The bass thumped through my chest as the club lights swirled in neon streaks, casting an electric glow over the crowded dance floor. I wasn't usually the type to hit places like this—I preferred quiet nights with Netflix and takeout—but Kayla had insisted. "You just graduated, Zoey. You need to loosen up and celebrate before real life hits you like a freight train." And she wasn't wrong.
Kayla was already dancing, her blonde hair shimmering like gold in the strobe lights, while I sipped on a fruity drink at the bar, trying to enjoy the moment. The room smelled of sweat, spilled liquor, and expensive cologne, an intoxicating mix that made it impossible not to feel alive. I glanced around, letting my eyes wander over the crowd, when I saw him.
He was leaning against the far wall, dressed in all black, like he was trying to blend into the shadows—but there was no way someone like him could go unnoticed. His presence was magnetic, commanding. His dark eyes flickered over the crowd like a predator searching for prey, and when they landed on me, it felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.
I couldn't look away. Something about him was dangerous, yet hypnotizing. A shiver ran down my spine as he tilted his head slightly, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. I felt like a deer caught in the headlights. He didn't move, but it was as if he'd silently summoned me.
"Who's that?" I whispered to Kayla when she came over to refill her drink.
She glanced in his direction, her eyes widening. "Oh my God, Zoey, don't even think about it. That's Xavier Alex. He owns this place, and he's...bad news."
I frowned. "Bad news how?"
Kayla hesitated, lowering her voice. "Rumor is, he's into some shady stuff. Like... really shady. Just stay away, okay?"
But I couldn't. Something about the way he watched me made my skin prickle, but not in fear. It was like he saw right through me, past the small-town girl with big dreams and straight into my soul. Before I could second-guess myself, he was moving toward me, his steps measured and deliberate, like a wolf closing in on its prey.
"Zoey," Kayla hissed, grabbing my arm. "Let's go dance. Now."
But it was too late. He was in front of me, towering, his dark eyes pinning me in place. Up close, he was even more devastatingly handsome, his sharp jawline shadowed with stubble and a faint scar cutting through his left brow.
"You don't belong here," he said, his voice low and smooth, sending a ripple of unease—and something else—through me.
I blinked, confused. "Excuse me?"
He leaned in closer, the scent of him—something dark and woodsy—filling my senses. "You're too...pure for a place like this."
I bristled at his words. "And what makes you think you know me?"
His lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile. "I can tell."
Before I could respond, he straightened, his eyes flickering to Kayla. "Watch her," he said curtly before walking away, disappearing into the crowd as if he'd never been there.
"Zoey, let's leave," Kayla said urgently, but I barely heard her.
Because for the first time in my life, I wasn't sure if I should run from something...or chase it.