CHAPTER 4 — A Bad Decision
1676 Words
Lydia's POV
“Get. In.” He didn't raise his voice, but the authority in it was like a physical weight.
“I don’t think so,” I said, finding my backbone. “I’ve had enough of you and your friends for one night.”
“I wasn't asking,” he said. His gaze didn't soften. If anything, it got colder.
“I can take care of myself,” I snapped.
“You can’t even pay your rent without someone else’s help,” he said.
I flinched. He knew. Of course, he knew. He probably owned the bank I used.
“You don’t get to order me around,” I said, though my voice wavered.
Adrian finally turned his head to look at me fully. Something shifted in his eyes, not anger, but a predatory kind of patience. “You refused me once tonight. Don’t make it a habit. It won't end well for you.”
I looked at the car door. Then I looked at the long, dark stretch of road ahead of me. I looked back at Adrian, who was waiting like he already knew what I was going to do.
He wouldn't argue. He wouldn't beg. He would just wait until I realized I didn't have a choice.
I swallowed hard, my hand reaching for the door handle. “This is a terrible idea.”
“Probably,” Adrian replied, his voice a low, dangerous vibration.
I opened the door and climbed in.
The moment the car door shut, I knew I’d made a mistake.
It wasn't a loud mistake. It didn't feel like a movie where the locks click and the hero realizes they’re in a trap. It was quieter than that, a heavy, sinking feeling that settled into my chest like a warning I was choosing to ignore.
The interior of the car was exactly what I expected from a man like Adrian Wolfe. Dark leather, the faint scent of expensive cedar, and a silence so thick it felt like it had its own weight. Everything was deliberate.
I sat as stiffly as possible, my fingers still curled around the two business cards in my hand. I felt like if I let go of them, I’d lose my only connection to the world that actually made sense.
The driver pulled away from the curb without a word. Beside me, Adrian didn’t even look my way. He just stared out the window at the passing city lights.
Then, my phone buzzed.
I jumped in shock, nearly dropping the cards. I pulled it out and saw Nora’s name flashing on the screen.
I hesitated. I didn’t want to answer it with him sitting right there, but if I didn't, she’d probably call the police.
“Hello?” I whispered.
“Where are you?” she demanded. Her voice was so loud I was sure Adrian could hear every syllable. “I went back to the champagne table and you were gone. I’ve been looking for you for twenty minutes, Lydia!”
“I left, Nora. I’m sorry.”
“You what?” she shrieked. “I told you to wait! We were supposed to share a car back.”
“I know, I just... I needed some air. The room was getting really crowded.”
“So you just vanished? Without telling me?”
“I’m telling you now.”
I glanced sideways. Adrian hadn’t moved an inch, but I could feel his attention. He was listening to every word, his profile sharp and unreadable against the streetlights.
“I’m fine, Nora,” I said, lowering my voice even more. “I just didn’t feel comfortable there. It wasn’t my scene.”
“You could have at least texted me! I thought you got kidnapped or something.”
“I’m sorry. I’ll make it up to you, okay?”
There was a long pause on the other end. “Are you safe?”
The question made my throat tight. I looked at the dark leather of the seat, then slowly at the man sitting inches away from me. He looked calm and unbothered. Like this was just another Tuesday for him.
“...Yes,” I said. It felt like a half-truth.
“Where are you going?”
“Home. I’ll call you when I get there, okay?”
“Lydia…”
“I’ll call you,” I repeated firmly.
She sighed, sounding defeated. “Fine. But you better not be doing anything stupid. You have a habit of overthinking things until they break.”
Too late for that. “I’m not. Goodnight, Nora.”
“Goodnight.”
I ended the call and let my hand drop to my lap. The silence rushed back in, filling the car.
“You always lie that easily?”
I blinked and turned toward him. Adrian was still looking out the window, his expression unchanged.
“You were listening?” I asked.
He let out a short, dry breath, not quite a laugh. “You’re sitting three inches away from me. It’s hard not to.”
“I didn’t lie,” I said in my defense.
“You told her you were safe.”
“I am.”
Finally, he turned his head. His gray eyes pinned me to the seat, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe. It wasn't an aggressive look, it was just... heavy.
“Are you?” he asked.
“That depends,” I muttered, looking away.
“On what?”
“On you.”
I saw a slight lift in his brow. A reaction. It was small, but it was there.
“Interesting answer,” he said.
“I thought a man like you would prefer honesty,” I replied, trying to regain some ground.
“I do.”
“Then don’t question it when you get it.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. It wasn't a smile, but it was the closest thing to one I’d seen on him all night.
For a few miles, neither of us said anything. I watched the neon signs of the city blur past, wondering where exactly this car was headed.
“Why did you leave?” Adrian asked suddenly.
I frowned. “I told Nora. I needed air.”
“That’s the reason you gave her,” he said. “I’m asking why you actually walked out. Twice.”
“I didn’t realize I was being monitored.”
“You weren’t,” he replied calmly. “You’re just... noticeable. You don't blend in as well as you think you do.”
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD