Chapter 04

As I turned to leave, Zayren’s fingers wrapped around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks. A jolt of electricity shot through me at the unexpected contact. My body tensed, and my heartrate quickened. I forced myself to look at him, my eyes meeting his intense gaze.

He stood up from his chair, his dark eyes locking onto mine. The sudden movement made me gasp quietly. His tall, lean figure loomed over me, making me feel small and vulnerable.

With his hand still wrapped around my wrist, he tugged gently, silently asking me to follow him.

I felt completely trapped, my wrist burning with the touch of his slender fingers. I knew I should resist, should pull away and go back to my work, but something in his gaze held me captive. With my racing heart, I allowed him to pull me to the secluded corner of the restaurant.

He pushed me against the wall, his body pressing against mine. I could feel his warmth, his breath, and his presence surrounding me. Panic and a strange thrill coursed through me, my mind swirling with confusion.

I was pressed tightly against the wall, his body pinning me in place. His presence was overwhelming, his scent intoxicating.

My heart was pounding in my chest, my breath coming in short gasps. His hold on my wrist was firm, holding me captive. I looked up at him, his dark eyes seeming to stare into the depths of my soul.

“Didn’t I ask you to come to the party personally? So why are you here?”

His sudden question broke the heavy silence. His voice was still low and velvety, but there was a hint of irritation in his tone. He leaned closer, his face inches away from mine.

I felt fear and helplessness under his intense gaze. I swallowed hard, my mouth going dry.

“I⸺I have to work,” I managed to stammer out, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I can’t just leave my job to go to a party.” He let out a scoff, his grip on my wrist tightening.

“You’d rather work than come to my party?” He sounded almost amused.

I winced from the painful pressure on my wrist, but I didn’t dare protest.

“It’s not a matter of choice,” I tried to explain, my voice shaking.

“I need the money from this job. I can’t just leave it.” His smirk faded, replaced by a darkening expression.

“You’re saying money is more important than me?”

I shook my head vigorously, desperation creeping into my voice.

“No, it’s not like that, I just⸺I need this job.” I tried to pull my wrist away from his grasp, but he tightened his grip, refusing to let me go.

He leaned in closer, his body still pressed against mine. His eyes bored into mine, searching for something, some sign of weakness.

“You wouldn’t have to work if you were with me,” he said, his voice dropping to a sultry murmur.

In a moment of defiance, I pulled my wrist free from Zayren’s grasp, and without thinking, I shoved him away with my other hand. He staggered back, stunned by the unexpected action.

For a moment, I thought I saw something flash in his eyes⸺irritation, surprise, or perhaps both.

“What do you mean by saying ’I won’t need to work if I was with you’?”

I stood there, panting slightly from the effort and the adrenaline coursing through my veins. Zayren was frozen in place, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he let out a small chuckle, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips.

“What do you think I mean?” he replied, his voice low and seductive.

I felt a pang of something⸺irritation? Disbelief? ⸺ in his words.

“Is this your way of trying to get me to quit my job and become completely dependent on you? If so, it’s not going to work,” I retorted.

His smirk widened as he took a step closer, slowly closing the distance between us again.

“And what if it was?” he asked, his voice smooth and dangerous.

“What if I was trying to make you completely mine?”

I averted my eyes, feeling a mix of disbelief and confusion. It didn’t make sense. How could the hottest guy on campus be interested in me?

I was nobody, just a poor girl working a part-time job trying to get by.

It had to be a joke, a cruel game. I couldn’t fathom why he would be saying such things.

I tried to move, but Zayren moved faster, trapping me against the wall with his hands on either side of my head. I felt small, vulnerable, and scared. The proximity of his body to mine was overwhelming, and his eyes seemed to bore into my soul.

“You’re scaring me.” I whispered, in a small voice. He leaned in even closer, his body pressing against mine. My heart slammed against my chest, my eyes growing wide. I could feel the warmth of his breath on my face, sending shivers down my spine.

But then he spoke, and his words completely froze me.

“I was just kidding⸺” he paused.

“I just wanted you to sit here with me. A small party for the fresher girl who joined the college.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was messing with me? Making my heart race and my body tremble just for a party? I stared up at him, feeling anger and relief.

“You⸺You mean you just wanted me to come to a party? That’s all?” I questioned, my voice trembling slightly. He chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

“Of course,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips.

“I just wanted to make it a little more interesting.” He leaned back a little, giving me some space to breathe, but his hands still rested on either side of my head.

“So, will you come?” he asked, his voice low and inviting.