𝑫𝑨𝑫𝑫𝒀𝑺 𝑳𝑰𝑻𝑻𝑳𝑬 𝑮𝑰𝑹𝑳

Club...? pt2

I was finally starting to lose myself in the music, swaying more naturally as the beat thumped around us. For the first time that night, I didn't feel completely out of place. But then, out of nowhere, I bumped hard into something- or rather, someone.

My eyes snapped open, and I found myself staring at a broad chest covered in tattoos. Slowly, I looked up to see the face of the man towering over me. He was intimidating, muscular, with a jawline that could cut glass, dark eyes that seemed to size me up in an instant. His arms were inked in intricate designs that snaked up from his hands to his neck, and his presence practically radiated power.

I froze, my heart hammering in my chest, suddenly all too aware of how small I felt in front of him.

"Whoa there, little one," he said, his voice deep and smooth, like he was amused by me bumping into him. "You alright?"

Little one? My cheeks burned. He looked down at me with this slight smirk, like he thought I was cute or something like I was a kid stumbling around in a grown-up's world. I was mortified, but at the same time, I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammered, trying to pull myself together. "I didn't mean to-"

He cut me off with a chuckle, one that sent a strange shiver down my spine. "No harm done," he said, leaning in just a little, his eyes locking on mine. "You're kind of out of your element here, aren't you?"

I swallowed hard, feeling completely exposed under his gaze. He was right, of course. I was out of my element. But the way he said it, with that teasing edge, made me feel small. And yet... there was something about him, something that made my heart race in a completely different way.

"I... yeah, I guess you could say that," I muttered, feeling my pulse quicken for reasons I didn't fully understand. His presence was overwhelming, almost suffocating, but I couldn't deny the pull I felt toward him.

He tilted his head, that smirk never leaving his lips. "What's a little girl like you doing in a place like this?" he asked, his tone still playful but with a hint of curiosity.

I could barely think straight under his intense gaze, but I forced myself to answer. "My friend... she wanted me to come. I'm not really the club type."

His eyes flicked over to Skylar, who was lost in the music a few feet away, then back to me. "Figures. You don't seem like the type who enjoys getting lost in this mess."

He said it like he knew me, like he could see straight through the layers I tried so hard to hide. I should have been annoyed, offended even, by how easily he sized me up, but instead, I felt... drawn to him. Despite the way he talked down to me, there was something magnetic about him, something I couldn't shake.

"I'm trying for her" I said quietly, not sure why I was explaining myself to him. Maybe because his dark eyes were locked on mine, and they made it hard to lie—or even look away.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Trying, huh?" He leaned in closer, and I felt the heat of his body, the scent of him, something masculine and intoxicating. "Well, little one, you might just surprise yourself tonight."

My breath hitched. There was something dangerous about him, something that should have set off alarms in my head. But instead, I felt an odd mix of nervousness and excitement, like I was teetering on the edge of something unknown.

"I" I started, but I didn't know what to say. My mind was a jumble, torn between wanting to escape the intensity of his presence and feeling an undeniable pull toward it.

He stepped back slightly, his smirk softening into something more serious, his eyes still locked on mine. "Take it easy out there," he said, almost like a warning. "This place has a way of swallowing people up if they're not careful."