Dangerous Attention

Chapter 4: Caught in the Crossfire

Offroad’s mind was still spinning by the time he reached the street. The cold night air slapped him back to reality, but it did little to cool the fire still burning under his skin. Every nerve in his body was alive, buzzing with the memory of Daou’s kiss. His lips tingled where Daou had claimed them, his heart still pounding in his chest.

He should’ve pushed him away. He should’ve walked out the moment he felt Daou’s hand on him. But instead, he had leaned into it, let himself be consumed by the intensity, the heat, the danger. Offroad cursed under his breath. This was bad—so bad.

He had spent years staying away from trouble, keeping his life simple. And now here he was, getting tangled up with a mafia boss. What the hell was he thinking?

His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him from his thoughts. Glancing at the screen, he saw it was a text from Jake, his roommate.

Where are you? You’re supposed to meet me at the bar.

Offroad sighed. He had completely forgotten about their plans. Quickly, he typed back a response.

Running late. Be there soon.

Pocketing his phone, Offroad started walking toward their usual spot, a small dive bar a few blocks away from Eclipse. Maybe a few drinks would help clear his head, help him figure out what the hell he was going to do about Daou.

---

The bar was dimly lit and smelled faintly of stale beer, but it was a welcome change from the luxury of Eclipse. It was familiar, comfortable. Offroad spotted Jake sitting at a booth near the back, nursing a beer as he scrolled through his phone.

“Finally,” Jake said as Offroad slid into the booth across from him. “I thought you bailed on me.”

“Yeah, sorry. Got caught up with something at work,” Offroad muttered, waving the waitress over to order his own drink.

“Everything alright?” Jake asked, raising an eyebrow. “You look... off.”

Offroad forced a smile. “I’m fine. Just a long day.”

Jake studied him for a moment, clearly not buying it, but he didn’t push. Instead, he shrugged and took a sip of his beer. “Well, whatever it is, you could use a break. Have a drink, relax.”

Offroad nodded, grateful that Jake wasn’t pressing him for details. He wasn’t ready to talk about what had happened with Daou—hell, he wasn’t even sure he could make sense of it himself.

The waitress returned with his drink, and Offroad downed half of it in one go, hoping the alcohol would dull the tension in his chest. But even as the warmth of the drink spread through him, his mind kept drifting back to Daou. The feel of his lips, the heat of his touch, the way his presence seemed to consume everything around him.

Get a grip, Offroad told himself. This isn’t you. You don’t get involved with people like him.

But no matter how hard he tried to push the thoughts away, they kept creeping back, like shadows he couldn’t escape.

---

An hour passed, and Offroad was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. His head was a little lighter, his body a little more relaxed. Jake had been rambling about work, about some new project he was excited about, and Offroad had been half-listening, nodding in the right places.

But just as Offroad was starting to think he could actually enjoy the night, the door to the bar swung open, and a familiar figure walked in.

Daou.

Offroad’s stomach dropped. His heart skipped a beat as he watched Daou stride into the bar, his dark eyes scanning the room. The air seemed to shift, the easy atmosphere turning tense in an instant.