Helios

Chapter 7

As the meeting concluded and the hall began to empty, I found myself scanning the crowd, my eyes darting around in search of him. Acyn had slipped out of the room almost unnoticed, as if he wasn't part of the crowd but rather a shadow that moved with quiet ease. I needed to find him, to thank him for stepping in earlier, though part of me wasn't sure how to approach the man who had been so elusive.

I spotted him in the corner, partially hidden from view, his figure bathed in the dim light of the evening. A cigarette dangled from his lips, the ember flaring softly with each drag. My heart skipped a beat, and before I could think better of it, I walked toward him, my steps quickening as the need to speak to him burned hotter.

"Acyn," I called softly, as I reached him.

He didn't respond at first, just took another slow drag of his cigarette, his green eyes watching me with that same unreadable look he always seemed to wear. I hesitated, unsure of what to say. The air between us felt thick, charged with a tension I couldn't quite place.

Finally, I blurted out, "Thanks. For earlier."

He nodded, not bothering to say anything. His silence made me feel uneasy, like I was intruding on something private. But I didn't want to leave it at that. There was something about him that drew me in, something I needed to understand.

Without thinking, I reached for the cigarette pack in his hand, plucking it along with the lighter from his grip. He watched me with a flicker of amusement in his eyes as I lit my own cigarette, mimicking his movements. I leaned against the wall beside him, the taste of smoke bitter on my tongue. It gave me a moment to collect my thoughts.

"Was it you?" I asked, the words slipping out before I could stop them. "At the club the other time?"

His jaw tightened, the muscles in his face visibly straining. For a fleeting moment, I caught a glimpse of something—perhaps guilt, or maybe just a flicker of irritation—in his eyes. But then he shook his head, the denial coming out as a quiet, almost indifferent,

"No." He took another slow drag of his cigarette, the ember glowing bright in the dim light.

I wasn't convinced. The tension between us was palpable, and the way his eyes—those piercing green eyes—seemed to betray him made my heart race with a mixture of anger and curiosity. I leaned in slightly, my voice low but firm.

"Your eyes," I pressed, my gaze locking onto his. "They gave you away. Those green eyes, Acyn. You can't hide from that."

A low, rumbling growl escaped him, a sound so primal and raw it sent a shiver down my spine. The threat in his tone was unmistakable.

"Don't push me," he warned, his voice like gravel, barely restrained. There was an undercurrent of danger in his words, a warning that this conversation was treading on thin ice.

But I wasn't ready to back down. The urge to uncover the truth was stronger than my fear.

"You're lying," I accused, my voice steady despite the intensity of the moment. "I can see it in your eyes."

In a heartbeat, his frustration erupted. Acyn moved with a speed that left me breathless, his hands gripping my shoulders with a force that was both startling and electrifying. He shoved me against the wall with a sudden, jarring impact. My back hit the cold stone, a sharp jolt of pain making me wince, but I didn't push him away. Instead, I stood still, caught between fear and an unexplainable pull toward him.

His hands were rough, possessive, holding me in place. His breath came in heavy, measured bursts, warming my skin as he loomed over me. I looked up into his eyes, expecting anger or maybe even fury, but what I found was something darker, more enigmatic. There was a feral intensity in his gaze, a hunger that made my pulse quicken and my breath hitch.