The bar was dimly lit, the neon signs flickering against the walls, bathing the place in a hazy, drunken glow. The air smelled of sweat, alcohol, and cigarette smoke, a suffocating mix that should've been enough to push Ryder away but instead, it made him feel free. Free from the weight pressing down on his chest. Free from the past that still clawed at him.

The bass of the music thumped through his body as he downed another shot, the alcohol burning his throat but numbing everything else. His friends were laughing, clapping him on the back, and cheering for another round, but Ryder barely heard them. His head was spinning, his limbs felt heavy, and yet, for the first time in a long time, he didn't feel like the broken little boy inside him screaming at his father.

Then she appeared.

He blinked, his vision slightly blurry, but he'd recognize her anywhere. The way she walked cautious yet purposeful. The way her eyes locked onto his, filled with something he couldn't quite decipher. His childhood best friend. The only constant in his life.

His lips curled into a lazy, drunken smirk. He was too far gone to care how stupid he looked. He let his gaze roam over her body, taking in the curves of her hips, the swell of her breasts, and the way her skin seemed to glow in the dim light. He felt a stir in his groin, a spark of attraction that he couldn't ignore.

She didn't say a word, but her actions were enough. The way she crossed her arms, the subtle tension in her posture it screamed disapproval. Ryder's eyes locked onto hers, and he could see the concern etched on her face. But he also saw something else, something that made his heart skip a beat - a flicker of desire.

Ryder laughed, the sound rough and husky. "What, you came to babysit me?" His voice was slurred, thick with alcohol and something else. Something darker. He took a step closer to her, his eyes never leaving hers. "You know I'm a big boy now, I can take care of myself."

She didn't answer, just stepped closer, her presence alone sobering him up slightly. Ryder's eyes dropped to her lips, and he felt a surge of lust. He wanted to kiss her, to taste her, to feel her skin against his.

He didn't like the way she was looking at him. Like she was disappointed. Like she was worried. Like she still cared. Something inside him twisted. He wanted to push her away, wanted to tell her to stop looking at him like that like he was still the same Ryder she knew, the one who always had things under control. Because he wasn't.

Not anymore.

Instead, he did something reckless. Ryder leaned back against the bar, his hooded eyes raking over her. She was beautiful. Too beautiful. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the fact that she had always been right beside him, yet he never allowed himself to see her like this.

But now? Now, he couldn't stop.

His fingers reached for her wrist, his grip firm but not forceful, his thumb brushing against her skin. He felt her stiffen under his touch, but she didn't pull away. Ryder's eyes locked onto hers, and he could see the spark of attraction there, the spark that he had ignited.

"Why do you always do this?" His voice was low, rough. "Why do you always come after me?" He pulled her closer, his lips inches from her ear. "You know..." he murmured, his breath warm against her skin, "you shouldn't follow me into places like this. People might get the wrong idea."

His fingers trailed down her arm, slow, deliberate. He could feel her pulse quicken beneath his touch, and it sent a thrill through him. Ryder's hand slipped around her waist, pulling her closer, his hips pressing against hers. He could feel the heat between them, the tension building.

His childhood best friend. The one who always patched him up when he got hurt. The one who stood by him when the world turned its back on him.

And here she was, still chasing after him.

Ryder smirked, but there was no humor in it. "Or maybe..." he whispered, his lips nearly brushing against her skin, "maybe you want them to." He pressed his lips against her ear, his tongue tracing the edge. "Maybe you want me."

A slow, unsteady breath left his lips as he pulled back just enough to look into her eyes. The tension between them was suffocating now, thick enough to drown in. Ryder's hand slipped lower, his fingers brushing against the curve of her ass. He felt her shiver beneath his touch, and it sent a surge of lust through him.

He knew this was dangerous. He knew he was crossing a line.

But he didn't care. Not tonight.

His fingers brushed along her waist, a teasing touch, testing the waters. Would she push him away? Or would she let him keep going? Ryder's eyes locked onto hers, and he could see the desire there, the desire that he had ignited.

For the first time in years, Ryder felt like he was standing at the edge of something he couldn't control. And he didn't know if he wanted to stop. He didn't know if he wanted to pull back, or if he wanted to dive in, to see where this would take them.

All he knew was that he wanted her. He wanted to feel her skin against his, to taste her lips, to feel her warmth. And he was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.