Ashes of Us

Chapter 7:THE PICKUP

By the time evening rolled around, I had spent over an hour staring at myself in the mirror.

I wasn’t just dressed.

I was designed for sin.

The dress clung to me like a second skin, slipping over my curves in ways that made my pulse spike. The neckline dipped low enough to tease, but not enough to give everything away. And when I moved, the slit at the side whispered secrets against my thigh.

I felt dangerous.

I felt like a woman.

And when I stepped outside at exactly 7 PM, I knew—he saw it too.

Tobi leaned against his sleek black car, his dark eyes dragging over me, slow and unhurried. His tongue flicked over his lips, a predatory smile curling his mouth.

"Damn, Shuga."

I swallowed hard. His presence had always been overwhelming, but tonight, it was different. Maybe it was the way his crisp black shirt hugged his body, the sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal the veins in his forearms. Or maybe it was the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth—like he already knew I was in trouble.

Or maybe it was the way he devoured me with his eyes without even touching me.

"You look..." He paused, voice dropping an octave. "Edible."

I held his gaze, biting my lip. "You’re not so bad yourself."

He chuckled, moving closer, his fingers brushing over my wrist as he opened the door.

"Get in, Shuga."

I did.

And the second the door shut, the tension in the car snapped tight.

---

THE RIDE INTO FIRE

The engine purred to life, and the soft hum of the air conditioning barely cut through the silence between us.

I was hyper-aware of everything.

The scent of his cologne—dark, musky, lethal.

The way his hand gripped the steering wheel, strong and sure.

The way his thigh brushed against mine when he shifted gears.

I inhaled slowly, my skin burning from the heat of his presence.

Tobi glanced at me, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Nervous?"

I tilted my head, matching his energy. "Should I be?"

His smirk was slow, predatory. "Maybe."

My pulse quickened.

I shifted slightly, crossing my legs, knowing exactly what it did to the slit of my dress.

His jaw flexed.

Got him.

Tobi exhaled, one hand gripping the wheel, the other tapping lazily against his thigh. “You know what your problem is, Shuga?”

I arched a brow. “Oh? Enlighten me.”

He turned to me, dark gaze locking onto mine.

“You play like you don’t feel it,” he murmured.

“Feel what?” My voice came out softer than I intended.

Tobi chuckled, the sound thick with promise.

“This.” His hand moved—trailing the air between us, as if pulling an invisible string. Tugging. Binding.

I swallowed hard.

God.

This man.

I forced a smirk, feigning confidence. "You're full of yourself."

Tobi grinned. “You’ll be full of me soon, too.”

A rush of heat slammed through my body.

I snapped my gaze to the window, biting my lip to keep from reacting.

He laughed softly, and just like that, the car filled with unspoken things.

Desire. Tension. A war of glances and unsaid words.

I shifted again, my thighs pressing together.

Tobi saw it.

And he smirked like the devil himself.

We drove deeper into the night, the destination unknown—

But the fire between us?

It was already burning.

Chapter Eight: A House by the Ocean

The drive felt longer than I expected.

The bright chaos of the city gradually faded, replaced by winding roads and open spaces. I shifted in my seat, trying to ignore the growing tension in the air. The hum of the engine was the only sound that filled the car.

“Are you kidnapping me?” I asked, my voice teasing but with a hint of concern.

Tobi’s deep laugh echoed in the quiet car, sending an unexpected warmth through me. “If I was, you wouldn’t have walked into my car so easily.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Not funny.”

He glanced at me, a flicker of amusement in his gaze. “Relax, Shuga. You’ll like where we’re going.”

I huffed but stayed silent, crossing my arms and staring out the window as the landscape blurred by.

Minutes later, the car slowed down. I turned my head to see what was ahead, and my breath caught in my throat.

The beach.

Not just any beach.

This one was private, secluded—an untouched slice of paradise. The kind of place that made everything else seem far away. And there, nestled against the shoreline, was a house.

Not a house. A masterpiece.

The sleek glass windows reflected the moonlight. The dark stone stood against the beach, strong and imposing. The terrace stretched toward the waves, the sound of the water crashing in the distance.

I felt my fingers curl around the edge of my seat, my heart thumping in my chest. “This is yours?”

Tobi didn’t answer right away. He pulled the car into the driveway, cut the engine, and turned to me. His gaze was steady, his expression unreadable.

“I stay here sometimes,” he said.

I let out a slow breath, my mind racing. I should be asking more questions, demanding to know why we were here, but the way he was looking at me—like he knew exactly what was going on, like I did too—I couldn't find the words.

Tobi unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped out of the car. A second later, he was at my door, opening it with ease.

“Come,” he murmured.

And without thinking, I stepped out into the warm night air, the salt from the ocean heavy in the breeze. My gaze drifted to the house again, the dark glass reflecting the moonlight. Something about it felt... wrong, like it didn’t belong here, or maybe I didn’t.

I folded my arms, suddenly feeling exposed. “What do you do, Tobi?”

His lips twitched, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. “You ask a lot of questions.”

“And you never answer them,” I shot back, irritation creeping into my tone.

He chuckled, stepping closer, his presence wrapping around me like a weight I couldn’t escape. “I handle things.”

That wasn’t an answer. It was a wall, one he was carefully placing between us.

And me? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to break through it.

His gaze lingered on mine for a second longer, unreadable. Then, without another word, he turned and started walking toward the entrance of the house.

I exhaled, a strange unease swirling in my stomach.

But despite that, I followed.

Step by step.

Into the unknown.

Into something I wasn’t sure I could walk away from.

Chapter Nine: A Dangerous Allure

The night air wrapped around me as I stepped out of the car, my heels sinking slightly into the cool sand. The ocean stretched out before me, dark and endless, waves crashing against the shore in a rhythmic, hypnotic pull.

I exhaled slowly, taking in the salty air. But there was something else, something richer, more intoxicating. It was coming from him.

Tobi stood beside me, his hands in his pockets, watching me with quiet amusement.

“You like it?” he asked, his voice low.

I swallowed, my gaze drifting back to the house—no, it wasn’t just a house. It was a masterpiece. But I didn’t answer right away.

“Yeah,” I said finally. “It’s… beautiful.”

It was. But that wasn’t what had my heart pounding.

It was him.

The way he moved—effortless, confident. The way he looked at me, like he saw something that no one else did. Like he already knew what I hadn’t admitted to myself yet.

Tobi took a step closer, the space between us shrinking. His voice was smooth, almost lazy. “Come inside.”

I hesitated. Just for a second.

But then, without thinking, I followed.

The inside of the house was even more stunning. Sleek black furniture. Low lighting. Floor-to-ceiling windows that made the ocean feel close enough to touch.

It smelled expensive. Clean. Masculine.

And, strangely enough, like home.

Tobi shrugged off his jacket, tossing it onto a chair. His movements were slow, deliberate, like he was waiting for something. Like he was waiting for me.

I shifted on my feet, suddenly hyper-aware of the silence between us.

I should say something. Anything. But all I could think about was how big the space felt—and how small I felt in it.

“You thirsty?” Tobi’s voice broke through the tension, pulling me back.

I shook my head. “No.”

He smirked. “Nervous?”

I lifted my chin. “Should I be?”

Tobi chuckled, a dark and knowing sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “Maybe.”

The air felt heavier now. Tighter.

His eyes held mine, unblinking, and for the first time—I felt it.

The shift.

The moment when something innocent became something dangerous.

I should leave.

I should turn around, walk out the door, and never look back.

But I didn’t.

Instead, I stayed.

And when Tobi stepped closer, his fingers brushing the inside of my wrist, I let him.

I let the warmth of his touch sink into my skin. Let myself get pulled deeper into whatever this was.

Because even though every warning in my head screamed at me to run—

I knew I wouldn’t.

I knew it was already too late.