Chapter 2

LISA’S POV:

His lips hovered dangerously close to mine, the tension thick in the air, a strange mix of fear and confusion clouding my senses. My breath came in shallow gasps as I struggled to find words, any words, to stop this, but they wouldn’t come. I was trapped, caught in the magnetic pull of his cold, commanding gaze, unable to tear myself away.

Then, as if sensing my hesitation, he pulled back, just enough to give me space to breathe but not enough to let me go. His grip on my waist loosened, and I felt his fingers trail down my side, sending an unwelcome shiver through me. My mind was racing, trying to make sense of what was happening, of who he was and why I was here, in his arms, with his eyes boring into me like I was some puzzle he wanted to solve.

Before I could piece together a single coherent thought, his voice sliced through the air again, that same low, icy tone that made my stomach clench. “You’re not the person I was expecting,” he said, his voice devoid of warmth, but there was a strange flicker in his eyes now, something almost… curious. “But you’re here now.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry, the words stuck like lead in my mouth. I wanted to explain, to tell him this was all some sort of mistake, that I didn’t belong here, that I didn’t even know how I’d ended up in this building, let alone in his presence. But nothing came out. My mind was still reeling from the shock of it all.

He let out a low, almost imperceptible sigh and then, as if he’d made some decision, his hand left my waist and he took a step back, surveying me with those same cold, calculating eyes. For a second, I thought he was going to leave, that whatever he’d planned was over.

But then, he spoke again. “You look… desperate,” he said, his voice softening slightly, though his words carried a weight that made my skin prickle. He took a step closer, not as aggressive this time, but purposeful. “What’s your price?”

I blinked, not understanding at first, my brain slow to process what he was asking. “What?” I croaked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He looked me over, his gaze moving slowly from my legs, still exposed from where my oversized sweater had ridden up, to my face. “How much?” he repeated, his tone matter-of-fact, like he was discussing a business deal. “To spend the night with me.”

I froze. My mind went blank, completely blank. Did I hear him right? Was he… offering to pay me to sleep with him? The room seemed to tilt for a moment, the walls closing in as the realization sunk in. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest.

He must have seen the shock on my face because he took another step back, giving me space. “Six thousand dollars,” he said, his voice smooth, calm, as if the amount was nothing to him. “For one night.”

I stared at him, speechless. Six thousand dollars. The number echoed in my head, bouncing around like a taunt. My mind started to race again, faster this time, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions crashing into each other. Who was this man? Why was he offering me this? And more importantly… why was I even considering it?

I’d never done anything like this before. Never even thought about it. But then again, everything was different now. My life had spiraled out of control. The heartbreak, the betrayal… Nathan. My chest tightened at the thought of him. We’d been together for over a year, but in all that time, I’d never given him everything. I’d never kissed him, never let it get too far. I always thought it was because I was saving myself for something more, something real. But now? Now it all felt like a cruel joke.

Nathan was gone. He’d left me. I wasn’t good enough for him, wasn’t what he wanted. He never said it outright, but I knew. I’d always known. That’s why he was with her now, why he chose someone else. I was the one who’d been too careful, too cautious. And look where it got me.

I was alone.

I looked back at the man in front of me. His eyes were unreadable, cold, and distant, but he was offering me something. An escape, maybe? A way out of this pit of despair I’d been drowning in for weeks. Six thousand dollars. It wouldn’t fix everything, but it would help. Maybe it would help me start over, help me move on from Nathan, from the life I thought I had.

But still… I hesitated. This wasn’t me. I wasn’t the kind of person who did things like this, who sold themselves for money. But then again, what kind of person was I now? I wasn’t even sure anymore. Everything I thought I knew about myself had crumbled the moment Nathan walked out of my life. I was lost, broken, and maybe, just maybe, this was a way to reclaim some control. A way to feel something, anything, other than the crushing emptiness that had consumed me for so long.

My thoughts raced as I weighed the decision. I could walk away right now, leave this strange, intimidating man and his offer behind. Or I could stay. I could take the money, spend the night with him, and maybe for a brief moment, forget about all the pain, all the heartache that had been tearing me apart.

I took a deep breath, my hands trembling. My voice was barely audible when I finally spoke. “Six thousand dollars?” I repeated, still not quite believing what was happening.

He nodded, his expression unchanged. “Six thousand,” he confirmed, as if it was no big deal, like he could easily double or triple the offer if he wanted to.

I looked down at my feet, trying to steady myself. I felt numb, detached, like I was floating outside my own body. And then, before I could stop myself, I whispered, “Okay.”

It was done.

The room seemed to shift, the air growing heavier around me as the weight of my decision settled in. He didn’t react right away. Instead, he took a step closer, closing the gap between us once more. His hand slid to the small of my back, pulling me gently but firmly toward him.

I was trembling, but I didn’t resist. I couldn’t. Something inside me had snapped, given way to a strange, dangerous sense of surrender. Maybe this was how it was supposed to be, I thought. Maybe this was the only way to let go of everything, to finally feel free.

His lips were close to mine again, closer than before, and this time, I didn’t pull away.