Chapter 1

The cold night air bit at my skin as we stepped out of the bar, but I hardly noticed. Lukas’ hand was warm around mine, guiding me through the dimly lit streets. The city felt different now, the shadows no longer threatening but inviting, pulling me into a world I had never dared to explore.

We didn’t speak as we walked, and I was grateful for the silence. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, too tangled to sort out. All I knew was that I needed this—needed to feel something other than the crushing weight of my life falling apart. And Lukas, with his dark, intense gaze and calm confidence, seemed like the perfect escape.

We reached a hotel not far from the bar, one of those places that catered to late-night visitors looking for a quick, anonymous stay. The neon sign flickered above the entrance, casting a red glow on the pavement. Lukas paused for a moment, glancing at me as if giving me one last chance to back out.

But I wasn’t going to. I was too far gone, too desperate to care about consequences. I squeezed his hand, my heart racing in my chest. “Let’s go.”

He nodded and led me inside. The lobby was small and sparsely decorated, with a worn carpet and a bored-looking receptionist behind the desk. Lukas approached the counter, his voice low as he requested a room for the night. The receptionist barely looked up, handing over a key with a practiced indifference.

We took the elevator up to the third floor, the silence between us growing heavier with each passing second. My nerves were starting to catch up with me, and I could feel my hands trembling. What was I doing? This wasn’t me—this wasn’t the kind of thing I did. But it was too late to turn back now.

The elevator doors slid open with a soft ding, and Lukas led me down a dimly lit hallway to our room. He unlocked the door and pushed it open, gesturing for me to go in first. I stepped inside, my breath catching as I took in the small, simple room. There was a bed, a nightstand, and a window with heavy curtains drawn shut. It was nothing special, but it was enough.

Lukas closed the door behind us, and the soft click of the lock seemed to echo in the quiet room. I turned to face him, suddenly feeling very small and very exposed. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw something in them—hesitation, maybe, or concern. But then it was gone, replaced by that same smoldering intensity that had drawn me to him in the first place.

He took a step closer, and I could feel the heat radiating off his body. My heart pounded in my ears as he reached up and gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His touch was surprisingly gentle, almost reverent, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

“You don’t have to do this,” he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

I looked up at him, searching his eyes for any sign that he might be as uncertain as I was. But all I saw was the same quiet confidence that had pulled me in from the start. I shook my head, my throat too tight to speak. I wanted this—needed this—more than I could explain.

Lukas seemed to understand. He cupped my face in his hands, his thumb brushing softly across my cheek. “Okay,” he murmured. “But if you want to stop, just say the word.”

I nodded, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I didn’t deserve his kindness, not after the mess I had made of my life. But I was grateful for it all the same.

He leaned in slowly, giving me plenty of time to pull away. But I didn’t. Instead, I closed the distance between us, pressing my lips to his in a kiss that was surprisingly soft, almost tender. His hands slid down to my waist, pulling me closer as the kiss deepened, becoming more urgent.

I lost myself in the sensation, in the warmth of his body against mine, in the way his hands roamed my back, my arms, my hips. It was as if he was trying to memorize every inch of me, to leave no part untouched. And I welcomed it, letting him take the lead as I let go of everything that had been holding me back.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of heat and sensation. Clothes were shed, and we fell onto the bed, our bodies tangling together in a desperate attempt to forget. He was patient, attentive, and even though I knew this was just a one-time thing, I couldn’t help but feel a connection—something deeper than just the physical. But I pushed that thought away, focusing instead on the moment, on the here and now.

Lukas’ hands moved over my skin, his touch both firm and gentle, coaxing responses from me that I hadn’t known I was capable of. His lips followed, tracing a path from my neck to my collarbone, down to my chest, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. I clung to him, my nails digging into his shoulders as I surrendered to the sensations flooding my body.

For those few hours, nothing else mattered. Not my family, not the engagement, not the life I had left behind. It was just Lukas and me, two strangers seeking solace in each other’s arms.

But as the night wore on and the initial urgency began to fade, reality started to creep back in. I could feel it in the quiet moments between kisses, in the way Lukas would pause and look at me as if he was trying to figure me out. It was in those moments that I realized this wasn’t just about physical need—it was something more, something I wasn’t ready to face.

Eventually, exhaustion took over, and we both collapsed onto the bed, our breathing heavy and uneven. Lukas pulled me close, his arms wrapping around me in a way that felt both protective and possessive. I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart as I tried to keep my own thoughts from spiraling out of control.

But it was no use. The weight of what I had done—what I was doing—began to settle over me, and I knew I couldn’t stay. This night had been a mistake, a beautiful, fleeting mistake that I couldn’t afford to let linger.

I waited until Lukas’ breathing had evened out, until I was sure he was asleep, before I carefully disentangled myself from his arms. My heart ached as I looked at him one last time, taking in the way his dark hair fell over his forehead, the peaceful expression on his face. He looked different in sleep—softer, almost vulnerable. It made leaving even harder.

But I had to. I couldn’t let this night—this mistake—define me. I couldn’t let it be the reason my life fell apart even further.

I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could, gathering my clothes and dressing in the dim light of the room. My movements were slow, deliberate, as if any sudden action might wake him and shatter the fragile resolve I had built up. But Lukas didn’t stir, and for that, I was grateful.

Once I was fully dressed, I paused by the door, my hand resting on the cool metal of the doorknob. I wanted to say something—to leave a note, a word of thanks, something—but the words wouldn’t come. In the end, I simply opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, closing it softly behind me.

The walk back to the elevator felt like the longest journey I had ever taken. My feet were heavy, each step pulling me further away from the one night that had allowed me to feel alive. But as I descended to the lobby, as I stepped out into the early morning light, I knew I had made the right choice.

I couldn’t go back to the way things were, but I also couldn’t stay in the fantasy I had created with Lukas. I had to move forward, to figure out what came next. And whatever that was, I would face it alone.

As I walked away from the hotel, I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. I had to focus on the future, on what I needed to do to rebuild my life. The night with Lukas would remain a memory—a beautiful, fleeting moment that I would carry with me, but one that I couldn’t let define me.

Little did I know, that night would follow me, shaping my future in ways I couldn’t begin to imagine. But for now, all I could do was put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward, away from the man who had unknowingly changed everything.