretty much."
"Movies?"
"Yeah."
"What did you watch?"
Layla blinked.She hadn't prepared that part.
"Uh… some random thriller. I don't even remember the name."
Her mom chuckled. "You don't remember the name, but you stayed up all night?"
"It was bad," Layla said quickly. "We talked more than we watched."
Her mom nodded, satisfied enough.
"Did you eat?"
"Yeah."
"Baby, not junkies."
"Yeah,mom. I ate real food."
"Which was…?
"Pasta, Mom. Pasta."
"Alright, enough questions. You look tired."
"I didn't sleep much." Layla said.
"That's what happens when you ignore my advice."
Layla smiled faintly.The normalcy of the conversation felt surreal.
She was standing in the kitchen, lying easily, while somewhere down the street a man almost twice her age was still probably watching her front door to make sure she got inside safely.
Two worlds stacked on top of each other.
"And Liam?" her mom added casually. "Did he know you were at Chloe's?"
"Yeah," Layla answered, reaching for a glass of water. "He knew."
Her mom nodded again. "Good. I don't like misunderstandings in relationships."
Layla almost laughed at that.If only her mother knew what kind of misunderstandings actually existed.
"Dinner's almost ready," her mom said.
"Go change."
"Okay."
Layla picked up her bag and left the kitchen before the walls could close in any further.
Upstairs, her room felt smaller than she remembered.
Her desk cluttered with textbooks,posters still pinned slightly crooked on the wall. A laundry basket half full in the corner.It didn't feel like Elias's world at all.
She closed the door behind her and leaned against it.Her hand lifted slowly to her collarbone.The scent was still there faintly but present.
She crossed the room and sat on the edge of her bed.
Then lay back, staring at the ceiling.Her lips tingled slightly.
Her mind replayed the moment in the car—the way he had frozen for that split second.
The way his hand had come to her waist,not gripping,just holding as if she might fall.
She pressed her fingers to her mouth unconsciously.
What was she doing?
This wasn't harmless.This wasn't safe.
He was dangerous and she knew that.
She had seen it in the way people moved around him.
He commanded rooms without raising his voice.
He corrected her ex's name like it was irrelevant.
He knew things,too many things and yet—wh
en she was near him, she felt steadier.
Just then her phone buzzed suddenly on the nightstand. Layla jumped upright as her heart slammed against her ribs.
For one irrational second, she thought it might be him but it wasn't.
The screen lit up with a name that made her stomach twist.