“You could just tell me if you want a taste… I promise I’ll be gentle. Just for you.”

Clara's POV

“Clara!” he called, his voice taunting in a way that made me want to scream.

I stepped outside, breathing in the fresh air, hoping it could clear the shadows in my head. But as I made my way down the porch steps, I felt him right behind me, the weight of his presence like an anchor pulling me under.

“Seriously—were you really that into it?” he pressed, his tone playful yet sinister. “You could just tell me if you want a taste… I promise I’ll be gentle. Just for you.”

I stopped abruptly, spinning to face him, my heart racing from anger and frustration. “You think you’re clever, don’t you? You’re just a spoiled brat with nothing better to do. I’m not some prize for you to flaunt.”

His brow arched, amusement dancing across his features. “Oh, but you see, Clara, I’m not flaunting you. I’m simply stating the obvious. You’re dangerously curious, hiding behind that façade of indifference. And everyone knows it.”

“Read the room, Nolan. No one cares about your playground games,” I snapped back, but the words felt weak beneath the weight of what I really wanted to say.

“Games? That’s rich, coming from you.” His eyes narrowed, and that devilish smirk reappeared. “Because personally, I think you’re the one playing games. You watch me without a word, pretending you aren’t fascinated. Admit it, you’re dying to know what it’s like to be kissed like that.”

I felt my cheeks flush, drawing my arms across my chest in a defensive manner. But the move only drew his gaze further, intensifying the way he watched. “You’re not even being subtle about it. Just imagine—if you stopped pretending I was public enemy number one, maybe you’d find what you’re looking for.”

“Looking for what?” I shot back, the anger bubbling over as my voice raised, surprising me. “You think I want to be involved in your little entanglements? Maybe I simply want you to back off.”

“You say that now, but there’s a dangerous little spark in your eyes that tells me you enjoy the chase,” he said, his voice dropping to a gravelly whisper that sent chills down my spine. “Just give in. You won’t regret it.”

My heart raced as his stare bore into me, and despite my valiant effort to remain composed, I felt myself unraveling at the seams. “You’re delusional if you think I want anything to do with you. You’re nothing more than a bully hiding behind good looks and charm.”

He laughed softly, the sound grating against my nerves. “And yet, here we are, Clara. You’re the one caught in a web, and I’m the one who spun it. It could be so much more if you just let go of the fear.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” I spat, emotions spilling over as I took a step closer. “You think I’m afraid of you? I’m afraid of what you’ve done to me. I’m afraid of the tangled mess that follows you.”

“Perhaps you should embrace it instead,” he taunted, stepping in closer, invading my space as if daring me to push him away. “What if I let you in? Maybe it’s time you found out what you really want.”

I gritted my teeth, refusing to back down. “Get away from me, Nolan. This is not some twisted game you can manipulate. You’re not the puppet master here, no matter what you think.”

His expression shifted slightly, revealing a hint of something deeper. “Then why do I feel like I’m the only one who makes you truly feel something? Why does it seem like you’re drawn to me, despite how hard you fight it?”

I wanted to scream. I wanted to slap him, to shove him away until he got the message that I wasn’t interested. But beneath that anger was a thread of truth disguised as an ache—the undeniable tug of attraction that intertwined with my emotions like a poison, seeping through my veins.

I shook my head, desperately trying to dismiss the realization clawing at me. “You don’t make me feel anything,” I insisted, though my voice wavered as the lie escaped my lips. “You just… infuriate me.”

“Infuriate?” He chuckled, his eyes dancing with mischief, dancing dangerously close to the truth. “Come on, Clara. Let’s just admit it—you’re intrigued. Maybe you even want to explore this tension between us. You’re acting all tough, but I can see through that. I see everything.”

The challenge in his voice caused my heart to race, but not in the way he expected. “Stop it,” I spit, anger rising. “Just stop. You are nothing more than a spoiled child playing with fire, and I refuse to get burned.”

“Playing with fire? Is that really what you think? Because right now, sweetheart, I’m the only one fanning the flames. You just keep getting closer and closer.”

In that moment, I felt the frustration boil over, mixed with fear beneath the surface of my bravado. “You are insufferable, Nolan. You think you know everything, but you don’t. You think you have this hold over me, that you’re in control. But this isn’t power—it’s pathetic.”

He stepped back, a surprised expression flickering across his face before the familiar smirk returned. “Pathetic? You really don’t know how this game works, do you? I think you’ll find you’ve been playing right into my hands all along.”

I felt my defenses crumbling, reality rushing back like a tidal wave. “Maybe I’ll just keep walking away from you, no matter how many times you try to taunt me.”

“Or maybe you’ll realize that I’m the most interesting thing happening in your life,” he leaned in closer, wrapping his arms around the railing as if preparing for something. “And that deep down, you don’t want this to end.”

As I stepped back, my mind battled with chaotic thoughts and emotions tumbling over one another. I couldn’t trust him. I wouldn’t. But every word he spoke ignited something that both fascinated and terrified me—a constant reminder of the tether that drew me back to the storm.

“Let me ask you this: What will it take for you to finally admit that there’s a real connection here? That you need me to ruin you?” His voice was cool, challenging, like layered velvet draped over something sharp.

I felt a flutter of uncertainty in my gut at the audacity of his question. “It’ll take you to stop being such a jerk for once,” I retorted, but even as the words left my lips, I could feel the tremor beneath. I was tired of dancing around him, tired of pretending I didn’t feel torn apart inside.

“Sure, I’ll stop being a jerk,” he said, a mischievous grin creeping to his mouth. “As soon as you let your guard down. What do you say? Ready to confront what lurks beneath your surface?”

“Don’t hold your breath,” I snapped, backing away further, desperate to escape both the dim light of the terrace and the echoes of our confrontation clawing at my insides.

But even as I turned to leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that our battle was far from over. This unpredictable game between us was only just beginning, and for better or worse, I couldn’t deny the magnetic pull that kept drawing me back toward him.