A Flame Divine ♕

X. F I R E B R A N D

s t e l l a n

Stellan could hear the music bumping before they even entered the club.

For some reason, there was an unsettled feeling in his stomach. He had been to clubs before, but never with a girl he really liked, especially when she just happened to look finer than sin.

And on top of that, there was already a constant feeling of looking over his shoulder for Brett or any other of his former gang buddies. They could be anywhere and everywhere, and it made him constantly nervous. He feared that they would be on the run forever; that was a prison of its own.

Stellan opened the door for Everly and followed her in. They were immediately hit with a blast of upbeat music and a roaring crowd. He could practically see her bouncing up and down in excitement. When she turned to look at him, the excitement on her face mellowed a bit. His heart sank.

He wished she would have let him explain earlier. He didn't pull away because he didn't like the kiss. No, quite the opposite. He almost couldn't stop kissing her.

He wanted her. Too much. Too soon. They had known each other for a total of about seventy-two hours, and there he was, all but flinging himself at her.

But more than that, he didn't want her to think she owed him anything. If she had kissed him for some twisted way of thanking him, he wouldn't be able to live with it. He would gladly make the escape all over again just to show her that he would do it for her.

And now that they attempted to take things to the next level, he didn't want her to go in with any feelings of obligation.

But now as she walked ahead of him, he regretted not saying something earlier. The way her hips swayed in that tight red dress stirred an unfamiliar feeling in his chest.

She turned to him and offered him a small smile. "Can we get a drink?" she asked, with a cool, detached tone to her voice. Not the warm tone from earlier, when she'd told him she was willing to fly away with him... to anywhere, as long as he was there.

He nodded and put his hand on the small of her back to lead her to the bar. She flinched at his touch, and he felt his heart splinter. I've really fucked this up, he thought. When they reached the bar, she requested a Cosmo and he ordered a whiskey neat.

He held up his glass to her in a toast. "Here's to settling down for a bit," he said, and she raised her glass and clinked it with his.

"Cheers," she said quietly, taking a large swig of the reddish-pink liquid.

He pulled out a bar stool for her and gestured for her to sit. It was the only empty spot at the bar, so when she sat, he leaned on the back of the chair, his elbows bent. At this angle, he was incredibly close to her, and he could smell her vanilla lotion, and as he glanced down, he noticed how delicate her collarbone was under the thin straps of her dress. His heart sped up and he downed his whiskey, asking the bartender for another.

She finished her drink quickly and motioned for another. He watched her knock it back and felt a pang in his stomach. He hoped she wasn't trying to forget what had transpired between them. He didn't want to forget the fire that erupted within his soul when their lips met.

She set the glass down with a clink and looked up at him, her eyes glassy. He could tell she was getting tipsy, and he felt a strong urge to protect her–to make sure no one in this packed room took advantage of her. He slid his arm around the back of her chair, following the curve as he leaned in toward her. "You okay, Ev?"

She nodded, leaning into his arm. He hoped that was her way of showing she forgave him.

Two drinks later and he felt more confident. The music was pulsing and he watched Everly watch the crowd. He could easily see her in the mix, enjoying herself.