I WANT AGAIN..

Burning in Her Shadow

The heat coursing through my body doesn’t deceive me.

I know she’s there, watching me.

Unable to look away, I swallow hard as my rationality slips away.

It feels like an invisible thread is wrapped around my neck, pulling me toward that place with unbearable force.

I unbutton the collar of my shirt to breathe easier.

— What’s up with you, man?

Liam shoots me a puzzled look, noticing how out of it I am.

— Nothing, I just got carried away…

— By one of your daydreams again?

Luis chimes in.

— Yeah, something like that…

I’m lying—sort of. But if I want to get through this night in peace, I’d rather keep it to myself.

For those wondering, I do have waking dreams.

They pull me back centuries, placing me in the skin of a man who now feels oddly familiar.

And in those dreams, I’m completely captivated by a woman as breathtaking as the dawn—yet whose greed stretches as vast as the sky itself.

These visions started surfacing ten years ago.

The day I met her.

I remember standing there, stunned, unable to look away from her golden-yellow eyes.

Even then, they had that irresistible glint that said, I want everything, and I will have everything.

Since that day, I’ve been haunted by fragments of a past I don’t remember living.

I snap back to the present.

The glass in my hand trembles slightly, a sign of the restless storm inside me.

I don’t need to turn around to know she’s there, hidden in the shadows, watching me like a predator analyzing its prey.

— You should really tell us what’s going on, man.

Liam insists, giving my shoulder a light shove.

I force a smile and down my drink in one gulp, hoping the alcohol will douse this fire burning inside me. The fire that’s been raging for ten years.

Since the moment I first met her.

But it’s not the alcohol making my head spin right now.

It’s her.

My brother’s voice cuts through the noise, giving me a much-needed distraction.

I look up and see him pushing through the crowd, our mother trailing right behind him.

— Bro, this party is insane!

Ray grabs a bottle of whiskey, grinning from ear to ear.

— You little brat, throwing your little brother’s party completely off course…

Our mother shoots me a stern look before pinching my cheek.

— Ow—Mom! Come on, it’s a great party! Right, guys? Back me up here!

Luis and Liam chuckle while Leon, ever the peacemaker, steps in to defend me.

— Oh, come on! Even old Mr. Robinson is having fun!

Everyone turns to look at Mr. Robinson.

He’s taken off his shirt, and his tie is wrapped around his head like a headband.

Our mother stifles a laugh, then turns to Leon and presses a kiss to his cheek.

— Maybe I should ditch my sons and adopt you instead.

Ray, still drinking straight from his Martell bottle, suddenly stops. He turns to our mother, looking utterly betrayed.

— Mom… I get it with Troy, but me? You can’t do this to me!

Luis bursts out laughing.

— Man, your little brother threw you under the bus without hesitation.

I glance at our mother, who’s laughing along with everyone else.

— Mom… I get it with Ray, but me? You can’t do this to me!

She lets out a loud, unrestrained laugh.

— You should’ve thought about that before annoying me. Anyway, I’m off! Time to enjoy my life as a free woman.

— Have fun, my dear!

Ray calls out playfully.

As soon as she’s gone, he turns back to me, his expression serious.

— Can we talk for a second?

I raise an eyebrow but nod.

— Come on.

Without waiting, he heads toward a quieter corner of the garden, away from the crowd.

He settles onto a couch and pats the seat next to him.

— What is it?

Why the hell did he drag me all the way out here?

— You know she’s here, don’t you?

I tighten my jaw and give a stiff nod.

— And how the hell did that happen?

— You’ll have to ask Mom. I did everything to make sure she wasn’t invited. But the second she found out Banks was in town, she didn’t hesitate.

— She needs to leave. If Leon sees her, it’s going to be an emotional disaster, and I’d rather avoid that tonight.

— Agreed. So, I’ll distract the guys, and you… you just stay here.

I narrow my eyes.

— Oh yeah? And why’s that?

— Because you’re a damn magnet for her.

He smirks.

— If you’re alone, she’ll come straight to you.

I clench my jaw and throw a light punch at his shoulder. He just laughs and walks off, leaving me alone.

Damn it.

He’s right.

Whenever she’s near, my body gravitates toward her like a force of nature.

And I have zero control over it.

— Hey, Troy…

My blood runs cold.

The last person I wanted to run into tonight.

Promise.

This woman has been a walking disaster since childhood.

And of course, she just had to find me.

If she stays, Banks will never come to me.

— Hey.

I keep my tone as cold as possible.

— Still the same, I see…

— What do you want?

— Me? I’m just saying hi to an old childhood friend.

She crosses her legs, the slit in her dress revealing way too much.

— I’d rather be alone, so if you don’t mind… leave.

She laughs—low, sultry, and entirely too self-satisfied.

— Hmm… No thanks. But I am in the mood for something else.

Her eyes flick down toward my thighs.

I roll my eyes.

— Leave me alone, Promise.

— And what do I get in return?

She locks her gaze onto mine, a slow, taunting smile curling her lips.

— Oh, nothing much. Just a kiss, handsome…