All Chapters of After Hours: Chapter 21 - Chapter 24

Alli’s POVThe moment the door closed behind Johnny, her body forgot how to stand.She slid down the wall like the air had been sucked from her lungs.Her lips were still swollen. Her heart was still pounding.And her hands? They wouldn’t stop shaking.That kiss had unmade her.It was slow, sinful, and full of fire. His mouth on hers, his hands on her waist, her leg wrapped around his hip—God, it was everything she’d been trying not to want.And then he left.Told her to think.Told her to decide what this was.Now she sat alone, curled on the couch in the quiet of her apartment, too aware of the way he’d looked at her like she was his future.And maybe for a second, she believed it.Until morning came.She didn’t remember falling asleep.But she woke up tangled in her blanket, one sock missing, her phone half-dead and buzzing beside her.9:18 AM.Jules 💅:You okay??Tell me you didn’t see her post yet.I’m gonna scream.Alli blinked hard and sat up.Her stomach flipped.She didn’t w

Alli’s POVLena’s apartment smelled like lavender and popcorn.It was clean in the way only a single girl’s place could be—succulents on the windowsill, throw blankets artfully tossed over a plush gray couch, the faint buzz of a true crime podcast coming from the Bluetooth speaker.Alli stood in the middle of the living room with her bag still in her hand, her body vibrating like a tuning fork someone forgot to stop.Lena didn’t press her. She just handed over a cold bottle of Topo Chico and motioned toward the couch.They sat in silence.Alli stared at the condensation slipping down the glass. Her throat burned.“You can say it,” Lena said finally, soft but steady. “Whatever it is. You’re safe now.”Alli looked at her best friend. Eyes too kind. Lips pressed together like she already knew.So Alli broke.“I kissed him.”It came out hoarse.“I kissed him, Lena. And he kissed me back like he meant it. Like it was the first honest thing he’s ever done. And I believed him. I believed eve