CHAPTER 2: A NIGHT OF SIN

Ana's fingers trembled as she held the crystal glass filled with amber liquid. She had never been a drinker, but tonight was different, tonight, she wasn’t the girl who carried the weight of her stepmother’s debt. Tonight, she was someone else, someone reckless, someone bold.

Fred Lancaster watched her “You don’t have to drink if you don’t want to.” His voice was deep, rich like dark chocolate, laced with something that made her insides tight.

She took a sip anyway, letting the burn coat her throat, dulling the weight of her thoughts. “I don’t usually do this.”

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “Yet here you are.”

Ana exhaled, she was scared. She didn’t know why she let herself be led into this secluded part of the club with him. Maybe it was the way he commanded attention. Maybe it was the way he looked at her, like she was something rare, something worth more than the handful of bills thrown onto the stage.

Or maybe it was because, for once in her life, she was doing a job she never believed she could ever do.

“You intrigue me.” His words sent a shiver down her spine. She shouldn’t be there. She shouldn’t want this. But the alcohol was making everything hazy, and the man in front of her was intoxicating in a way no liquor ever could be.

“You’re drunk.” He reached for the glass, but she pulled it away.

“Not enough to forget.”

His eyes darkened. “Forget what?”

“That tomorrow I go back to being nobody.” His jaw tightened, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Fred looked at the drunk lady by hus side, she was young and beautiful with very fragile skin, she was drawned in the very little alcohol she had taken and something pulled them together, Fred reached for her, his fingers tracing along her wrist, sending sparks up her arm.

“Stay with me tonight.” Ana looked at Fred, noticing every beauty in every corner of his face line, she was drunk. The air between them thickened, charged with something dangerous. “And if I say yes?”

“Then I’ll make you remember this night forever.”

The heat in his words sent a wildfire through her veins. Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the way his fingers trailed up her arm, but she found herself wanting.

He didn’t wait for her to change her mind. With an effortless grace, he stood, offering his hand. “Come with me.”

She hesitated only for a second before slipping her fingers into his, letting him guide her away from the club and into the night.

Fred had treated her very special, like every other night spent in the bar, he had made her feel so comfortable, she had sat comfortable in the very ĺuxirious car and their elevator ride had been a blur, the hum of the city faded behind the doors as they ascended into the unknown.

When they finally stepped into the penthouse, Ana’s breath hitched. It wasn’t the cold kind of luxury she had imagined a man like Fred Lancaster would own. No, this was different. It was Intimate. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched along the entire length of the room, showcasing a dazzling view of the city lights, their glow reflecting against the black marble floors. The air smelled expensive, like whiskey, with a lingering trace of his cologne.

Ana stood frozen near the door, her head was spinning, not just from the alcohol but from the weight of where she was, who she was with. Even in her intoxicated state, a small voice inside her screamed that this was dangerous, that she wasn’t thinking clearly. But another voice, the one drowning in her head, pleaded her to escape.

Fred took off his blazer, resting it on a nearby chair before turning to face her. His eyes looked dark and knowing, he studied her carefully. “If you want to leave, now’s the time.”

Her lips parted, but the words stuck in her throat. She should walk away. She should tell him this was a mistake. That she wasn’t this kind of girl.

But then his fingers brushed against her cheek, teasing, with some much possession. All rational thought in her head melted away.

“I don’t want to leave,” she whispered.

He didn’t give her time to analyze it as he smiled to her answer.

“Then don’t,” he murmured ad he gently kissed her.

It wasn’t hesitant. It wasn’t careful. It was with fire and possession, a promise and a demand all at once. His lips moved against hers with a dominance that stole her breath, his hands anchoring her as though he was claiming her in ways words couldn’t.

Ana melted into him, her body betraying her hesitation. Every inch of her tingled under his touch, his scent, his warmth. She had never been kissed like this before, never been wanted like this before.

Fred pulled back slightly, his breath ragged against her lips. “Tell me to stop.” he demanded, but then she didn’t.

Clothes disappeared, urgency taking over as he led her toward the massive bed that dominated the center of the house. The room blurred around her, sensations replacing reason. His touch, his mouth, his body pressed against hers, all of it became a haze of heat and surrender.

It wasn’t until much later, when the passion settled into heavy silence, that reality crept in.

Ana lay curled against Fred’s bare chest, his warmth wrapping around her like an intoxicating cocoon. Her fingers traced lazy patterns along his skin, the soft rise and fall of his breathing strangely soothing.

The weight of what she had done hit her. She had given herself to a man she barely knew. A man who carried so much power, so much untouchable pride.

Thorne’s arm tightened around her, as if he could sense her, he had enjoyed every monet with her “Sleep,” he murmured, his voice husky with exhaustion.

Ana laid, drunk and confused, unsure of what had happen.