6. CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

Quinlan

“Morning, Quinlan.” Ray, my neighbor, greets me as I step into the elevator.

“Hey.” I stand taller, pretending I’m not here in my pajamas while Ray’s in a skirt suit and her slick black hair is pulled into the most perfect chignon I’ve ever seen.

My neighbor and only friend doesn’t care that I look like a mess with my bun hanging to the side, either. We’ve done this before, me going to get the mail, looking like this while she’s on her way to conquer the world.

She smiles at my fluffy slippers. “How have you been?”

Swamped with work. Dreamed about a stranger with sapphire blue eyes in the few hours I got to sleep. He might be stalking me, could be here, waiting outside the building. I don’t want to see him, but I do.

I need him.

Heat rushes up my cheeks and I groan inwardly. No fucking way am I telling her any of it.

“I’m great.” I slip inside the elevator. “Love your outfit.”

“Thank you.” She nods, fingering the leather strap of her bag. “I hope they think so too.”

The doors to the elevator slide closed. “They? Your professors?”

We moved in here around the same time, and while I’ve been working, Ray—who’s three years younger than I am—attends college and works part time in an accounting firm.

She’s told me all about it in the few times we went up to drink wine on the roof. Drinks Rex knows nothing about.

“I have an interview at a law firm today.” Her teeth are about to dig into her bottom lip. She quickly tugs them away, with good reason. It would’ve ruined her perfectly applied mocha colored lipstick. “As a paralegal. I’m so excited that I haven’t slept all night.”

Law firm.

My mystery man. The lawyer.

Not mine.

Anyway. Fuck. This has to be a coincidence.

“This is news. You never t—” My throat is choked at the surprise, and I cough, clearing it. “You never mentioned anything about being a paralegal.”

“It’s relatively new.” We make it to the ground floor, both of us heading out. My feet scuff on the floor, her heels clink. “Last month, I woke up and decided accounting wasn’t for me. I’m going to apply to law school. Become a lawyer.”

“That’s incredible, Ray.” A smile stretches on my face. “Good luck in the interview, then. I’m sure you’ll kill it.”

I’m happy for her. I can’t stop thinking about the smoldering sapphire eyes from yesterday. The lawyer who made my knees weak, my heart stutter, and my dreams dirty.

The butterflies in my stomach are fucking wild.

“Thanks.” She lifts her hands between us. “Fingers crossed.”

I mimic her, crossing my fingers in one hand, pushing open the door to the building with the other.

A gorgeous morning awaits us outside. The sun shines above us. Then a burst of wind swoops in, whipping a loose strand of hair into my eyes.

Ray strides out of the building, stopping three feet away from me, texting someone while I watch. The street, not her.

I’m curious. And hopeful. He could be here. I might not have time to date or kiss him, but I have time to look for him. I scan the street, checking out every person and car around me. On the pavement. On the road. Across the street.

I don’t want him. I just want to see him. There’s a difference.

A couple rush toward the nearest subway, each of them on their phones. There’s a woman crossing the road, walking her German Shepherd.

A tall man stands out. He’s wearing a suit so dark it’s almost black. A strand of his wavy black hair drapes down his forehead. I think his eyes are golden, or amber. I’ll find out soon enough.

He’s coming over here. No, that’s wrong. He prowls .

Oh, no. Oh, shit. He’s staring back. Right at me.

Is he… Did he catch me looking at him?

Heat, worse than before, sears my already hot skin. A rope cinches itself around my lungs and tugs.

This isn’t happening to me. Can’t be. He’s probably looking straight ahead and I’m being paranoid. After yesterday, it’s no wonder.

After him .

And he isn’t here.

My heart dips to the floor. Foolish, foolish heart. Disappointed in not seeing a man I hadn’t met before yesterday. A man I’m pretty sure had been stalking me.

Sleep deprivation. There’s no other explanation for this. I’ll have to start taking melatonin again. I have to make the few hours of sleep I have a night count.

“We could catch up soon.” Ray pockets her phone, her white teeth glinting in the morning sun. “We haven’t had wine in forever.”

The tall, impossibly gorgeous guy stops in front of my building.

My eyes can’t help but follow him until he’s leaning against the exact spot mystery man pinned me to last night. My eyebrows can’t help but lower in question.

His somber gaze cuts into me. Amber, definitely amber. Flames crackling in the night. Burning coals.

Danger.

He twists his head to the street, giving me a reprieve from his intense glare.

Offering me a view of his profile.

A pink, bright scar spreads across his cheek. Chin to his ear. He’s clean-shaven and the scar is pale. It could explain why I hadn’t noticed it before.

The scar doesn’t take anything away from how gorgeous he is. The opposite. My need to reach out and touch him intensifies. A fire spreading through me, landing in my fingertips.

Jesus, I need to get laid. I’ve never done that, but it should help. It should fix this intense attraction I’ve been having to two men, for the past two days in a row.

“Quinlan, did you hear me?” Ray waves a hand in my face. Gone is her smile, and in its place there’s an undercurrent of nervous energy. “I have to go, so…”

Oh, that’s right. I’m keeping her from her interview. “Sorry, what did you say?”

“You, me, wine?”

“I have deadlines,” I mumble, more heat creeping up my neck. This man is staring. I feel it. “When I have a spare moment, if ever, I’ll let you know. I’ll even bring the wine this time.”

“Deal. Bye, Q.” She grins, nods, then stalks off.

“Good luck,” I call out behind her. She doesn’t answer. She’s gone.

A strange, yet not unpleasant smell carries to me while I watch her blend into the morning crowd.

“Is this…” I whip around to look for its source.

The man who’s been staring at me stands there. He hasn’t moved from his place, holding to the corner of an envelope.

The rest of it is catching fire.

My eyebrows lower. His rise in a challenge.

Something tells me I can’t back away from here. I have to speak, no matter what comes out of my mouth.

Anything.

“Hate paying bills much?”

The man’s dark expression lightens as if I’ve turned on a switch inside him. He has the warmest smile. Warmer than the sun blaring in my eyes.

His smile vanishes when he returns his attention to the envelope. What’s left of it, anyway. He drops it to the floor, crushing it beneath his black leather shoe.

“You could say that.” His timbre voice is a hand diving into my chest. Holding my lungs captive.

“Are you new here?” I rub the tight spot over my heart. “I haven’t seen you around.”

He’s watching me, studying the movement. I should stop. Shouldn’t enjoy the heat in his gaze.

I do no such thing.

“No.” Roaring flames clash into me. I have to take a step back. I stumble back at the intensity. “I thought I’d write this letter and send it. Ended up regretting it. The envelope had to go.”

Such a simple answer. Burning an envelope in the middle of the street, early in the morning on a workday. Such an intriguing one.

“So there are no bills in there?”

“Already paid mine.”

The envelope was empty. Why is he here?

Why does it feel like he’s squeezing my heart even tighter?

“Someone else is indebted to me.”

“Who?” I’m too brave for my own good. A man who sucks the air out of the street has the power to do anything.

“No one that should interest you.” The stranger isn’t being rude, despite his cutting words. He’s being straightforward.

“And the envelope?”

“I wanted to burn something, so I did.”

“Some people drink coffee.” I’m breathless. Can’t shut my mouth with how nervous I get around him. “You set fire to envelopes?”

A mistake.

“Yes.” He pushes off the wall. Prowls forward.

He casts his shadow over me, cornering me.

My reckless lips keep moving. “Here? Outside my building?”

“Who said this had anything to do with you?”

His fingers brush along the tattoo on my cheekbone. They travel lower, to the trembling spot under my chin, tipping my face up. I smell him better from this close. Memories of the fire and a hint of mint.

“I haven’t even met you until a few minutes ago.”

“Why here, then?” I’m curious. Terrified and curious.

“It’s a nice neighborhood. I went for a walk. Found myself here.” Concise. No, simple. Everything seems painfully simple for him. I’m almost envious. “Nothing personal.”

Would liking him mean cheating on mystery man from yesterday?

The one who evaporated without ever giving me his name? Yeah, no.

I’m not cheating. But I might die of lack of oxygen.

That, or he might kill me first. For no other reason other than it fascinates him, I think.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, voice low. “You don’t look like you’re going anywhere in these cute pajamas.”

My cheeks flame. Fire burns me inside out.

“Well?” His eyes gloss over my clothes, the fluffy slippers. They’re dark. Wanting.

He doesn’t hate it. He really thinks my pajamas are cute.

“Umm.” I bite the inside of my cheek when the man brings his free hand to the side of my neck.

He pushes us away from the door of the building and shoves me against the wall in the same movement.

Air pushes itself out of my lungs. It burns, burns so bad to stay here, captured by him. The need to touch him transforms into a desire. It hurts my bones, this instant, uncontrollable desire.

“ Umm ?” He lowers his head. Our lips don’t touch. Our breaths do.

“I’m here to get the mail.”

“Want to get it now? Tell me if there’s anything you’d like me to burn for you?”

A surprised laugh slips past my lips. He’s funny. In a serious, pensive kind of way.

He’s blindsided me.

The realization sobers me. I school my expression. I’m done being a puppet.

“What’s your name?” He owes me that much.

“Liam.” Just a first name. “You?”

Two can play this game. “Quinlan.”

From up close, the scar tissue on his cheek seems sharper. I can tell where the skin is pulled tighter. Where the pink is a shade darker. My heart twitches at how painful it must’ve been, to endure it. Still, it’s not ugly at—

“Oh, I see.” His words are a whip. A slap across the face. “Disgusted by my scar, aren’t you?”

“What?” My eyes widen. I’ve been worried he’d see through me. That he’ll realize I think it only makes him hotter than he already is. Not this. “No. I—”

“You what?”

The hurt on his face is followed by a wall he’s erecting behind his eyes. I’ll have to be honest if I don’t want to offend him. If I want him to stay, I’ll have to say what I absolutely did not mean to tell a stranger.

Better desperate than superficial jerk.

“I like it.”

The hand around my neck twitches. Restricts my air flow. His expression is of blunt disbelief. Distrust. “You like it.”

Too late to be coy now. “I don’t like how painful it must’ve been for you.”

“Wasn’t too crazy about it myself.” His grip on me tightens. He tips my head up higher. Forces me to stare into his soul.

Testing me.

Searching for pity.

He doesn’t deserve it. He’s strong. He’s proud. He’s still standing, no matter what happened to him.

I don’t pity him one fucking bit.

Liam is silent. Holds me there as his captive.

He won’t let me go unless I give him the whole truth. Good, because I want to tell him the truth. I want to bare my soul to him. It could kill me. I’ll talk anyway.

“It suits you, the scar. Like a tattoo. Nothing repulsive about that.”

“A tattoo,” he muses.

“Yes,” is all I say. Overdoing it will only make him think I’m lying.

I am not lying.

“Sam, rushing the timeline will damage the product’s quality,” I hear a man say as he comes out of the building. “Is that what you want? No. Didn’t think so.”

Whoever the neighbor is, I don’t care. I care about the flames licking behind Liam’s eyes. I care that he’s not letting me go.

Reckless. I’m running into danger. Avoiding my responsibilities.

My job.

Asking Liam to release me is the smart thing to do. Walking away from the second confusing man to enter my life in less than twenty-four hours is exactly what I should be doing.

I stay silent, not saying a word.

“I should get going.” Liam takes the words out of my mouth. I gape. My mouth opens wider when he adds, “Goodbye, little flame.”

First darling, now this? If I were more into conspiracy theories, I’d say Liam and the man from last night know each other. That this is some kind of an elaborate prank.

By who?

Rex would never throw men my way. My parents are too checked out to pick up the phone, let alone plan something like this.

My clients are decent people. They’re not after hurting me, either. They’re satisfied with my work. The reviews and thank you emails say as much.

Definitely not my ex from junior high. We’ve both moved on since. It’s been years.

My eyes snap shut, hiding my crazy thoughts from this stranger. He’ll see through me, I’m sure of it.

“Goodbye, Liam,” I whisper to the darkness behind my eyes.

His touch is gone first. Then the warmth of his presence and the underlying scent of ashes.

I blink my eyes open, feeling the bitter rejection on my tongue.

I was the one who wanted him to go. I’m not supposed to be angry that he did it. My knees shouldn’t be weak. My breath shouldn’t be labored.

I’m crumbling into the wall behind me anyway.