Chapter 1: First Encounter
Lila Royce leaned against the doorway of her apartment, her heart pounding as she watched him step closer. Jake had a way of looking at her, his gaze burning through the layers she tried so hard to keep intact. It wasn't love—not even close—but it was something raw and primal, something she couldn't turn away from.
"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low, the air between them charged with anticipation.
She nodded, swallowing hard. Words felt unnecessary. She reached for him, her fingers tracing the edge of his jaw before pulling him into a kiss. His lips were rough, eager, and as their bodies pressed together, Lila felt the first crack in the wall she'd built around herself.
That night, she learned how easy it was to lose herself in someone else's touch. But as dawn broke and Jake left with a promise to call, Lila lay in bed staring at the ceiling, the weight of emptiness settling over her. It wasn't regret. It was something harder to name.
She thought back to the way his hands had explored her, the way he'd whispered her name in the dark. But in the daylight, those moments felt fleeting, like wisps of smoke she couldn't hold onto. Lila closed her eyes and sighed, the loneliness sinking deeper into her chest.