The air smelled of salt and rain, heavy with the promise of the coming storm. Nik stood at the edge of the beach, the wind pulling at his clothes, raking through his dark hair as he watched the clouds roll in. A wall of deep gray swallowed the horizon, creeping closer, dragging the tide with it. The waves crashed harder now, restless and unrelenting, much like the thoughts rattling around in his head.
He had missed this place.
The Sunset Beach condos weren't much—just another forgotten stretch of the Florida coast where the paint peeled, the pipes groaned, and the world didn’t ask too many questions. But it was his peace. A place to disappear when the job demanded it. A place to breathe
The wind carried a slight chill, but Nik barely felt it. He stood grounded in the sand, wearing only a white wifebeater tank, the thin fabric clinging to his skin, damp with sweat from the humid air. His arms, toned and littered with faint scars, flexed instinctively against the breeze. Dark denim jeans hung low on his hips, worn from travel and rough nights, the weight of his holster imprinting against his waistband.
He rolled his shoulders, feeling the lingering ache from the past few days, from the weight of the contract he had just carried out. The storm was closing in. Soon, the first drops of rain would hit the sand, washing away footprints, secrets, sins.
Nik stayed where he was, eyes on the water, letting the wind howl around him. It had been a good job—efficient, precise. A corporate executive out of Miami had paid handsomely to have a problem removed. A former business partner turned liability. The kind of man who got too comfortable, too greedy, and thought he could walk away without consequence. Nik made sure he didn’t.
The job itself had been simple—track, isolate, eliminate. The target had been careful, surrounding himself with private security, but they weren’t trained for someone like Nik. He had watched, waited, found the cracks. It only took one. A routine night, a blind spot in the surveillance, a blade in the dark. Clean, quiet. By the time the body hit the floor, Nik was already gone.
Another wave crashed, sending a rush of water up the sand, stopping just short of his black boots. He took a slow breath, watching as the sky darkened over the water.
He had missed this place.
The Sunset Beach condos weren't much—just another forgotten stretch of the Florida coast where the paint peeled, the pipes groaned, and the world didn’t ask too many questions. But it was his peace. A place to disappear when the job demanded it. A place to breathe
The wind carried a slight chill, but Nik barely felt it. He stood grounded in the sand, wearing only a white wifebeater tank, the thin fabric clinging to his skin, damp with sweat from the humid air. His arms, toned and littered with faint scars, flexed instinctively against the breeze. Dark denim jeans hung low on his hips, worn from travel and rough nights, the weight of his holster imprinting against his waistband.
He rolled his shoulders, feeling the lingering ache from the past few days, from the weight of the contract he had just carried out. The storm was closing in. Soon, the first drops of rain would hit the sand, washing away footprints, secrets, sins.
Nik stayed where he was, eyes on the water, letting the wind howl around him. It had been a good job—efficient, precise. A corporate executive out of Miami had paid handsomely to have a problem removed. A former business partner turned liability. The kind of man who got too comfortable, too greedy, and thought he could walk away without consequence. Nik made sure he didn’t.
The job itself had been simple—track, isolate, eliminate. The target had been careful, surrounding himself with private security, but they weren’t trained for someone like Nik. He had watched, waited, found the cracks. It only took one. A routine night, a blind spot in the surveillance, a blade in the dark. Clean, quiet. By the time the body hit the floor, Nik was already gone.
Another wave crashed, sending a rush of water up the sand, stopping just short of his black boots. He took a slow breath, watching as the sky darkened over the water.
The silence in her apartment had been suffocating, the pitch-black darkness pressing down on her like a weight. Dani had been awake for nearly forty-eight hours, her body aching for rest, but sleep refused to come. Every time she closed her eyes, her mind clawed at itself, restless and unsatisfied. With a frustrated sigh, she threw back the covers and dragged herself out of bed, moving on autopilot toward her pack of cigarettes. She snatched up her lighter as well, but just as the flame sparked to life, a thought pulled at her. The beach. She hadn’t been there at all yet. Maybe the open air, the steady crash of the waves, would help settle her internal system. Anything had to be better than suffocating in her own thoughts.
With minimal effort, she grabbed a lightweight, white jacket and threw it over the blue top and panties she was still wearing. It wasn’t much, but she didn’t have the energy to change. Tugging the fabric around her shoulders, she stepped out into the night, descending the stairs with slow, deliberate steps. By the time she reached the sand, the sky had deepened into a bruised shade of navy, heavy clouds rolling in over the water. It seemed like a storm was on the horizon. The air carried that thick, electric charge. The kind that sent a shiver down her spine and made the world feel both eerily quiet and on the verge of something.
Finding a decent spot, she stopped, digging her toes into the cool grains of sand. The rhythmic crash of the waves filled her ears, drowning out the static in her head. Finally, she flicked her lighter open, shielding the flame from the strengthening breeze as she brought it to the tip of her cigarette. The first inhale hit her lungs like a slow burn, the familiar taste grounding her. She exhaled, watching the smoke swirl into the damp air, its wispy tendrils disappearing against the looming storm clouds.
Then, movement caught her eye. Just ahead, closer to the water, stood a man. He was still, almost unnaturally so, facing the ocean as if waiting for something, or someone. The wind tugged at his silhouette, ruffling his clothes, but he didn’t move. Dani took another slow drag, narrowing her eyes. Who the hell hangs around the beach at night during an incoming storm?
She exhaled once more before making her way over to the strange man. Was this a good idea? Probably not, but curiosity got the better of her.
Her feet planted themselves beside the man, looking out on the horizon rather than at him. For a while, she said nothing, just letting the sound of the waves fill the space between them. The wind tugged at her jacket, cool against her skin, but the cigarette between her fingers kept a faint warmth in her grasp. She took another slow drag, exhaling a thin stream of smoke before finally speaking.
“Storm’s rolling in,” she murmured, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon where lightning flickered in the clouds. “Not exactly prime beach weather.” Her voice was casual, but there was an underlying edge of intrigue. Most people wouldn’t be standing this close to the water with a storm brewing. Not unless they had a reason, of course.
She flicked ash from the tip of her cigarette, finally glancing at him from the corner of her eye. His face was partially shadowed, the dim light casting sharp angles across his features. There was something about him. Something quiet, almost heavy, like he carried the weight of whatever thoughts had brought him here. "I don't suppose you're secretly a merman waiting for your family?"
With minimal effort, she grabbed a lightweight, white jacket and threw it over the blue top and panties she was still wearing. It wasn’t much, but she didn’t have the energy to change. Tugging the fabric around her shoulders, she stepped out into the night, descending the stairs with slow, deliberate steps. By the time she reached the sand, the sky had deepened into a bruised shade of navy, heavy clouds rolling in over the water. It seemed like a storm was on the horizon. The air carried that thick, electric charge. The kind that sent a shiver down her spine and made the world feel both eerily quiet and on the verge of something.
Finding a decent spot, she stopped, digging her toes into the cool grains of sand. The rhythmic crash of the waves filled her ears, drowning out the static in her head. Finally, she flicked her lighter open, shielding the flame from the strengthening breeze as she brought it to the tip of her cigarette. The first inhale hit her lungs like a slow burn, the familiar taste grounding her. She exhaled, watching the smoke swirl into the damp air, its wispy tendrils disappearing against the looming storm clouds.
Then, movement caught her eye. Just ahead, closer to the water, stood a man. He was still, almost unnaturally so, facing the ocean as if waiting for something, or someone. The wind tugged at his silhouette, ruffling his clothes, but he didn’t move. Dani took another slow drag, narrowing her eyes. Who the hell hangs around the beach at night during an incoming storm?
She exhaled once more before making her way over to the strange man. Was this a good idea? Probably not, but curiosity got the better of her.
Her feet planted themselves beside the man, looking out on the horizon rather than at him. For a while, she said nothing, just letting the sound of the waves fill the space between them. The wind tugged at her jacket, cool against her skin, but the cigarette between her fingers kept a faint warmth in her grasp. She took another slow drag, exhaling a thin stream of smoke before finally speaking.
“Storm’s rolling in,” she murmured, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon where lightning flickered in the clouds. “Not exactly prime beach weather.” Her voice was casual, but there was an underlying edge of intrigue. Most people wouldn’t be standing this close to the water with a storm brewing. Not unless they had a reason, of course.
She flicked ash from the tip of her cigarette, finally glancing at him from the corner of her eye. His face was partially shadowed, the dim light casting sharp angles across his features. There was something about him. Something quiet, almost heavy, like he carried the weight of whatever thoughts had brought him here. "I don't suppose you're secretly a merman waiting for your family?"
Nik exhaled slowly, his gaze fixed on the horizon as thunder rumbled in the distance, the air thick with anticipation. The job had been clean, but there was always a moment when the adrenaline wore off, when he could still hear the echoes of the violence in his head, the hollow silence that followed. But this—the ocean—helped dull the noise, if only for a little while.
He tilted his head back, letting the first raindrops hit his face, cool against the heat. The rain would come harder soon, but for now, it was just the promise of something cleansing.
Nik had noticed the woman approach from his peripheral, but his eyes didn’t move toward her, not at first. His focus remained fixed on the water, where the dark waves crashed and churned under the looming storm. He remained still, a statue against the restless landscape, as though waiting for something to break. The storm had a way of mirroring his own thoughts—chaotic, swirling, yet thrilling. He enjoyed it. The violence in the air, the primal energy of the storm; it felt liberating.
Her voice sliced through the wind, breaking his solitude. He shifted, feeling the weight of the gun at his side, the metal comforting in its permanence. He glanced sideways at her, taking in her figure, her casual confidence as she stood beside him, cigarette in hand, her gaze fixed on the horizon as his had been. He chuckled softly, the sound low and unexpected, rolling from deep in his chest.
“Never had anyone ask if I was a merman before. You might be on to something,” he mused, his lips curling into a half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. She was interesting. Unafraid, unbothered, and somehow attuned to the night. There was something else there, too, something beneath the surface he couldn’t quite pinpoint. He turned his head slightly, enough to meet her eyes for the first time. The dim light from her cigarette and the lightning overhead cast sharp shadows across his face, making his features hard to read—intense, cold, but with an edge of something dangerous.
Nik felt the familiar pull of the job, the thrill of the hunt, and the satisfaction of a hit fulfilled. The past few days had been a blur—his work always was. Every step of the job had been methodical, easy. It had been a simple case, but Nik had enjoyed it. The preceding tension in the air, the planning, and then the finality of it—the clean slice of his blade in the dark, the flash of blood. It was always satisfying to watch the power shift. But tonight it was a different kind of thrill. No contracts to complete here, just the buzz of a storm, crashing waves, and the pulse of an unfamiliar young woman at his side.
“And you?” he asked, his voice dipping lower. “What’s your reason for being out here? Running from something? Or just need a moment to feel alive?”
He didn’t wait for an answer right away, his mind already back on the edge of the water, watching the lightning flicker in the clouds. But this time, his thoughts weren’t entirely on the storm. They were on her, just a little bit. Most people kept their distance from him, but she hadn’t flinched, hadn’t backed away. It was an oddly endearing quality, enough to earn her his attention.
He tilted his head back, letting the first raindrops hit his face, cool against the heat. The rain would come harder soon, but for now, it was just the promise of something cleansing.
Nik had noticed the woman approach from his peripheral, but his eyes didn’t move toward her, not at first. His focus remained fixed on the water, where the dark waves crashed and churned under the looming storm. He remained still, a statue against the restless landscape, as though waiting for something to break. The storm had a way of mirroring his own thoughts—chaotic, swirling, yet thrilling. He enjoyed it. The violence in the air, the primal energy of the storm; it felt liberating.
Her voice sliced through the wind, breaking his solitude. He shifted, feeling the weight of the gun at his side, the metal comforting in its permanence. He glanced sideways at her, taking in her figure, her casual confidence as she stood beside him, cigarette in hand, her gaze fixed on the horizon as his had been. He chuckled softly, the sound low and unexpected, rolling from deep in his chest.
“Never had anyone ask if I was a merman before. You might be on to something,” he mused, his lips curling into a half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. She was interesting. Unafraid, unbothered, and somehow attuned to the night. There was something else there, too, something beneath the surface he couldn’t quite pinpoint. He turned his head slightly, enough to meet her eyes for the first time. The dim light from her cigarette and the lightning overhead cast sharp shadows across his face, making his features hard to read—intense, cold, but with an edge of something dangerous.
Nik felt the familiar pull of the job, the thrill of the hunt, and the satisfaction of a hit fulfilled. The past few days had been a blur—his work always was. Every step of the job had been methodical, easy. It had been a simple case, but Nik had enjoyed it. The preceding tension in the air, the planning, and then the finality of it—the clean slice of his blade in the dark, the flash of blood. It was always satisfying to watch the power shift. But tonight it was a different kind of thrill. No contracts to complete here, just the buzz of a storm, crashing waves, and the pulse of an unfamiliar young woman at his side.
“And you?” he asked, his voice dipping lower. “What’s your reason for being out here? Running from something? Or just need a moment to feel alive?”
He didn’t wait for an answer right away, his mind already back on the edge of the water, watching the lightning flicker in the clouds. But this time, his thoughts weren’t entirely on the storm. They were on her, just a little bit. Most people kept their distance from him, but she hadn’t flinched, hadn’t backed away. It was an oddly endearing quality, enough to earn her his attention.
She couldn't share his laugh at the merman comment. Sleep deprivation kept her brain from processing as quickly as it normally did, so she kept her eyes locked on the horizon. It was something unserious, meant to break the initial ice rather than be a serious inquiry about one's identity. She didn't really think he was a merman, obviously.
The sky grumbled with discontent as raindrops splashed against her skin, cool and soothing in contrast to the humid tension thick in the air. Each drop felt like a quiet reminder of the storm rolling in, a promise of chaos that hadn't yet fully arrived. Dani took another slow drag from her cigarette, exhaling into the damp night as she considered how tempting it would be to just lay down on the sand and let the storm swallow her whole. It wasn’t the worst idea. Sleeping under the open sky, letting the rain wash away the exhaustion pressing into her bones. She rolled the thought around in her head, her gaze lingering on the restless waves. The ocean always seemed alive, constantly shifting, never still. It reminded her of the unease curling low in her stomach, the nagging restlessness that had dragged her out here in the first place.
She flicked the ashes from her cigarette, watching as the ember briefly glowed against the dark before disappearing into the wind. Her eyes shifted to the man beside her. He still hadn’t moved much, his posture steady, his expression unreadable. The way he carried himself, the way he seemed so comfortable standing in the middle of a storm, struck her as familiar. Like someone who had long since made peace with chaos. Dani took another slow pull of smoke before speaking again, her voice laced with amusement. “I guess you could say I'm running from something,” she admitted, tilting her head slightly as she glanced at him, refusing to elaborate any further on that. “Couldn't sleep.”
The wind began to pick up, blowing wisps of her hair into her face and pulling at the jacket covering her. She used her free hand to hold it in place, fingers curling around the thin fabric as the storm slowly tightened its grip on the night. The ocean churned in response, waves crashing against the shore with growing intensity, their roar filling the space between her and the stranger beside her. Dani took another drag from her cigarette, the ember glowing defiantly against the dark, before flicking the ash away.
She let her gaze drift back to the man, studying the way he stood unmoving against the wind. “So, mystery man,” she continued, tilting her head slightly. “Are you the type to enjoy watching a storm roll in, or do you just not have anywhere else to be?” Her lips curved just slightly around the cigarette, the question hanging between them, teasing, testing. The rain had begun to fall a little harder now, as if challenging them to see who would be the first to leave.
The sky grumbled with discontent as raindrops splashed against her skin, cool and soothing in contrast to the humid tension thick in the air. Each drop felt like a quiet reminder of the storm rolling in, a promise of chaos that hadn't yet fully arrived. Dani took another slow drag from her cigarette, exhaling into the damp night as she considered how tempting it would be to just lay down on the sand and let the storm swallow her whole. It wasn’t the worst idea. Sleeping under the open sky, letting the rain wash away the exhaustion pressing into her bones. She rolled the thought around in her head, her gaze lingering on the restless waves. The ocean always seemed alive, constantly shifting, never still. It reminded her of the unease curling low in her stomach, the nagging restlessness that had dragged her out here in the first place.
She flicked the ashes from her cigarette, watching as the ember briefly glowed against the dark before disappearing into the wind. Her eyes shifted to the man beside her. He still hadn’t moved much, his posture steady, his expression unreadable. The way he carried himself, the way he seemed so comfortable standing in the middle of a storm, struck her as familiar. Like someone who had long since made peace with chaos. Dani took another slow pull of smoke before speaking again, her voice laced with amusement. “I guess you could say I'm running from something,” she admitted, tilting her head slightly as she glanced at him, refusing to elaborate any further on that. “Couldn't sleep.”
The wind began to pick up, blowing wisps of her hair into her face and pulling at the jacket covering her. She used her free hand to hold it in place, fingers curling around the thin fabric as the storm slowly tightened its grip on the night. The ocean churned in response, waves crashing against the shore with growing intensity, their roar filling the space between her and the stranger beside her. Dani took another drag from her cigarette, the ember glowing defiantly against the dark, before flicking the ash away.
She let her gaze drift back to the man, studying the way he stood unmoving against the wind. “So, mystery man,” she continued, tilting her head slightly. “Are you the type to enjoy watching a storm roll in, or do you just not have anywhere else to be?” Her lips curved just slightly around the cigarette, the question hanging between them, teasing, testing. The rain had begun to fall a little harder now, as if challenging them to see who would be the first to leave.
Nik chuckled under his breath, the sound barely audible over the rush of the waves. “Insomnia, huh?” He exhaled, the smoke from her cigarette curling between them before dissolving into the night. “Ain’t that a bitch.”
He didn’t need to elaborate—anyone who knew the feeling would understand. Sleep didn’t come easy for men like him, not when his mind never stopped running. Always watching, always thinking, anticipating. In his case, paranoia wasn’t a symptom; it was a survival skill. And when his body finally begged for rest, his mind had a way of replaying things he didn’t care to linger on. He’d lost track of how many sleepless nights he’d spent staring at ceilings, at walls, at nothing at all.
"It's Nik, by the way," he introduced himself, spoiling the mystery. He respected that—how easily she pushed back, how she didn’t shy away from a little provocation. There weren’t many people who spoke to him like that, not without an angle.
He lifted a brow, glancing at her before turning his attention back to the horizon as he proceeded to answer her question. “Little bit of column A, little bit of column B,” he admitted, the words slow, deliberate. The answer was honest enough. “Or maybe there’s something to be said for standing in the right place, at the right time with the sinister intent to lure curious young women to an undesirable fate." His tone was dry, teasing. He wasn’t saying it outright, but the implication lingered between them long enough to make one question whether or not there was the tiniest sliver of truth behind his words despite the humorous way they were presented.
"So, mystery woman, what's your name? Can't say I've seen you around before."
He didn’t need to elaborate—anyone who knew the feeling would understand. Sleep didn’t come easy for men like him, not when his mind never stopped running. Always watching, always thinking, anticipating. In his case, paranoia wasn’t a symptom; it was a survival skill. And when his body finally begged for rest, his mind had a way of replaying things he didn’t care to linger on. He’d lost track of how many sleepless nights he’d spent staring at ceilings, at walls, at nothing at all.
"It's Nik, by the way," he introduced himself, spoiling the mystery. He respected that—how easily she pushed back, how she didn’t shy away from a little provocation. There weren’t many people who spoke to him like that, not without an angle.
He lifted a brow, glancing at her before turning his attention back to the horizon as he proceeded to answer her question. “Little bit of column A, little bit of column B,” he admitted, the words slow, deliberate. The answer was honest enough. “Or maybe there’s something to be said for standing in the right place, at the right time with the sinister intent to lure curious young women to an undesirable fate." His tone was dry, teasing. He wasn’t saying it outright, but the implication lingered between them long enough to make one question whether or not there was the tiniest sliver of truth behind his words despite the humorous way they were presented.
"So, mystery woman, what's your name? Can't say I've seen you around before."
Dani simply offered a nod at the insomnia comment and the sentiment that implied he went through something similar. There wasn't much to say on the matter. Not much that she'd be willing to divulge, anyway. Anything that she did feel comfortable saying was meaningless.
Her string of sleepless nights started a few days after she became homeless. Ever since then, sleep became a luxury to her that she couldn't have as often as others did. It wasn't a problem she cared to address, much like all of her other issues. Before she could dive too deep into that rabbit hole, however, the man began speaking again. Introducing himself this time. She nodded once more in acknowledgement, deciding not to introduce herself just yet.
Dani let a smirk curl at the corner of her lips as she exhaled another slow stream of smoke, her gaze flicking to him with just the right amount of amusement. “Well, if that was your plan,” she drawled, tilting her head slightly, “then congratulations. You’ve succeeded.” She took a step closer, just enough to breach that comfortable distance, her voice dipping lower, almost conspiratorial. “Because here I am, standing in the rain, talking to a man with a voice that should probably come with a warning label.” Her eyes gleamed with something teasing, something just shy of dangerous. “If that’s not an undesirable fate, I don’t know what is.” She let the words linger between them for a beat before taking another drag of her cigarette, feigning nonchalance. She wasn't exactly fearless, but she lacked a strong enough will to live that made her fight or flight response weak. Instead, she challenged the things that scared her deep down, perhaps hoping to feel something.
She exhaled slowly, watching the smoke dissipate before answering. “That’s because I’m not usually around,” she admitted, her voice edged with something unreadable. The words weren’t meant to be cryptic, but they held a certain weight. One that suggested she wasn’t the type to put down roots, either because she couldn't or because she didn't want to. She didn't need to tell him that she just moved here. If he figured it out on his own, then fine, but until then it would be information she kept to herself.
“Dani,” she answered. No last name. No embellishments. Just enough to answer his question, but not enough to invite anything deeper. The rain was coming down harder now, the storm rolling in with a quiet sort of inevitability. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the wind carried the scent of salt and rain, cool against her skin. For a fleeting moment, she considered leaving, but there was something about the way Nik stood there like he belonged that made her stay. She tilted her head slightly, studying him. “So, Nik,” she started, her tone just the slightest bit challenging, “do you actually have an undesirable fate planned for me, or was that merely a conversational tool?”
Her string of sleepless nights started a few days after she became homeless. Ever since then, sleep became a luxury to her that she couldn't have as often as others did. It wasn't a problem she cared to address, much like all of her other issues. Before she could dive too deep into that rabbit hole, however, the man began speaking again. Introducing himself this time. She nodded once more in acknowledgement, deciding not to introduce herself just yet.
Dani let a smirk curl at the corner of her lips as she exhaled another slow stream of smoke, her gaze flicking to him with just the right amount of amusement. “Well, if that was your plan,” she drawled, tilting her head slightly, “then congratulations. You’ve succeeded.” She took a step closer, just enough to breach that comfortable distance, her voice dipping lower, almost conspiratorial. “Because here I am, standing in the rain, talking to a man with a voice that should probably come with a warning label.” Her eyes gleamed with something teasing, something just shy of dangerous. “If that’s not an undesirable fate, I don’t know what is.” She let the words linger between them for a beat before taking another drag of her cigarette, feigning nonchalance. She wasn't exactly fearless, but she lacked a strong enough will to live that made her fight or flight response weak. Instead, she challenged the things that scared her deep down, perhaps hoping to feel something.
She exhaled slowly, watching the smoke dissipate before answering. “That’s because I’m not usually around,” she admitted, her voice edged with something unreadable. The words weren’t meant to be cryptic, but they held a certain weight. One that suggested she wasn’t the type to put down roots, either because she couldn't or because she didn't want to. She didn't need to tell him that she just moved here. If he figured it out on his own, then fine, but until then it would be information she kept to herself.
“Dani,” she answered. No last name. No embellishments. Just enough to answer his question, but not enough to invite anything deeper. The rain was coming down harder now, the storm rolling in with a quiet sort of inevitability. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the wind carried the scent of salt and rain, cool against her skin. For a fleeting moment, she considered leaving, but there was something about the way Nik stood there like he belonged that made her stay. She tilted her head slightly, studying him. “So, Nik,” she started, her tone just the slightest bit challenging, “do you actually have an undesirable fate planned for me, or was that merely a conversational tool?”
Witty and perceptive. Endearing qualities, no doubt. Her comeback raised an amused smirk that flickered across Nik’s otherwise impassive expression before vanishing just as quickly. He had met plenty of people who were quick with their words, but few who wielded them with such precision. Yet he couldn't help but wonder why, that in spite of the quiet danger coiled beneath his demeanor, she opted to engage him further. He watched her as she exhaled, the ember of her cigarette glowing faintly in the night. The way she held his gaze, unflinching, told him one thing—she wasn’t easily rattled.
Dani.
Her name lingered in his mind, long after she’d given it. He appreciated her concision. No unnecessary explanations, no oversharing. Just enough. A quiet test, maybe—to see how much he could pull from so little. His curiosity sharpened, a blade turned in her direction. She had become a subject of interest—a precarious position to be in when it came to Nik's tendency to fixate.
He took a step forward—not enough to press, just enough to let the space between them shift. To let her feel the weight of his presence. The air felt different now, charged with an undercurrent that neither of them outright acknowledged, but neither moved to break. His dark gaze traced over her, slow and deliberate, reading past the sharp edges of her words, looking for the story beneath. “That depends,” he mused, voice dipping lower, “on your definition of undesirable." His hand brushed lightly against her jacket, pushing it aside to catch a glimpse the layers beneath before letting it fall back into place.
For all that talk, the teasing glances, the underlying provocation in her tone. How far could he push her?
Dani.
Her name lingered in his mind, long after she’d given it. He appreciated her concision. No unnecessary explanations, no oversharing. Just enough. A quiet test, maybe—to see how much he could pull from so little. His curiosity sharpened, a blade turned in her direction. She had become a subject of interest—a precarious position to be in when it came to Nik's tendency to fixate.
He took a step forward—not enough to press, just enough to let the space between them shift. To let her feel the weight of his presence. The air felt different now, charged with an undercurrent that neither of them outright acknowledged, but neither moved to break. His dark gaze traced over her, slow and deliberate, reading past the sharp edges of her words, looking for the story beneath. “That depends,” he mused, voice dipping lower, “on your definition of undesirable." His hand brushed lightly against her jacket, pushing it aside to catch a glimpse the layers beneath before letting it fall back into place.
For all that talk, the teasing glances, the underlying provocation in her tone. How far could he push her?
Her studying continued, damp hair clinging to her face that she didn't dare move. It was an odd time and place to meet someone. Especially given the type they both seemed to be. But maybe that was how it was meant to work. It certainly wouldn't happen in any normal scenario. At least not on Dani's end. She wasn't so sure about Nik.
Reading him proved to be difficult. Her eyes searched his for some sort of information. An emotion, a tell, something, but nothing was coming back. His expression remained unreadable, his gaze steady yet distant, as though he were both here and somewhere else entirely. It was frustrating in a way, intriguing in another. Dani was used to people who wore their intentions on their sleeves, who had cracks in their armor that let their thoughts leak through. But Nik? He was a wall, solid and unmoving, offering only what he wanted her to see. Her cigarette burned between her fingers as she studied him, the smoke curling upward and disappearing into the thickening night. The storm was closer now, the waves rolling in harder, crashing against the shore with a restless energy that matched the undercurrent of their conversation. The wind tugged at her hair, sent a chill down her spine, but she ignored it.
Then he closed the gap a little bit more. The first flicker of fear rushed through her veins, cold and electric, but she didn’t step back. She refused to. Her pulse kicked up, though whether it was from caution or something else entirely, she wasn’t sure. He was watching her closely now, his dark eyes sharp, calculating, like he was waiting to see which way she’d break. The weight of his presence pressed against her, thick as the storm-charged air around them. When his fingers brushed against her jacket, pushing it aside, she felt the heat of his touch even through the fabric, brief but deliberate. It wasn’t a grab, wasn’t a demand, just enough to remind her how easily he could close the rest of the distance if he wanted to.
Dani swallowed, resisting the urge to shift under his scrutiny. She wasn’t used to being the one on the receiving end of a game like this. And yet, she held her ground, tilting her chin up just slightly, meeting his gaze with something unreadable of her own. “Well,” she murmured, her voice quieter now, edged with something that wasn’t quite challenge, but wasn’t surrender either. “Guess that depends on what you had in mind,” she murmured, her voice laced with something teasing, something daring. "Consider me caught." She didn't move away or break eye contact, just let the tension between them mingle with the incoming storm.
Reading him proved to be difficult. Her eyes searched his for some sort of information. An emotion, a tell, something, but nothing was coming back. His expression remained unreadable, his gaze steady yet distant, as though he were both here and somewhere else entirely. It was frustrating in a way, intriguing in another. Dani was used to people who wore their intentions on their sleeves, who had cracks in their armor that let their thoughts leak through. But Nik? He was a wall, solid and unmoving, offering only what he wanted her to see. Her cigarette burned between her fingers as she studied him, the smoke curling upward and disappearing into the thickening night. The storm was closer now, the waves rolling in harder, crashing against the shore with a restless energy that matched the undercurrent of their conversation. The wind tugged at her hair, sent a chill down her spine, but she ignored it.
Then he closed the gap a little bit more. The first flicker of fear rushed through her veins, cold and electric, but she didn’t step back. She refused to. Her pulse kicked up, though whether it was from caution or something else entirely, she wasn’t sure. He was watching her closely now, his dark eyes sharp, calculating, like he was waiting to see which way she’d break. The weight of his presence pressed against her, thick as the storm-charged air around them. When his fingers brushed against her jacket, pushing it aside, she felt the heat of his touch even through the fabric, brief but deliberate. It wasn’t a grab, wasn’t a demand, just enough to remind her how easily he could close the rest of the distance if he wanted to.
Dani swallowed, resisting the urge to shift under his scrutiny. She wasn’t used to being the one on the receiving end of a game like this. And yet, she held her ground, tilting her chin up just slightly, meeting his gaze with something unreadable of her own. “Well,” she murmured, her voice quieter now, edged with something that wasn’t quite challenge, but wasn’t surrender either. “Guess that depends on what you had in mind,” she murmured, her voice laced with something teasing, something daring. "Consider me caught." She didn't move away or break eye contact, just let the tension between them mingle with the incoming storm.
"Consider me caught."
Her words threaded through the air like a fuse catching fire. Nik felt the heat of them, the embers of something long-starved flaring to life in his chest. She was inviting him in—provoking him, daring him, tempting fate with the kind of confidence that made his blood hum.
He didn't answer, didn't waste the moment with words. Instead, he moved—closing the final sliver of space between them, his hands sliding beneath her jacket to seize her waist. His lips found hers in a kiss that was anything but gentle.
The storm broke overhead.
Rain came in a sudden, violent downpour, drenching them within seconds. It struck him in cold, sharp bursts, but it only made the heat between them burn hotter. Water dripped from his skin, rolling down the sides of his face, slipping between their lips, the taste of salt and rain mingling with something sweet and intoxicating. Everything about this moment was raw, electric—the kind of impulse-driven recklessness he was known to partake in during his downtime.
Nik deepened the kiss, fingers tangling into the damp strands of her hair, keeping her close as if the moment might slip through his grasp if he let it. Her body pressed against his, warm despite the rain, soft in contrast to the hard lines of his own. He could feel the rise and fall of her breath, the quickened beat of her pulse. He exhaled through his nose, a quiet groan caught in the back of his throat as his grip tightened, his own restraint slipping by the second.
Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating them for a brief second before the darkness swallowed them again. The wind howled, waves crashing hard against the shore. Nik smirked against her lips, dragging his teeth lightly over her lower lip before pulling back just enough to meet her gaze. His eyes blazed with something deeply primal and dangerous. She had awakened something dormant, an impulse he had disciplined himself to suppress during active contracts, but unleashed in full following their fulfillment.
He leaned in, pressing his lips against her left ear. "Careful, sweetheart," he cautioned, his voice low and velvety. He then pulled back, his right hand moving up between them to grab her chin, ensuring she couldn't look away from him. "Once you're caught I throw away the key."
Abruptly, his right hand dropped back to his side, releasing her chin from its grasp. He took a few steps backwards, his eyes inviting her to follow him back inside the condo building. The risk was hers to take, if she dared.
Her words threaded through the air like a fuse catching fire. Nik felt the heat of them, the embers of something long-starved flaring to life in his chest. She was inviting him in—provoking him, daring him, tempting fate with the kind of confidence that made his blood hum.
He didn't answer, didn't waste the moment with words. Instead, he moved—closing the final sliver of space between them, his hands sliding beneath her jacket to seize her waist. His lips found hers in a kiss that was anything but gentle.
The storm broke overhead.
Rain came in a sudden, violent downpour, drenching them within seconds. It struck him in cold, sharp bursts, but it only made the heat between them burn hotter. Water dripped from his skin, rolling down the sides of his face, slipping between their lips, the taste of salt and rain mingling with something sweet and intoxicating. Everything about this moment was raw, electric—the kind of impulse-driven recklessness he was known to partake in during his downtime.
Nik deepened the kiss, fingers tangling into the damp strands of her hair, keeping her close as if the moment might slip through his grasp if he let it. Her body pressed against his, warm despite the rain, soft in contrast to the hard lines of his own. He could feel the rise and fall of her breath, the quickened beat of her pulse. He exhaled through his nose, a quiet groan caught in the back of his throat as his grip tightened, his own restraint slipping by the second.
Lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating them for a brief second before the darkness swallowed them again. The wind howled, waves crashing hard against the shore. Nik smirked against her lips, dragging his teeth lightly over her lower lip before pulling back just enough to meet her gaze. His eyes blazed with something deeply primal and dangerous. She had awakened something dormant, an impulse he had disciplined himself to suppress during active contracts, but unleashed in full following their fulfillment.
He leaned in, pressing his lips against her left ear. "Careful, sweetheart," he cautioned, his voice low and velvety. He then pulled back, his right hand moving up between them to grab her chin, ensuring she couldn't look away from him. "Once you're caught I throw away the key."
Abruptly, his right hand dropped back to his side, releasing her chin from its grasp. He took a few steps backwards, his eyes inviting her to follow him back inside the condo building. The risk was hers to take, if she dared.
It all happened so quickly. Dani had known this was coming. She had seen it in the way he looked at her, felt it in the charged silence that hung between them. And yet, knowing didn’t prepare her for the way it stole the breath from her lungs, for the way her pulse stuttered before taking off in a desperate race against time. His hands were firm at her waist, grounding her as everything else around them blurred. Her hesitation was brief, reflected only in the way her hands hovered at her sides for a few seconds before she finally gave in, threading her fingers into his damp hair and pulling him closer. She could feel the tension coiling beneath his skin, the restraint fraying at the edges, barely holding together.
The rain pelted them harder now, soaking through every layer of fabric, but the cold only pushed her further into his warmth. Water dripped from his jaw, rolling down her neck, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. The taste of salt and rain mixed between them, intoxicating and electric.
Lightning split the sky, illuminating them for a fleeting second before darkness swallowed them again. She barely noticed. All she could focus on was the way he felt against her. Solid, sure, dangerous in a way that made her want to push even further into the unknown. And then he pulled back, just enough to speak. His words sent a slow, insidious heat curling through her, a warning wrapped in a promise. Dani barely had time to process the way his grip on her chin forced her to hold his gaze before he let go, stepping back. The loss of contact left her cold, her body protesting the absence of him even as her mind screamed at her to think, to weigh what she was about to do.
But she already knew. Her breath came uneven as she held his gaze, her heartbeat pounding in her ears over the howling wind. His eyes were unreadable, but the invitation was clear. The decision was hers. She took a step forward. Then another. The rain ran down the curve of her jaw as she closed the distance between them, her fingers ghosting over the fabric of his shirt, feeling the warmth of him beneath it. Her lips curled at the corner, her voice barely more than a murmur against the space between them.
"Better get the key, then."
The rain pelted them harder now, soaking through every layer of fabric, but the cold only pushed her further into his warmth. Water dripped from his jaw, rolling down her neck, leaving a trail of heat in its wake. The taste of salt and rain mixed between them, intoxicating and electric.
Lightning split the sky, illuminating them for a fleeting second before darkness swallowed them again. She barely noticed. All she could focus on was the way he felt against her. Solid, sure, dangerous in a way that made her want to push even further into the unknown. And then he pulled back, just enough to speak. His words sent a slow, insidious heat curling through her, a warning wrapped in a promise. Dani barely had time to process the way his grip on her chin forced her to hold his gaze before he let go, stepping back. The loss of contact left her cold, her body protesting the absence of him even as her mind screamed at her to think, to weigh what she was about to do.
But she already knew. Her breath came uneven as she held his gaze, her heartbeat pounding in her ears over the howling wind. His eyes were unreadable, but the invitation was clear. The decision was hers. She took a step forward. Then another. The rain ran down the curve of her jaw as she closed the distance between them, her fingers ghosting over the fabric of his shirt, feeling the warmth of him beneath it. Her lips curled at the corner, her voice barely more than a murmur against the space between them.
"Better get the key, then."
Moderators: TheCaffeineQueen Eros_Calls