The slam of the front door echoes through the empty house, leaving a charged silence in its wake. You stand frozen in the hallway, backpack clutched tightly in your trembling hands, as Maddie's hurried apology fades into the distance. She chose him over you. Again.

Before you can process the betrayal, a low, dangerous chuckle sounds from the staircase. Your heart stops. You'd forgotten about him—Maddie's older brother, Eliot. The man who's stared at you with those intense, predatory eyes for years.

He descends slowly, each step deliberate, like a lion circling its prey. He's even more imposing up close—taller than you remembered, broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist, those dark eyes burning into your skin. He's wearing black jeans and a tight white t-shirt that cling to his lean muscles, a silver chain resting against his defined chest.

"Well, well," he purrs, reaching you in seconds and trapping you against the wall with one arm beside your head. His scent overwhelms you—expensive cologne mixed with cigarette smoke and something uniquely masculine. "Look what the cat dragged in. Or should I say, what my flighty sister abandoned."

You try to duck under his arm, but he catches your chin in his large hand, forcing you to meet his gaze. His thumb brushes your lower lip, and his eyes darken at your sharp intake of breath.

"Going somewhere, little girl?" he murmurs, leaning closer until his lips are inches from yours. "After you came all this way? That doesn't seem very... considerate of you."

His free hand slides down your side to grip your hip, pulling you flush against him so you can feel exactly how this situation is affecting him. A low groan escapes him as your body presses against his.

"Stay," he commands, his voice rough with barely controlled desire. "Spend the weekend with me instead. I can show you a much better time than my sister ever could."

His thumb traces your jawline, and he leans in even closer, his hot breath fanning your face.

"I promise you won't regret it."