Chapter 8: Conflicted

Layla ripped her gaze from Ryan's and scanned the crowd. But trying to find someone in the flashing lights and moving bodies wasn't going to be easy. Especially if the person she was looking for was on a different continent.

"Layla?" Ryan's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, sorry," Layla said, bringing herself back to the present. She needed to shake herself out of this funk. "Do you want to go dance?"

Ryan smiled brightly. "Yeah, let's do it!" he said excitedly.

Layla slipped out of her chair and Ryan grabbed her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. Ryan spun Layla ceremoniously causing her to let out a giddy laugh. Then he pulled her close to him and the two of them moved as one to the music. Ryan put his hands on her hips as they rocked together in tandem to the beat.

They moved like this for a few minutes before Ryan dipped her, Layla giggled as he pulled her up. At that moment, they were nose to nose and Layla could tell by the intense look in Ryan's eyes that he wanted to kiss her. Part of her wanted the same thing, but another part hesitated.

Ryan leaned closer to her and was only a hair's breadth away when Layla saw someone looming behind Ryan's shoulder. Her stomach flipped when she recognized Atreus' murderous face.

Layla pulled away with a gasp before Ryan could kiss her. "Atreus?"

Ryan turned around to face him with a protective arm around Layla's hip.

"What the h*ll are you doing here?" she asked breathlessly. How in the hell had he managed to find her here?

Atreus' eyes burned into hers for a moment before they landed on Ryan's arm around her hip.

"The real question is, what are you doing with him?" Atreus said in a deadly voice.

Layla was instantly furious at his audacity.

"Excuse me?" Layla said affronted. "What makes you think you can just show up like this?"

But at that point, Ryan and Atreus were glaring daggers at one another. Layla had never seen Ryan look so dangerous.

"Listen, man," Ryan said, "I think you need to leave."

Atreus smirked. "Oh? And what makes you think I'd listen to a smug child like you?"

"Child?" Ryan said with a scoff, unwrapping his arm from Layla's waist and squaring up to Atreus. "Get the h*ll out of here."

"He's right," Layla said. "You need to leave."

Atreus turned his stare to her. "I'm not leaving here without you."

Layla's breath caught in her throat as his amber eyes scoured her own. This is all she had wanted over the last week, but not like this. Not at the expense of Ryan's emotions.

"You heard her," Ryan said, taking a threatening step toward Atreus.

The energy between the two of them was beyond intense. If Layla didn't do something right now, it was going to get ugly. So she stepped in between them.

"All right, that's enough," Layla said sternly. "Ryan, I'll be right back, ok?"

Ryan looked at her in surprise, his fists clenched at his sides. He was clearly upset and ready to defend her.

"Are you sure?" he asked, throwing another deadly look in Atreus' direction.

"I'm sure. I'm sorry about this, Ryan," Layla said regretfully, feeling a tickle of shame in her gut.

"Ok, I'll be at the bar when you are done," Ryan said in a low voice. With one more glance at Atreus, he walked away, his shoulders stiff with anger.

Without even looking at Atreus, Layla walked in the opposite direction towards the entrance of the club. Her mind was reeling at what was happening, she needed to get outside for a moment so that she could breathe. She stepped out into the cool air and turned to face Atreus who was right on her heels.

"What the h*ll was that?" Layla asked exasperated, "How in the h*ll did you find me here?"

Atreus looked her over quietly.

"I told you I'd find you," he said simply, a smirk lifting the corner of his mouth.

"Don't do that," Layla muttered, putting her hands on her hips. "I don't know what kind of game you are playing, but it ends right now."

"I'm not playing any games, Layla," he said in a low voice. "I came here for you."

"What does that mean?" Layla asked impatiently.

"It means what it means," was his short response.

Layla let out an exasperated laugh. "Well let me tell you something, I'm not some sort of pawn in your weird plans, Atreus. You can't just ghost me like you did and then show up out of nowhere and claim me like that," Layla snapped.

Atreus took a step closer to her and backed her against the wall. Layla's stomach flipped at the dangerous glitter in his eyes.

"That is where you are wrong, Layla," he said, putting a hand on the wall behind her. "You are mine. Do not pretend that you don't feel desire for me. I can smell it on you."

"I barely know you," she said softly, trying to push down the feeling of pleasure that his mere presence brought to the surface.

Atreus shrugged. "That can be fixed," he said, slowly dipping his head to kiss her.

Layla's heart pounded in her chest as she battled her inner emotions. Part of her wanted nothing more than to kiss him and throw away all inhibitions. But the other side knew that this was wrong.

His lips had barely brushed against her own when she pushed back against his chest and ducked out from underneath him.

"This is insane," she said turning to him. Her face was flushed and her pulse raced against her throat.

Atreus stood straight and watched her quietly.

"I can't do this." Without waiting for his response, Layla stalked back into the club without a backward glance. Once inside, she leaned against the wall to catch her breath. She could barely comprehend the shock of seeing him again in America, let alone his blatant disrespect toward her and Ryan.

If she thought her emotions were confusing before, she had another thing coming.

After a few more moments of trying to catch her breath, Layla made her way back through the club to find Ryan. She found him sitting stiffly at the bar facing the doorway, waiting for her return. A look of relief flooded his face when he saw her approach.

"I'm so sorry about that," Layla said with a sigh.

"Who was that guy? An old boyfriend?" Ryan asked his tone and stature stiff.

"I guess you could say that," Layla said wringing her fingers together.

Ryan nodded quietly. The mood for the evening had clearly been ruined and Layla didn't know how to salvage it.

"Listen, I really am sorry, but do you think you could take me home," Layla asked regretfully. "I just need to clear my head."

"Yeah, of course," Ryan said standing. "I understand."

But the disappointment in his voice said otherwise.

It was a quiet ride back to Layla's apartment. Neither of them knew what to say to the other.

Like the gentleman that Ryan was, he walked Layla back to her apartment. When they stopped at Layla's door, she turned to Ryan.

"Thank you for tonight," Layla started hesitantly. "Again, I'm so sorry for how it ended."

Ryan nodded, his lips set in a tight line, and stood there quietly for a moment.

"Layla, I have to ask," Ryan said, running his hand through his hair. "Are you and him involved? Am I stepping on toes by taking you out?"

She wasn't sure how to answer him, because as much as they weren't involved, there was definitely something there.

Layla's hesitation was louder than any response she could have given him.

"You know what, don't worry about it. I'll see you later Layla," Ryan smiled sadly at her before turning and walking away.

Layla watched him leave still trying to muster up a response, but it was too late. Ryan was gone and her heart was heavy with regret. With a loud sigh, she unlocked her door and stepped inside.

She shut the door behind her and tossed her purse onto her desk before she walked to her bed and flopped face-first onto the quilt. The events of the night played through her head like a horror film with the finale of Ryan's disappointed face. He didn't deserve what had just happened and Layla felt like she had handled the entire thing horribly.

With a groan, she lifted herself off the bed and stripped out of her clothes unceremoniously, and crawled under the covers of her bed in nothing but her underwear.

All she wanted was for this night to end.

***

Layla's eyes flew open and she sat up from her pillow listening hard in the silence. For a moment, she wondered if she was having another dream. No, she was fully awake. She looked around her room, still illuminated by the bedside lamp she had left on. What had woken her up? Why did she feel like she wasn't alone?

With a sigh, Layla rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. Ever since her trip to Rome, she had hardly gotten any sleep. Now after the prior night's events, sleep felt even more elusive.

"Having second thoughts?" a familiar voice said, coming from in front of her.

Layla let out a soft cry of fear as she pulled her hands from her eyes which went wide with shock when they landed on Atreus at the foot of her bed. He watched her quietly, his hands in his pockets and his head tilted casually.

"What the f*ck?" Layla gasped, pulling her covers up to cover her nakedness. "What in the actual h*ll are you doing here?"

"I'm here to get to know you, Layla," he said in a deep voice that made her shiver.

"Are you crazy?" Layla gasped, trying to remember where she put her phone.

"You could say that," Atreus said with a smirk.

"If you don't leave right now, I'll scream," Layla warned, trying to quell her pounding heart.

Atreus' grin grew darker as he knelt on the bed and crawled toward her with a dangerous look in his eye. Layla felt like she was in a trance as he prowled up to her, his eyes glowing unnaturally. She wanted to scream, but she also wanted him to wrap her in his arms.

Atreus knelt before her and grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her close to him. Layla gasped as the sheets dropped and her naked chest pressed against him.

"Atreus," Layla whispered fear and pleasure intermingling inside her.

He brushed the hair from her neck and tilted her chin toward his as he leaned down to brush her lips with his. She knew she should stop him, but she felt like she was drugged on his intoxicating scent and the sensual sound of his voice.

"Don't be afraid, Layla," Atreus whispered against her mouth. "Allow me this, just this once."

Softly, he grabbed the hair at the nape of her neck and tugged her head to the side, revealing the smooth skin of her neck. Layla, in her state of shock, felt his breath on her neck as he opened his mouth.

Just as she felt the sharpness of his teeth on her skin she whispered desperately. "Stop."

And just like that, Atreus was gone as if he had never been there in the first place.

Layla was frozen there for long moments, her heart pounding and her head clearing from the fog. Slowly, she looked around the room. It was completely empty.

Layla was alone.