Chapter One

Valentine

The amber lights of The Velvet Room blurred into soft golden halos as laughter echoed around the crowded bar but none of it reached her.

Valentine swirled the untouched whiskey in her glass, watching the ice slowly melt. The bartender had already asked twice if she wanted another drink but she was yet to take a sip. 

Just hours ago, she had walked into her apartment carrying takeout and a ridiculous chocolate cake to celebrate her second anniversary, instead, she had found her boyfriend tangled in bed with the last person she had ever expected, her stepmother.

A humorless laugh escaped her lips, she should probably cry, instead, she felt empty.

"That's a dangerous expression."

The deep masculine voice pulled her from her thoughts and she immediately looked up at the man behind the deep voice, he was tall, broad shoulders, expensively dressed in a charcoal suit that looked tailor made. His dark hair was slightly messy, as though he had spent the evening running a hand through it, and his eyes, God his eyes were impossible, gray, sharp enough to cut through every wall she had built in the last three hours.

He held a tumbler of bourbon in one hand and wore the kind of smile that knew exactly what it was doing.

"Sorry?" she asked.

He nodded toward the empty stool opposite her.

"Do you mind?"

She glanced around, the bar was packed.

"There are plenty of seats."

"There are." His smile widened. "But none of them have you sitting beside them."

Despite herself, the corner of her mouth twitched.

"So that's your line?"

"No, not really."

He slid onto the stool anyway.

"My line was much worse, I changed it at the last second."

She let out a small laugh.

"I appreciate the effort."

"I live to impress strangers."

"Do you usually?"

"Only the interesting ones."

She raised an eyebrow.

"And what makes you think I'm interesting?"

"You have been staring at the same ice cube for at least five minutes now."

She looked down at her drink, he wasn't wrong.

"So," he continued, extending his hand, "I'm Adrian by the way."

She studied him for a second before shaking his hand, it was warm and firm. 

"Emma."

The lie slipped out effortlessly but he noticed the hesitation immediately.

"Emma?"

"Mhm."

"I don't believe you."

She smiled innocently.

"I wasn't asking you to."

He chuckled, "Fair enough."

For a moment, silence settled comfortably between them, then his smile faded just a little.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, go ahead."

"Why do you look so sad?"

She blinked a little shocked that he noticed

"What makes you think I look sad?"

He didn't answer immediately, Instead, he met her gaze with surprising gentleness.

"Your eyes."

The words hit harder than they should have. She laughed a quick, nervous sound meant to dismiss the strange lump forming in her throat.

"My eyes?"

"They are smiling because your mouth is."

She looked away, "But they gave you away."

For several seconds, she said nothing.

The music pulsed around them as glasses clinked. Someone cheered from the pool tables.

Finally, she exhaled.

"I just found my boyfriend of two years in bed" She paused, almost amused by how absurd it sounded, "with my stepmother."

Adrian stared at her.

"Ouch."

She nodded once.

"Yeah, ouch"

Neither of them spoke for a few more seconds. 

What exactly was someone supposed to say after that?

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

She shrugged, pretending it didn't matter, 

"I think I'm still in shock." she said now looking at the glass she had been holding for the last few minutes. 

He studied her for another moment before raising his glass.

"To terrible people."

She looked at him before she lifted hers, 

"To terrible people."

The glasses clinked softly and for the first time that night, she took the first sip of her drink, It burned all the way down.

"So," Adrian said after a moment, "either this becomes the worst night of your life.."

She glanced sideways at him, "or the beginning of a very interesting story."

She laughed, a real laugh this time, neither of them knew just how true those words were about to be. 

She looked up at him for a long moment before standing.

"You know what?" she finally said.

"What?"

"I don't want to think tonight."

Adrian tossed a few bills onto the counter and offered her his hand.

"Then don't."

She slipped her fingers into his and together, they walked out of the bar completely unaware that by sunrise, one reckless decision would bind their lives forever.