Chapter 10
Nathan's POV
The party was finally over.
I needed to get out.
My cheeks ached from smiling, my head felt heavy, and my thoughts were a mess—Kieran's words replaying over and over.
I walked upstairs to my room, closing the door behind me.
The bouquet landed on the night stand.
My hand went straight to the drawer.
I pulled it open.
The file.
I stared at it for a long moment before shutting it again and locking it away.
Out of sight didn't mean out of mind.
I sat on the edge of the bed, then slowly let myself fall back onto it.
The wine I'd had earlier was starting to settle in, dulling everything just enough to make it harder to think.
Good.
I didn't want to think.
I managed to shrug off my suit jacket and loosen my bow, tossing them aside. My shoes followed, kicked off carelessly.
Too tired to do anything else.
I reached for the lamp and turned it off.
Darkness.
Silence.
Then the door opened.
My eyes snapped open.
Kieran.
He stood there, leaning against the door like he owned the room.
I thought I locked it.
He didn't say anything at first.
He just walked toward me.
I pushed myself up on my elbows.
"What do you want?" I asked.
He didn't answer.
The closer he got, the more I could smell it—cigarettes… and wine.
He sat on the bed beside me.
Something was off.
I watched him carefully.
Was he drunk?
His hazel eyes were on me, but they weren't sharp like usual.
Then—he smiled.
Not that mocking, knowing smirk.
Something softer.
Real.
It caught me off guard.
Before I could react, he stood again too quickly, his balance slipping.
"Sorry… sorry," he muttered, letting out a quiet laugh. "Did I scare you?"
I just stared at him.
Kieran Leo… apologizing?
Then he dropped onto the bed beside me like his body had finally given up.
I turned to him.
He was mumbling something under his breath.
I leaned closer, trying to catch the words.
Nothing.
I moved closer still, my ear near his lips.
"…don't… leave me…"
I froze.
My eyes shifted to his face.
Peaceful.
Unusually so.
All the sharp edges gone.
He looked… younger.
Softer.
My gaze drifted—against my will—to his lips.
Still faintly red from the wine.
I found myself leaning in without realizing it.
Closer.
And closer.
Then I stopped.
What am I doing?
I pulled back quickly, sitting upright.
My heart was beating too fast.
I looked at him again.
He was already asleep.
Or at least… he looked like it.
I exhaled slowly and lay back down, keeping my distance.
I closed my eyes.
Tried to sleep.
But then—
An arm wrapped around my waist.
I stiffened.
Kieran.
He pulled me slightly closer, his body warm against mine.
His breathing was steady.
Deep.
Like he hadn't moved at all.
Like he was still asleep.
…or pretending.
I didn't move.
Didn't say anything.
After a while, my body slowly relaxed despite myself.
And eventually—
I drifted off too.
---
Nathan's POV
I opened my eyes slowly.
Kieran.
He was right in front of me.
Face to face.
Still asleep.
His expression was calm, almost too calm—like the person beside me wasn't the same one who always carried that sharp, dangerous edge.
For a moment, I just stared.
Then—
Movement.
I jerked upright.
Someone was in the room.
Veronica.
"Good morning, sir," she said quickly, bowing her head.
"I knocked, but there was no answer. The door was open, so I came in."
My heart was still racing.
I glanced back at Kieran.
Still asleep.
Still too close.
I quickly got off the bed, putting some distance between us.
"That's fine," I said.
Then I paused, forcing myself to sound normal.
"He was drunk. He must've mistaken this for his room."
The lie came easier than I expected.
"I couldn't take him back myself… he was passed out, so I let him be."
Veronica didn't react.
Didn't question it.
She simply bowed again.
"Of course, sir."
Her lack of expression made it worse somehow.
"Umm… I can take care of myself. You can go," I added.
She looked at me briefly, then lowered her gaze.
"Yes, sir."
And just like that, she left.
The door closed behind her.
Silence filled the room again.
I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
My eyes moved back to the bed.
To Kieran.
To everything that had happened.
I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair.
What am I doing?
I walked to the door and locked it this time.
Then I turned away from the bed entirely and headed to the bathroom.
I needed a shower.
---
Nathan's POV
Steam still clung to my skin as I stepped out of the bathroom.
I had barely tied the robe around my waist before stopping in front of the mirror, rubbing lotion over my arms, trying—failing—to calm my thoughts.
Last night wouldn't leave my head.
None of it.
I exhaled slowly, letting the robe slip slightly as I focused on the motion, grounding myself.
Then—
A presence.
I turned.
Kieran was awake.
Leaning against the wall.
Watching me.
His eyes were no longer soft.
They were sharp again.
Awake.
Aware.
Dangerous.
My breath hitched.
For a second, neither of us spoke.
The silence stretched.
Heavy.
I grabbed the robe quickly, pulling it tighter around me.
He scoffed.
The sound made my chest tighten.
"What?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.
He pushed himself off the wall, walking toward me slowly.
"You're covering yourself," he said, voice low, almost amused, "like I haven't already seen everything."
My throat went dry.
I hated how my body reacted.
Hated how my legs felt weaker with every step he took closer.
I stepped back.
He followed.
Until my back hit the wall.
Trapped.
His hand reached for me.
I froze, my eyes closing for a brief second—
Then I felt it.
The knot of my robe loosened.
Cool air brushed against my skin.
A shiver ran through me.
His hand settled at my waist, pulling me closer like it was nothing.
Like I weighed nothing.
My fingers pressed against the wall for support.
I was slipping.
And he knew it.
The next moment, I was off the ground.
He carried me back to the bed like it was effortless.
Carefully.
Too carefully for someone like him.
He set me down.
I should have stopped this.
I knew I should.
But I didn't.
He pulled off his shirt, tossing it aside without looking away from me.
And I just… watched.
My thoughts were loud for a second—
What if someone sees?
What am I doing?
It was daylight.
Then they disappeared.
Like they didn't matter anymore.
His lips met mine.
And everything else blurred.
I pulled him closer without thinking, my hands gripping his shoulders.
The world narrowed to just him.
Just this.
Then—
A sound.
My phone.
Ringing.
Somewhere beside the bed.
I turned slightly, catching a glimpse of the screen.
Zane.
My breath caught.
I shifted, trying to move—
"Kieran… wait—"
But he didn't stop.
His lips moved against my jaw, my neck—
"Someone could—"
"No one cares," he said quietly, cutting me off.
And then he kissed me again.
And just like that—
I stopped trying to resist.