Falling Into Obsession.

Chapter 10 -A Deal She Never Made.

Eloise barely had time to set down the takeout bags before her sharp gaze landed on Elizabeth, who still stood frozen in place. Her fingers gripped the edge of the wooden counter, her knuckles turning white as she stared at the space where the dark stranger had been just moments ago. The air still felt thick, charged with something she couldn't quite name.

Eloise arched a brow, slipping off her coat and tossed it over the back of the chair. "Okay, what the hell just happened? He looked like he stepped out of some gangster movie. And you… you look like you've seen a ghost." Elizabeth blinked, inhaling sharply as if she had forgotten to breathe. Shaking herself free from whatever spell Ezra had left lingering in his wake, she turned toward Eloise. "Your not gonna believe this." Her voice was hushed, tinged with disbelief. Eloise's brows shot up. "Try me."

Elizabeth hesitated, rubbing her palms together as she tried to gather her thoughts. "He was here about last night. About the club." She swallowed hard, her mind replaying every second of their encounter, the way his voice curled around her name, the way his dark gaze had felt like it could strip her down to her very soul.

Eloise frowned, setting the food down with an audible thud. "Wait, what do you mean? What about the club?" Her voice sharpened with concern. Elizabeth let out a dry, humorless laugh, running a hand through her hair. "Apparently, we forgot to pay our tab."

Eloise’s mouth fell open. "You’re joking."

"Wish I was."

Eloise exhaled in frustration, rubbing her temples. "Okay, but clubs have bouncers for that sort of thing. A manager. A system. They don’t send men who look like they belong in a damn crime syndicate to collect."

Elizabeth hesitated. "That’s because he owns the club."

Silence.

Eloise stared at her like she’d just grown a second head. "Sorry, WHAT? What on earth is he doing playing debt collector then, creepy bastard?"

Elizabeth nodded slowly, the weight of the revelation still heavy on her chest. "Ezra. That was his name. He owns the club, and he came here himself to let me know that he paid our bill." She let out another unsteady breath. "And before you ask—no, he didn’t say what he wanted in return. He just… left. Right before you walked in."

Eloise’s expression cycled through confusion, shock, and finally, something that looked dangerously close to intrigue. "Well, that’s… interesting. And let me guess he wasn’t exactly friendly about it, was he?"

Elizabeth shuddered at the memory of his voice, the slow, deliberate way he had spoken, as if toying with her, as if every word had a hidden meaning. "No, he wasn’t. But he wasn’t cruel either. It was like… he enjoyed making me uncomfortable, watching me squirm. Like he wanted me to feel the weight of the situation without ever having to raise his voice."

Eloise whistled lowly, sinking into the chair. "That’s next-level s**t. And you’re telling me he just walked out without demanding anything? No cryptic threats, no warnings... No Hanky Panky?" Eloise raised an eyebrow, trying to defuse the tension.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nothing. He just… looked at me like he knew something I didn’t, and then he left." Eloise leaned forward, propping her chin on her hand. "Damn. That’s actually kind of hot." Elizabeth shot her a look. "Eloise!"

"What? A dangerous, brooding club owner with mafia-vibes coming all the way here just to personally see you? You can’t tell me that doesn’t scream dark romance novel material." Elizabeth groaned, dropping her head onto the counter. "This is not a romance novel, Eloise!"

Eloise smirked. "Not yet."

Elizabeth shot up, pointing a finger at her. "Don’t. Even."

Eloise threw up her hands in mock surrender but couldn’t help the glint of mischief in her eyes. "Okay, fine. But what are you going to do if he comes back?" That was the question Elizabeth had been dreading. Because deep down, she knew, Ezra wasn’t the kind of man who did things without reason.

And something told her that this wasn’t over.

The Girls Now Home, the warmth of the fireplace cast a golden glow across the living room, flickering against the soft, neutral tones of the space. The scent of buttered popcorn and melting chocolate filled the air, mixing with the faint hint of cinnamon from the candles Eloise had insisted on lighting.

The TV screen played some mindless rom-com, but neither of them was paying much attention, too caught up in the comfort of their little cocoon of snacks and blankets.

Eloise stretched her legs out on the couch, groaning in satisfaction as she snuggled deeper into her oversized hoodie. "Okay, so… let’s talk about it," she finally said, breaking the silence. Elizabeth, who had just taken a sip of her tea, sighed through her nose. "Talk about what?" she muttered, feigning ignorance as she scrolled through her phone. Eloise snorted. "Oh, come on. You know exactly what. The very large, very intimidating, very mysterious man who showed up at our shop today. And, may I add, who you somehow managed to have a full-on private conversation with while I was gone." She turned her head, raising an expectant brow.

Elizabeth hesitated for a moment before locking her phone and setting it aside. "There’s not much to tell, really," she lied, but even as she said it, she knew Eloise wasn’t buying it. "Not much to tell?" Eloise scoffed. "Liza, I walked in and the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife. And trust me, I know s****l tension when I see it." Elizabeth shot her a glare. "It wasn’t like that," she insisted, shaking her head. Eloise hummed, unconvinced. "Mm-hmm. So what did he want, then?"

Elizabeth exhaled, finally letting herself sink deeper into the couch, her fingers fidgeting with the blanket draped over her lap. "We forgot to pay our tab at the club," she reprised, rolling her eyes slightly. "And, for whatever reason, Ezra, took it upon himself to collect it personally." Eloise’s jaw dropped slightly before she let out an incredulous laugh. "Wait, wait, wait. You're telling me That was actually it?"

Elizabeth nodded, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Yep. Apparently, he doesn’t normally do that himself, but I guess we were special." Eloise wiggled her brows. "Or maybe you were special." "God, stop," Elizabeth groaned, throwing a piece of popcorn at her friend.

Eloise dodged it easily, still grinning. "But seriously, Liza, that’s weird, right? I mean, why us? They probably have people forgetting to pay their tabs all the time." Elizabeth had asked herself the same question, but now, in the comfort of her home, the entire thing felt like less of a mystery and more like an odd but harmless encounter. "I don’t know. Maybe he was bored. Maybe he just likes to handle things personally sometimes. Or maybe he was trying to make a point. Either way, he paid the tab himself, so it’s not like he was actually there to shake us down for cash."

Eloise tilted her head. "That’s… even weirder."

Elizabeth let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "Tell me about it." Eloise studied her for a moment, then sighed, finally letting it go. "Well, whatever. It’s over now. The big scary club owner can go back to his world, and we can go back to ours." "Exactly," Elizabeth agreed, feeling lighter.

Eloise stretched again and yawned, looking at the TV. "Now, can we please focus on something that actually matters like how I’m totally gonna marry that guy if she doesn't?" Elizabeth chuckled, picking up her tea again. "You’re a nightmare."

"You love me."

Elizabeth smiled, allowing herself to finally, fully relax. Whatever Ezra’s deal was, it didn’t matter now. He was just a strange little detour in an otherwise ordinary life. Nothing more.

Or so she thought.