Episode2
1083 Words
Izzy’s POV
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the silence.
No pounding music.
No flashing lights.
No laughter.
Just the faint hum of air conditioning and the soft rustle of sheets beneath me.
For a moment, I lay still with my eyes closed, trying to gather my thoughts. My head throbbed faintly, the dull ache of too much alcohol settling behind my temples.
Then I shifted slightly.
The cool air brushed across my bare skin.
My eyes flew open.
I was lying in a large unfamiliar bed, the sheets tangled around my legs. The thin white blanket barely covered my body, leaving my shoulders and most of my chest exposed.
My breath caught.
Where the hell was I?
Panic flickered in my chest as I quickly pulled the sheet higher.
That was when I saw him.
The stranger lay beside me on the other side of the bed, stretched across the mattress like he owned it. The sheet covered little more than his hips, leaving the rest of his body bare.
Completely bare.
My eyes widened before I quickly looked away, heat rushing to my face.
The memories came rushing back all at once.
The club.
The drinks.
The man who grabbed me.
The stranger who stepped in.
And then,
The kiss.
My stomach dropped.
Oh God.
I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing desperately that the memories would disappear.
But they didn’t.
They only became clearer.
His hands on my body.
The way he lifted me.
The way I clung to him like I had lost my mind.
My face burned with humiliation.
I had slept with a stranger.
A complete stranger.
The bitter weight of it settled heavily in my chest.
Bruce.
My boyfriend.
Guilt twisted painfully inside me.
No matter how angry he had made me, no matter how cruel his words had been… I had still betrayed him.
A lump formed in my throat.
What had I done?
I slowly turned my head again, careful not to make too much movement.
The stranger was still asleep.
Up close, he looked even more striking than I remembered. Dark hair fell loosely across his forehead, and his chest rose and fell in slow, steady breaths.
Even in sleep, he looked powerful.
Dangerous.
Something about him made my heart beat faster in a way I didn’t fully understand.
I swallowed hard and looked away.
I needed to leave.
Now.
Carefully, I slipped out from beneath the covers. The cool air wrapped around my bare skin, making me shiver slightly as my feet touched the floor.
My dress lay crumpled near the edge of the bed.
So did my shoes.
I gathered my clothes quickly, moving as quietly as possible. My heart pounded nervously in my chest as I began pulling the dress back over my head.
I had just managed to zip it halfway when a deep voice suddenly cut through the silence.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
I froze.
Slowly, I turned around.
He was awake.
Those electric blue eyes were fixed directly on me.
And they were not happy.
My mouth went dry.
“I” I hesitated, fumbling with the zipper. “I was just leaving.”
His gaze darkened instantly.
“No.”
The single word was firm.
Commanding.
Like it wasn’t even a question.
My fingers stilled.
“I can’t stay,” I said quietly.
He pushed himself up slightly against the headboard, the sheet sliding lower on his hips as he moved. I tried very hard not to look.
“Get back in bed,” he said.
My eyes widened.
“I don’t even know you.”
“That didn’t stop you last night.”
My face flushed instantly.
“That was different,” I muttered.
He studied me for a long moment, his sharp gaze scanning my face like he was trying to figure something out.
Then he spoke again.
“You’re not leaving.”
The calm certainty in his voice sent a strange ripple through my chest.
“Why?” I asked defensively.
His eyes locked with mine.
“Because you’re mine.”
My breath caught.
“What?”
He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood up, completely unbothered by his lack of clothing.
I immediately turned away, my cheeks burning.
“What are you talking about?” I demanded.
His footsteps moved closer.
“You’re my fated mate.”
The words landed like a thunderclap in my ears.
For a moment, I thought I must have heard him wrong.
“Your… what?”
“My mate,” he repeated simply.
My heart pounded wildly.
That was impossible.
Bruce was my mate.
Wasn’t he?
I opened my mouth to argue.
But before I could say anything, a loud ringing suddenly cut through the room.
His phone.
It vibrated loudly on the nightstand beside the bed.
The stranger glanced at it with clear annoyance.
I saw my chance.
While he reached for the phone, I quietly grabbed my shoes and slipped toward the door.
My pulse raced wildly.
Just a few more steps…
He answered the call just as I reached the handle.
“Yes?”
I didn’t wait to hear the rest.
The moment the door opened, I ran.
The hallway blurred as I hurried toward the stairs, my heart hammering in my chest. My heels dangled from my fingers as I rushed out of the building and into the early morning air.
The sunlight made me squint.
For a second, I wasn’t sure which direction to go.
Then I saw a familiar figure standing near the parking lot.
“Jocelyn!”
She turned around, clearly surprised.
“Izzy? Where did you disappear to last”
I grabbed her arm.
“We need to go.”
Her eyebrows shot up.
“Wait, what?”
“Now,” I insisted urgently.
She blinked in confusion but didn’t argue as I practically dragged her toward her car.
“Izzy, what’s going on?” she asked as we climbed inside.
“Just drive!”
She stared at me for half a second longer before shrugging and starting the engine.
The car roared to life.
Moments later,
we were pulling out of the parking lot.
I glanced back at the club building as it grew smaller behind us.
My heart was still racing.
Because deep down, I had the strange feeling that running away from that man…
Wasn’t going to be nearly as easy as I hoped.
- Writer
