Chapter 13: Dangerous Territory
619 Words
Lena stormed out onto the rooftop balcony, gripping the cool metal railing as she took a deep breath.
She needed air.
Noah Sinclair was infuriating. Arrogant. Smug. Completely, utterly full of himself.
And the worst part? He was right.
Her body had reacted to him before her brain could catch up. The way his hand had found her waist, the way his voice had dipped low and rough in her ear—it was like he knew exactly how to unravel her.
But she wouldn’t let him.
Noah Sinclair did not get to win.
The cool night breeze did little to steady her racing thoughts. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to let it go. Forget him. Forget the way he—
“Running away again?”
Her entire body tensed.
Of course.
Lena turned, finding Noah leaning against the balcony doorway, a drink in hand, looking infuriatingly casual—like he hadn’t just completely thrown her off her game inside.
“I wasn’t running,” she said, folding her arms. “I just needed some space.”
Noah smirked, stepping closer. “From me?”
Lena scoffed. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
“Oh, believe me, rookie,” he murmured, stopping just in front of her, “I don’t need to. You do that for me.”
She opened her mouth to fire back, but the words got stuck in her throat. Because up close, in the dim rooftop lights, he looked… different.
The sharpness of his usual cocky expression had softened, just a little. His smirk was still there, but beneath it—something else. Something unreadable.
Something that made her heart slam against her ribs.
Noah took a slow sip of his drink, watching her over the rim. “You can pretend all you want, but we both know what’s happening here.”
Lena exhaled sharply. “And what’s that?”
He tilted his head, studying her. “You feel it.”
Her breath hitched.
No. No, no, no. She would not give him the satisfaction.
She lifted her chin, forcing her voice to stay steady. “I feel annoyed. That’s what I feel.”
Noah chuckled, stepping even closer. “Right. So if I kissed you again right now, you wouldn’t feel anything?”
Lena’s pulse spiked.
She hated how he always did this—how he pushed her, teased her, got under her skin until she didn’t know which way was up.
But two could play this game.
She took a slow step toward him, closing the space between them.
Noah’s smirk faltered for just a second.
Good.
Lena arched a brow. “You talk a big game, Sinclair,” she murmured. “But I don’t think you’d actually do it.”
Something dark flickered in his eyes.
She saw the moment he made his decision.
Before she could brace herself, his hand was on her waist again, his grip firm and sure, pulling her just close enough that she could feel his breath against her lips.
Her heart slammed into her ribs.
Noah smirked. “Careful, rookie.” His voice was low, rough. “You keep daring me, and one day, I just might take you up on it.”
And then—just like that—he let her go.
Stepping back.
Leaving her standing there, breathless, furious, and—
Wanting more.
Damn him.
Damn herself even more.
Noah shot her one last knowing look before turning and walking back inside, leaving Lena gripping the balcony railing like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
Because she knew, deep down—
She was in dangerous territory.
And there was no turning back now.
- Writer
