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Chapter One

Ari

I leaned against the doorfra on right in front of ht there In front of me It was like a wonderful, live version of porn Sure, so their asses spanked and they were tied up in a various assort positions, but it was still porn I would only have to take two steps forward, and I’d be out of the sanctity of the fairy-tale love story taking place in the roohts

My feet reh, because no lorious display of wickedness in front of me, I also wanted the love that existed in the room behind me The sad truth of the matter was that I’d probably never have either one of the away onin the real world

The story of my life—afraid to take a step forward and too much of a coward to take a step back

Just as I started to turn away and rejoin Seth and Baker’s collaring cereht my eye No, so to move I felt like every person in the club froze and then simply disappeared Everyone except for me and Eli

He stood about ten feet away froant than I reht it possible, but his er, more defined, and oh-so-perfectly accented by the leather harness thingie that criss-crossed his chest Black leather pants were s

I literally felt ulped

He sesture for uidance by ht foot took a step forward The sounds of the club returned, and all the participants reappeared That’s when it dawned on me Eli was not only at a BDSM club, but he was dressed the part

My feet froze again

His finger crooked again

Knowing I needed to face the music sooner or later, I covered the short distance between us and said, “What are you doing in Colorado, Eli? This is o, youwithfor a side order of revenge because of et ready to be disappointed My friends will kill you if you try to hurt me” That probably wasn’t true, but maybe Eli wouldn’t know any better

One corner of his lips tilted upward as he gazed down atsome sort of deviltry with the lower portion of ood? Look so fucking delicious? Why?

“I’h now…and you’re mine”

And then I ran…in the opposite direction

“Love you guys and congratulations!” I yelled as I breezed past Seth and Baker I didn’t pause long enough to really capture the expressions on their faces I didn’t want to know if my sudden departure would be considered a friendship violation or not Not knowing see the harsh reality of the fact I was acting like a total douche by ditching the They were probably my first real friends in years…or ever

As I headed to the back exit, which I’d already scoped out earlier because being acquainted with each and every exit to a building hat oodbye to my dad and motioned that I’d call for a car to pick e the look of dish I knew hiive it

In an instant, he kneas running fro As I yanked open the back door of Seth and Baker’s private rooht between my shoulder blades—the spot no one could ever reach He worried about me Constantly Over the years, he’d been there to witnessin a world that was always much older, much more worldly and more confident, than I was He was quite possibly the only person alive that kne I hid behind my snarky comments and bubbly attitude He kneas a mask I used to hide the fact that I didn’t fit in