Crossing Lines

Piper

I sit at the corner of the bar, the room spinning slightly from the wine. Another empty glass sits before me, and I motion for a waiter, trying to shake off the weight of all the judgemental stares.

"One more," I slur, waving my hand with an air of indifference.

The waiter hesitates but nods, just as Zoe suddenly appears out of nowhere, placing her hand over my glass. "Isn’t that enough?" she asks, her voice light but tinged with concern. "You’ve been drinking all afternoon, and it's obvious why."

I blink at her, feigning ignorance. "What are you talking about?"

She rolls her eyes and sits down beside me. "Come on, Piper. You’re missing him."

I straighten in my seat, crossing my arms defensively. "Missing who? You’re being ridiculous."

Zoe leans in closer, her brows raised knowingly. "Oh, please. You’ve been sneaking glances at the door ever since he handed you that glass of wine earlier. And I told you he’d show up again, didn’t I? Granted, he’s not the millionaire boss we thought he was, but hey, he’s still ridiculously handsome. That counts for something, right?"

I can’t help but feel my cheeks flush, a mix of embarrassment and irritation. I grab my glass, downing the rest in one go. "You don’t know what you’re talking about," I mutter, trying to ignore the lump forming in my throat.

Zoe sighs dramatically, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "We can’t always win, I guess. Handsome, charming, and available men? Rare breed."

I scoff and decide it’s time to change the subject. I wave at her, pretending to brush it all off. "What about your boyfriend? Won’t he be mad that you’re here instead of by his side?"

Zoe stiffens, her smile faltering. "Don’t get me started on him." She laughs, but there’s a forced edge to it. "He’s drunk in his room by now, probably passed out. So, it’s girl time now!"

Her tone is cheerful, but there’s a shadow in her eyes that catches me off guard. I press gently. "How did you two even meet?"

Zoe shrugs, twisting the edge of her napkin. "High school lovers," she says with a hollow laugh. "It’s kind of aggressive, I know. But... he loves me in his own way."

The way her voice trembles, the fleeting look of fear in her eyes—it sends a chill through me. My stomach knots as I force a smile, placing a hand over hers briefly. "He’s lucky to have you."

Before I can steer the conversation away, my phone buzzes on the counter. I glance at the screen: Anna.

"Sorry, Zoe. I need to take this." I excuse myself quickly, heading toward the restroom for some privacy.

The moment I pick up, Anna’s voice bursts through the line. "Where the hell have you been, Piper? Clara and I went to your house, and you weren’t there! You’ve been gone for two days without saying a word!"

I press my fingers to my temple, trying to steady my voice. "Calm down, okay? I’m fine. I just...went on a little trip."

"A trip? Without us? You know we were planning a girls’ getaway, and you just leave us out?" Clara’s voice joins the chorus, both of them speaking over each other.

"Look," I interrupt, not hiding my irritation, "this trip is...different. Something came up, and I had to handle it."

"Handle what?" Anna demands. "What’s so important that you’d go without us? Does it have to do with Adam? Are you running away from him?"

The mention of his name sends a wave of anger through me. "No," I snap. "It has nothing to do with him. I’ll tell you later, okay? Just drop it."

It’s not that I don’t trust my friends, but I doubt their ability to keep this secret or play along, especially once alcohol enters the picture. Worse, I fear they might advise me to stay with Adam, throwing out that tired saying: better the devil you know than the one you don’t.

Silence lingers on the line until Anna finally speaks, her voice quieter but no less insistent. "Well, Adam’s been coming to us. He’s desperate, Piper. He keeps saying you two are getting married on Christmas Day and demanding to know where you are."

My grip on the phone tightens. "What?" I spit through clenched teeth.

"He’s telling everyone you’re getting married, Piper," Clara chimes in. "I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already approached your parents for their blessing."

Damn it. Damn it. Damn it.

My pulse races as fury bubbles beneath the surface. "That bastard," I hiss. "If he comes to you again, report him to the police."

Anna sighs. "You know his uncle works with the police. Reporting him won’t do anything. He said if you don’t come back within a week, he’s going to find you. And if you’ve gone far, he’ll use his uncle to track you down."

A cold sweat breaks out on my forehead. The last thing I need is Adam showing up here. My plan could fall apart in an instant.

"How long are you staying there anyway?" Clara asks.

"I don’t know," I admit, my voice shaky. "A month, maybe longer. I just...need to take care of this."

"Whatever it is, I hope it’s worth all this drama," Anna mutters before hanging up.

I lower the phone, staring at my reflection in the mirror. My cheeks are flushed, my eyes puffy and red. I splash water on my face, trying to sober up, but the anger and fear remain.

I can’t let Adam ruin this. I have to convince that man to help me—and the sooner, the better.

Maybe if Adam sees that I have a boyfriend, or better yet, a husband, he’ll finally let me go. Perhaps then, he’ll stop his obsession and realise I’ve moved on completely.

I step out of the restroom, my thoughts still tangled with anger and desperation. My phone call has left me more frustrated than before, my chest tight and my hands trembling slightly as I push the door open. I’m not even looking ahead until I feel the air shift, the presence of someone close—too close. My breath hitches as I glance up and see him.

The blue-eyed waiter.

He’s leaning against the wall like he’s been waiting there the whole time. His piercing gaze locks onto mine, and I freeze. Did he hear? My chest tightens further as I instinctively take a step back, my heel catching on the slippery floor.

“Whoa!” I yelp as I lose my balance, arms flailing. But before I can hit the ground, a strong arm snakes around my waist, pulling me against a hard chest.

For a second, the world tilts. My hands press against his chest, and I’m acutely aware of how firm it is beneath the fabric of his shirt. His scent—clean, woodsy, and masculine—fills my senses, and I can’t seem to pull away.

“You alright there, mate?” he says, his voice low, amused, with a slight edge of concern. “Careful. I wouldn’t want you slipping into the wrong hands.”

Mate. There’s that word again.

I stare up at him, my heart hammering as his fingers linger on my waist for just a moment longer before he lets go. I can still feel the warmth of his touch, the sparks that danced across my skin like an electric current. What the hell was that?

“Did you…” My voice falters as I glance up at him. “Did you hear my conversation?”

His cheeks flush, and for the first time, I see a crack in his otherwise confident demeanor. He clears his throat and steps back, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I, uh… I didn’t mean to eavesdrop,” he admits. “I was just mopping up the hallway, and I… well, I overheard some things.”

My gaze darts to the bucket and mop leaning against the wall, and heat creeps up my own neck. Great. Not only was I venting to my friends about Adam, but now he—this infuriating, gorgeous stranger—has been privy to my humiliation.

“Unbelievable,” I mutter, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. “You could’ve at least made it clear you were there.”

He shrugs, a sheepish smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Didn’t want to interrupt. You seemed… pretty upset.”

I huff, looking anywhere but at him. “Well, you shouldn’t have been listening.”

“I’m sorry,” he says, and his sincerity catches me off guard. “I didn’t mean to invade your privacy. Honestly.”

I glance up at him, my anger dissipating a little. Those eyes… damn those stupid blue eyes.

“Do you have time after your shift?” I blurt out before I can overthink it.

His brows lift, surprise flashing across his face. “To talk? Sure.”

“Not now,” I say quickly, glancing around. “I don’t want to get you in trouble.”

He chuckles, the sound rich and warm. “Trouble? My boss wouldn’t mind. Best boss in the world—kind, charming, ridiculously handsome.”

I narrow my eyes at him, unsure if he’s serious or joking. “You’re awfully confident about that.”

He smirks. “I know him pretty well.”

I roll my eyes. “Let’s just... find somewhere private. Away from all the stares.”

His smirk softens into something gentler as he extends his hand, palm up. “Come on, mate. I know just the place.”

The moment his hand closes over mine, the sparks return, stronger this time. My pulse quickens, and I can’t ignore the way my body reacts to his touch. It’s maddening and confusing, and yet I don’t pull away.

As he guides me, I steal a quick glance at him. There’s so much I don’t know about this man—starting with his name. But somehow, it feels like I’m crossing a line I can never step back from.