CHAPTER 2
1221 Words
SELENE EVANS
“Jasper, go away.”
He comes closer, completely ignoring Dorian.
“We’ve been together for five years, Selene. I’m not going to let you end everything like this!”
I stand up, trying to step back, but he grabs my arm too hard.
“Ow, Jasper, let go of me!” I try to pull my arm away, but he squeezes tighter.
“You’re hurting me!”
“You think you’re going to trade me for any man who shows up?!” he yells, shaking me in front of everyone.
Before I can even react, Dorian stands up and looks at Jasper.
“Let her go. Now.”
Jasper releases my arm but keeps staring at him, his chest heaving.
“Who the hell are you to butt in?” Jasper growls. “Get out of my way before I smash your face in!”
Dorian watches him in silence, the muscles in his jaw tense.
“Don’t touch her again. Or I’ll make you regret it. She told you to leave.”
Jasper lets out a mocking laugh and tries to punch Dorian.
My eyes widen as I watch the scene in front of me; everything happens too fast. Dorian dodges like it’s nothing, grabs his arm, twists it, and shoves him backward, making Jasper almost fall into a group of chairs.
“Damn, how many years have you been working out?”
Jasper gets back up, staggering, but Dorian just stares at him, unmoved.
His eyes look even more golden, glowing amid the casino lights.
Everyone screams, and then security guards rush toward us.
Jasper gets up with his nose bleeding, glaring at me in anger.
“We’re not done, Selene.”
“Yes, we are. Go away.”
He leaves, and I look at Dorian.
“You didn’t have to do that, Dorian!” I complain, grabbing his arm. “I can take care of myself!”
He doesn’t take his eyes off Jasper, his fists still clenched.
“He wasn’t going to stop.”
I feel my skin heat up, confused.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his voice rough.
“Yes, I’m fine. I don’t need you to solve my problems, you know?” I retort, crossing my arms.
He exhales slowly, still tense.
“Maybe not. But I can’t just stand there while someone hurts you.”
He starts walking away, and I’m not sure why, but I follow him.
We leave the casino into a dimly lit hallway, far from everyone.
“Hey! Wait!”
He keeps walking, and I run after him, trying not to fall in my high heels.
Suddenly, Dorian pulls me and pushes me against the wall.
It doesn’t hurt. But my heart is beating so hard I think I might faint.
“What’s going on with you?” I ask, my voice a whisper.
He looks at me so close I feel the heat of his body, the woody scent that makes me dizzy.
His eyes shine brighter.
“I’m not a good person, Selene. You’d be better off staying away from me.”
I feel something twist inside my chest. A mix of fear and excitement.
“Why?”
He lowers his head, his mouth almost brushing mine.
“Go back to the hotel, Selene…”
I blink, feeling him so close, and then Dorian’s body presses against mine.
“Or what?”
But before I can obey, he kisses me.
It’s hot. Intense.
His tongue invades my mouth, and I grab onto his shoulders without thinking, without caring about anything right now.
A moan escapes my lips, and then I feel his knee between my legs.
For a second, I remember Jasper. And suddenly, I feel vindicated.
When the kiss ends, I’m breathless, dizzy.
“I… I shouldn’t be doing this…” I murmur.
“Maybe not. But you wanted it. And so did I…”
I look around.
And I see Jasper standing a few meters away. He’s watching us with hatred and pain in his eyes.
When he realizes I’m looking at him, he turns his back and leaves.
“s**t…” I mutter.
Suddenly, I feel nausea rising like a wave.
I cover my mouth, staggering.
“I’m… gonna puke…”
Dorian catches me before I fall.
I throw up all over his shirt and feel terrible about it. He leads me to a trash can and holds my hair back while I vomit all the tequila, shame, and sadness of the night.
“I’m so sorry again…”
“It’s okay. I hated this shirt anyway…”
I wake up the next day with a headache so brutal it feels like someone is hammering my skull.
I blink, trying to figure out where I am.
I recognize the ceiling of my hotel room. The soft sheets.
Then I feel something warm beside me.
I turn slowly… and nearly scream.
There’s a naked man sleeping next to me.
And it’s not just any man. It’s Dorian.
I let out a tiny scream. I yank the sheet up to cover myself while he keeps breathing deeply, eyes closed.
I’m naked too.
“Oh my God… no… no… no!”
That’s when I feel a weight on my finger. I look at my hand. And nearly have a heart attack.
There’s a wedding ring on my ring finger.
I blink, trying to remember the previous night.
Little by little, flashes come back like punches: the fight with Jasper. The kiss with Dorian.
Flashing lights. The neon sign saying “Wedding Chapel.” A woman in a pink dress shouting, “Congratulations to the newlyweds!”
My throat tightens.
“s**t… s**t… s**t…”
I turn my head and see Dorian stirring.
His muscular arm covers part of the sheet, revealing a giant moon tattoo starting on his chest and trailing down his back.
I remember everything.
The kiss. The chapel. The laughing priest. The moment he carried me in his arms. The night of s*x, so intense my body is still throbbing.
I feel like crying. And maybe laughing. Or screaming.
And then I remember my flight back to Seattle.
Shit.
I slowly get out of bed, picking up my clothes scattered on the floor.
I get dressed as quickly as I can.
Before leaving, I look back. Dorian is still sleeping, his face relaxed, his long lashes resting on his cheeks.
And the wedding ring is shining on his finger too.
“s**t… I married a complete stranger.”
I run out of the room.
I find Astrid and Maeve in the hotel café.
They stare at me with wide eyes when they see me arrive, disheveled, with dark circles under my eyes.
“Selene, where were you? We looked for you all night!” Astrid says.
I collapse into a chair, holding my head in my hands.
“Girls… I need to find out how to annul a marriage.”
They stare at each other, mouths hanging open.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN?” Maeve screams.
“You got married? To WHO?”
“To… Dorian.”
“Selene, who the hell is Dorian?” Astrid asks, nearly falling out of her chair.
“I don’t know!” I scream back.
“I don’t know anything about my husband!”
- Writer
