Contracted hearts

Chapter One Neon lights painted the bodies of people grinding against each other on the dance floor in shifting hues of red and blue. The bass vibrated through the walls of the club but still, my thoughts were louder. I could not forget. My father’s words from earlier still claimed every space in my mind. “Come back home Ava, please come home.” The sickly sweet tone of his voice still pierced my heart, but a stronger part of me could tell it was all a lie. His soft tone, his pleas, they were all false. He did not want me back as his child, he wanted Ava Deveraux, a dutiful daughter he used for his own selfish needs. I just happened to be that unfortunate daughter. “Whiskey, neat!” I yelled for the second time to the bartender, my voice raw against the roar of the music. He slid another glass across the slick counter. Every sip burned my throat, then warmed it. It sent a welcome jolt through my veins as I began to feel lightheaded. “Never,” I muttered to myself as my father flashed through my mind again. I shook my head in defiance, I wasn't going to be his sacrifice anymore. Enough was enough. He wanted to marry me off to some ancient, faceless friend for a mere contractual agreement. It was a flimsy disguise to pay off Mum’s outrageous hospital bills, but I knew it was more than that. He wanted to rebuild his crumbling business, the one he'd destroyed with his own hands after Mum caught him cheating on their matrimonial bed, just after she fell ill. The heartbreak almost killed her but she survived it and forgave dad for her marriage’s sake, but unfortunately, Dad’s business could not survive it. Multiple blogs and news stations had gleefully carried his story: the CEO who dishonored his dying wife on their matrimonial bed. And now, as always, he wanted me to atone for his wrongdoings. The thought sent a bitter bile, thick and acrid, rising in my throat. “More whiskey!” I yelled, desperate to forget. Three months ago, I left home without telling anyone my whereabouts, and for the first time in those three months, I truly wanted to leave Ava Deveraux behind. I wanted to be a different person tonight, someone reckless, unbound. The intoxicating scent of sweat, perfume, and expensive liquor filled my nostrils as I scanned the room, desperately searching for something undefined. And then, I froze when my gaze fell on him. Tucked away in a dimly lit VIP section, a man sat alone with no one around him. He wasn’t laughing or dancing, he simply watched. A ripple of electricity buzzed through my body as I accessed him. In a sleek tailored suit, his aura was heavy and intense. A shiver ran down my spine. Suddenly, as if a signal had come on in his head, his eyes caught mine from where he sat and the whole room began to spin. Slowly, he raised his glass towards me, an intense, deliberate gesture. My breath hitched in my throat. He knew I was watching him, knew I was intrigued. I straightened, a sudden surge of reckless courage flooding through me. I took another gulp of whiskey, the liquid fire fueling my resolve. This was the night I was going to be anything but Ava Deveraux. This was the first night in three months that I was truly going to forget. With my eyes still locked on his, a silent challenge, I raised my glass towards him. A slow, predatory smile curved his lips as he stood. He moved through the crowd, never once unlocking his eyes from mine and as he did, my heart hammered against my chest. He stopped a foot away from me and his presence filled the air with a new kind of heat, a warmth that seeped into my skin. “Enjoying the show?” his voice echoed through the walls of my ears, and I tilted my head as I scanned him in close view. He was tall, a broad shadow, with dark brown hair pulled back, revealing a sharply defined jaw and mesmerizing deep grey eyes. "I guess the show just got better," I flirted, surprised by the audacity that spilled from my lips. My eyes boldly roamed his face, tracing the sharp lines of his cheekbones, the slight stubble along his jaw. He chuckled a response, a rich deep sound that sent another pleasurable shiver down my spine. "And why would that be?" His gaze matched mine, lingering on my eyes before dropping to my lips. "Something... unexpected," I murmured, leaning closer to take in his scent. His expensive cologne filled my senses and I chuckled. The whiskey was taking hold of my entire mind. "Unexpected? I’m curious," he held out a hand, palm up. “But I’d first like a dance with you.” My gaze flickered to his hand, then back to his eyes. “You don't look like you dance,” I hesitated and he shrugged coolly. “I dance when I want to.” A challenging smirk played on his face, and it electrified every nerve in my body. "Lead the way," I said, taking his hands. He led me to a less crowded corner of the dance floor, his hand never leaving mine. Eyes locked, I threw my hands over his shoulder and his strong hands gripped my waist. The air crackled and excitement crawled up every inch of my body. "You're not from around here, are you?" he asked, his voice close to my ear. "Are you?" I countered, trying to match his cool mysterious energy. He smiled, a flash of teeth. "Let's just say I go wherever I need to be." His grip tightened on my waist. "And tonight, I need to be with you." The directness of his words stole my breath and I could feel the hairs on my body stand. Game or not, I was deeply intoxicated by him. The whiskey had done its job, but I knew that even without it, I would still feel the thick wetness between my legs. "My hotel, if you don't mind." Without a word, I nodded. I knew I shouldn't be this reckless, I shouldn't be going out with a man I just met, but tonight, nothing mattered. Gwen’s final words flashed through my mind and I resisted the urge to call her and scream, it was really happening. He led me out of the club into a sleek black car, and we drove off into the night. After a few minutes, we were out of the elevator and inside his suite. He held me up against the door the moment we got in, his eyes revealed a stormy shade of grey. My lips parted at the feel of his body pressed against mine and a small moan escaped my lips. His large hands cupped my face while his thumbs traced the curve of my cheekbones. His lips suddenly fell on my throat, sucking and biting, and my small moan turned into cries of ecstasy. My fingers worked into his hair, caressing his scalp and pulling him closer to my skin. He pulled his face away from mine slightly, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of the desire burning through him. “I don't know your name,” he suddenly said and shook his head before I could say anything. “But I don't mind. Miss, may I?” he smirked as his hands found the base of my dress. I could only moan a reply. The world seemed outside as he undressed me. My father and his selfish demands vanished as he straddled me on the bed. Tonight, I was not Ava Deveraux, I was a different woman.