Chapter 3- No Going Back

The lift ride up felt electric. Mark's hand rested on my lower back, warm through my top, and neither of us said much. My head spun from the gin, but my body felt alive for the first time in ages. When the doors opened on one floor, he led me down the quiet hallway like he owned the place.

He slid a key card in, and we stepped inside. The room was fancy, all soft lighting and big windows overlooking the city. I didn’t get a proper look around. As soon as the door clicked shut, he pulled me close.

His mouth found mine, hungry and sure. I kissed him back hard, fingers digging into his shirt. He tasted like whiskey and something darker. My back hit the wall gently as his hands roamed down my sides, pulling my hips against him.

“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured against my lips. “Been thinking about this since I saw you at the bar.”

I laughed softly, breathless and drunk. “Then stop talking and show me.”

He did. His fingers worked the buttons on my top, pushing it off my shoulders. I tugged at his shirt, feeling the hard lines of his chest and the ink of tattoos under my palms. We moved toward the bed in a tangle, clothes dropping piece by piece. My jeans. His trousers. Skin on skin.

Then he came on top of me and made love to me but it didn’t last.

His breathing got ragged too soon. His hips jerked faster, then he groaned loud and buried himself deep, shuddering as he came. Just like that. Barely a few minutes in.

I lay there, still buzzing, still needing more. My body ached for release that never came. He pulled out and rolled off me, chest heaving, a satisfied smirk on his face.

“Damn, that was intense,” he said, reaching for me again like he wanted to cuddle or something.

Intense? For him maybe. I sat up, frustration boiling over through the haze of alcohol. All the anger from earlier with Alex, with Mum, with everything came rushing back.

“Are you serious?” I snapped. “That’s it?”

He blinked, still catching his breath. “What?”

“You finished in like two minutes. I didn’t even… Christ, that was pathetic.” The words spilled out sharper than I meant, but I didn’t care. “I came here to feel something, not watch you get off and call it a night.”

Mark sat up, eyebrows raised. “Hey, easy. We can go again. Just give me a few minutes.”

“No.” I stood up, legs shaky, and started grabbing my clothes. My head pounded. Shame mixed with the anger now, but the drunk part of me kept going. “You know what? Guys like you are all the same. Big talk at the bar, then nothing when it counts.”

I pulled on my top and jeans fast. My bag was on the chair. I dug inside and pulled out a thick wad of cash, most of what I had left after the bar tabs. Without thinking, I threw it at him. Notes scattered across his chest and the bed.

“Here. Take it. Since you couldn’t do the job properly, maybe this will make up for it. Actually, you should be the one paying me for wasting my time.”

He stared at the money, then at me, something unreadable in his eyes. Not anger exactly. More like surprise mixed with amusement.

“Evie—”

“Don’t.” I pointed a finger at him. “Never speak about tonight to anyone. Not a word. If I hear anything, I’ll make sure you regret it. Understand?”

I grabbed my shoes and headed for the door. My hands shook as I turned the handle.

“Wait,” he called, but I didn’t stop.

The door slammed behind me. I walked down the hallway fast, bare feet in my heels, heart hammering. The lift took forever. By the time I reached the lobby, the cool night air hit me outside and reality started sinking in.

What the hell had I just done?

I felt ashamed. Throwing money at a stranger like that? Insulting him after sleeping with him? But underneath it, a tiny spark of satisfaction glowed. For once, I’d said exactly what I felt instead of swallowing it down. No pretending. No fake smiles.

I flagged a taxi on the street, the city lights blurring as I climbed in. My body still hummed, unsatisfied, but my mind raced. Tomorrow I’d deal with the fallout from Alex and Mum. Tonight, I’d just be a mess who made a bad choice.

Still, as the taxi pulled away, part of me wondered about the look on Mark's face when I threw that cash. Like he wouldn’t forget it anytime soon.

I leaned my head against the window and closed my eyes. What a crazy night.