39. Chapter 34 #2
He had texted her, asking if she wanted to come out with the group. What he didn’t know was that she would’ve been there either way. Nothing in the world could’ve kept her home tonight.
Not after what she had told Milka.
The thought of sitting alone in bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come—no fucking way. This was the last weekend before real life demanded her back, before she had to get her shit together again.
Tonight, she was letting go.
Her ballet training would start again in a few days. Finally.
__________
Rico dropped them off in front of The Pearl, the steady pulse of bass reverberating through the building’s stone walls. Even from outside, Evin could feel the music, a low vibration thrumming beneath her skin. The muffled beats hanging in the air felt like a promise.
"Hold up a second," Milka said, grabbing Evin’s arm before they went inside.
With a wicked grin, she pulled two flasks from her bag.
Evin laughed, throwing her head back. "Oh my God, I love you! After that shopping spree, I’m too broke to spend a fortune on drinks inside."
Milka popped the cap on hers and winked. "Bottoms up, bitch!"
Evin rolled her eyes but clinked her flask against Milka’s anyway. They threw back the burning liquid in sync, the heat sliding down her throat and pooling in her stomach.
Fuck. She hadn’t eaten much today. She already knew—it wouldn’t take much to get her drunk tonight.
Inside, The Pearl throbbed with vitality. The flashing lights, the mix of voices and laughter, and the palpable energy in the air were intoxicating, even without a drop of alcohol.
Evin and Milka weaved through the crowded venue, sidestepping clusters of dancers and moving past the club's vibrant pulse. Milka guided her to a table where Chris and Bellamy were already seated, drinks in hand, exuding an air of ownership over the world.
She settled into a chair, glancing at the group with a teasing grin.
"Wow. What an honor. You two blessing us with your presence?" Her voice was dry, but there was a hint of amusement on her lips.
The guys barely responded, radiating that effortless, too-cool confidence that would normally irritate her immensely.
But tonight?
Tonight, she didn't mind it.
Perhaps it was the music, the alcohol already warming her body, or maybe... maybe it was just refreshing, for once, to feel something normal.
__________
Sebastian
T he second Bas laid eyes on her, something inside him shifted.
It wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t slow.
It was instant—like a switch being flipped, like a moth spotting the glow of a flame and knowing, without thinking, that it had to get closer.
She was standing with his friends, completely unaware of the effect she had on him.
She wasn’t trying to get his attention, wasn’t even looking at him.
And yet, he couldn’t look away. Hadn’t this always been the case?
Hadn’t she always been the one thing he gravitated toward, no matter how much he fought it?
His gaze dragged over her face—the high cheekbones, the strong jawline, the full lips that had always driven him insane. But it was her eyes that did it. Big, deep brown, and so goddamn expressive that even from a few feet away, he felt them under his skin.
Something about her was different, but not in a way that made sense. Maybe it was the way she carried herself tonight—like she was lighter somehow, freer. Or maybe it was something darker, something he didn’t want to put into words.
She had lost weight. He knew he should feel something about that. But all he could feel was the pull. The force that had always drawn him to her, no matter how much he’d fought it.
Before he could stop himself, he was moving.
His hands found her waist before she even turned to face him. The second his fingers pressed into her, something inside him settled—like a missing piece clicking into place.
She didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned into him.
In that moment, something inside him cracked wide open.
His grip tightened, just slightly. Not enough to hold her there—just enough to make sure she was real.
He lowered his head, letting his breath graze her ear. “You look good tonight,” he murmured, his voice low, meant only for her.
And for the first time in a long time, nothing else mattered.
Now he finally understood what he had been running from all this time.
He had always told himself it was just desire—a physical pull, the undeniable chemistry that sparked between them no matter how much they fought, no matter how many times they turned away from each other.
He had blamed it on the tension, the thrill of the chase, the way she challenged him, provoked him, tested his control like it was her goddamn missio n to see how far she could push him.
But if that were true, why the hell had it followed him for this long?
Why had it twisted his stomach last year, when she had leaned against him at the bonfire, tipsy and laughing, her body warm against his?
And why had it burned when he had driven her home that same night, watching her fight sleep in his passenger seat, until she finally gave in—curled up in his hoodie, breathing steady against his arm?
Why had it felt like a free fall every time she looked at him—like he was bracing for impact, but the crash never came?
Yes, he had convinced himself it was just a game. Something that would fade if he ignored it long enough.
But now, in this moment, as he looked at her—as heat crawled up his spine, burning through his veins in a way that had nothing to do with the club, nothing to do with the alcohol, nothing to do with anything logical—he realized it had never been just that.
It wasn’t just her body, it was the way she moved, the way she laughed—It was the way she looked at him, like she could see straight through him.
It was the way she had always known him—before he even understood himself.
The way she never backed down, never softened her edges, never hesitated to tell him the truth, no matter how much it cut.
It was the way she had already wrecked him before he ever had the chance to stop it.
And that… That was what he had been running from all along.
__________
Evi n
A nd then, she felt him.
Bas’s gaze burned into her.
Relaxed. Casual. That knowing smirk playing at the edges of his lips—like he could see right through her.
And she hated that it still got to her.
But tonight, she didn’t mind.
Tonight, she liked it.
Let him look. Let him win.
Just like always.
__________
The girls had barely made it inside when the music pulled them in, an invisible force tugging at their limbs.
They weren’t even at the bar yet, but the moment felt too good to resist. The crowd swallowed them whole, bodies moving in sync with the heavy beat, the kind of rhythm that made it easy to forget everything else.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Evin let go. The heat, the music, the neon strobes slicing through the darkness—she melted into it all. She wasn’t thinking about tomorrow, or the past, or anything outside of this moment.
Until she turned to say something to Milka and—
A sharp jolt.
Her shoulder clipped someone’s, her balance tipping just slightly as she stumbled toward the bar.
"Whoa there," a voice murmured.
She looked up.
A stranger.
He smirked, his grip lingering just a second too long on her shoulder. "You okay, sweetheart?" His eyes gleamed, toeing that thin line between charming and sleazy.
Evin barely had time to react before a familiar figure caught her eye.
There was Dominic.
Of course.
That smug grin on his face told her everything she needed to know. He was eating this up.
"Well, well, look at that," he drawled, his voice coated in something close to amusement. "This all feels a little familiar, doesn’t it?"
Evin’s stomach twisted.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, already knowing the answer.
Dominic’s smirk deepened. "Oh, come on, Evin. You really don’t remember? A few months ago? Different guy, same scene."
Her pulse spiked. Ben.
She didn’t want to think about it, about how much damage that night had caused. About how much worse everything had gotten afterward.
The words hit sharper than she wanted them to.
Before she could fire back, a familiar hand slid around her waist.
Bas's presence was solid, unwavering, as he stepped forward—not even looking at her, his focus locked on the guy in front of them.
"You don’t see that she’s with me?"
His voice was cool. Calm. Controlled. But there was no mistaking the weight behind it.
The hand at her waist? Unshakable.
The guy hesitated, his smirk slipping just slightly.
"Hey, man," he muttered, raising his hands. "Didn’t mean anything by it. No need to go all territorial."
Bas didn’t move. Didn’t blink.
Didn’t say a word.
He just stared.
Until the guy finally took the hint and melted back into the crowd.
But the moment he was gone, Evin heard Dominic’s mocking laugh.
"What’s this, Bas? Letting her put you on a leash now?" Dominic crossed his arms, his expression dripping with that arrogant smugness that made Evin’s blood boil. "Evin just can’t help herself, huh? Always putting on a show."
A surge of anger rose in Evin’s chest. Normally, she would’ve ignored him, b rushed it off like all the other times, but tonight? The alcohol, the adrenaline, the weight of everything pressing in—she didn’t hold back.
"You know what, Dominic?" she said coolly, stepping closer to him. "What you call ‘drama’ is just my life. Sorry if you don’t get that. But honestly? I don’t give a damn."
Dominic raised an eyebrow and let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, how cute. The tough Evin act is back. The whole school knows you’re nothing but trouble. Aren’t you tired of pretending you’re different?"
Before Evin could even think of a comeback, a hand pressed firmly against her lower back—solid, unyielding.