Amber POV

"Liam, you’re an A-grade asshole!" I yelled, storming out of the room with my mind spinning.

Should I have kept my voice down because it was 6 a.m.? Probably.

But what was I to do when I came over to my fiancé’s apartment to make him breakfast, only to see him actively banging a girl I didn't know in OUR BEDROOM? Be happy?

I lunged for the kitchen counter, shaking his grimy hands off my skin as he tried to reach for me but failed tragically, tripping over his trousers and falling face-first.

“Babe, please… I can explain,” he pleaded weakly, but I just continued putting together the groceries I bought, paying no heed to his flimsy excuses. The only thing I wanted right now was to be out of here.

I put the vegetables in the bag, walking over his sprawled body to the living room. I slung my bag over my shoulder, hugging the groceries to my chest as I walked to the door. However, my fingers froze on the doorknob with his words.

“Don’t try to pretend that you didn’t see this coming, Amber. We weren’t going to work out,” he said behind me. I stilled, blood blurring my vision.

“Don’t pretend?” I repeated in disbelief, turning around to meet a scowl on his lips. “Liam, we were together for four years! I’ve been engaged to you for half of those years, and you’re telling me I knew you were going to cheat on me?”

I slammed my bags onto the small table, whipping my phone out and storming up to him to show him the screen still glowing with his last text: “Yeah, the wedding venue is fine. Just go ahead and book it.”

“We were talking about wedding venues yesterday, and I came this morning to see you with some whore and you’re trying to blame me?” I asked, looking into his eyes for an answer.

“S-she’s not a whore,” he only whispered, averting his gaze from mine.

My eyes widened in a chilling realization. He hadn't just cheated today; he had been doing this for a while.

“Oh,” I replied, stepping back with a weak smile on my lips, trying to hold myself from crying.

“She is everything you cannot be for me, so I am not sorry, Amber,” he continued, slipping on his shirt to cover the bite marks on his chiseled chest. “You’re just so boring to be with. I was tired, but you kept clinging on.”

I shut my eyes. “Boring.”

The word slapped me, colder than any palm. I had sacrificed every spare hour, every fun night out, to work and save for the wedding he now casually destroyed. My head throbbed as I recalled the endless nights I’d worked to cut costs, to be responsible, to match up to his savings since he worked in a reputable firm.

And while I toiled endlessly, all he saw was his own selfish lack for entertainment.

My hand fell limply to my side, strength vanished into the air at the sight of his indifference. His eyes were flat and depthless, the lack of warmth so profound it chilled the air.

I swallowed hard, mustering up the last courage I had.

“Was I the only one in love?” I whispered. “Didn’t you ever love me, Liam?”

He stood silently, the air in the room freezing by the second. The silence was finally broken by a honeyed voice from the hallway behind him.

“Babe, I’ve been waiting for you…. Ow!”

The other woman appeared, petite with a curvy frame, hobbling. She wore a men's button-up shirt; the deep blue one I picked out for Liam's last birthday. She was hunched over, her face scrunched up as she rubbed her foot.

Liam immediately forgot about me, rushing up to scoop her into his arms with a concerned look on his face.

“I told you to wait for me, Lil,” he scolded gently, reaching for her foot. “Now see what you’ve done.”

“I couldn’t wait anymore, I’m sorry,” she pleaded, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body to his, a sight that repulsed me to the core.

I spun around, my hands turning to fists as the tears I held back finally spilled over. His voice came out from behind me, a nail to the coffin.

“Amber, we’ll talk later,” Liam called after me. “You can drop the house key off when you’re ready to leave.”

I stood for a second, heart pounding as I stared at the door. Then I let it all go; the groceries, the phone, his stupid ring, and the last scraps of my heart, storming out into the cold morning, alone.

I didn’t know it then, but walking out of Liam’s apartment would lead me straight into the arms of a man far more dangerous than heartbreak.

Amber POV

I stepped into the bar, exchanging the chill of the evening air for the warmth of the lights and the chatter of customers having drinks. I shoved my hands into my coat pockets, squinting as I scanned through the tables to find my friends. The sting of betrayal, sharp as ever, lingered after the ordeal in Liam’s apartment this morning.

I had called Ginny, sobbing and telling her what happened, unable to even utter his name. I was hoping she’d bring sad movies, ice cream and comforting words. Instead, after a long, very necessary nap, I was awoken by my phone buzzing incessantly with a clear instruction: Come to Dutch Bar by 8 p.m., dress well.

Now here I was, making my way to the table where Ginny was waving at me, when I’d rather be buried under my blankets on bed. I got there to see her seated with Jane and Lilah, and they had drinks in front of them.

“We heard the good news from Ginny, so we came to celebrate,” Jane started, a bright smile on her lips as she raised her martini, her curls bobbing.

I stopped in my tracks. “I broke up with my fiancé, Ginny. That’s not good news,”

Ginny pulled my hand, dragging me to settle on a stool beside hers. “Exactly, it is good that you broke up. Liam was a walking red flag, and we tried telling you.”

“I mean, he only proposed after he found out you were saving for your future.. Who does that? ” Jane frowned, brows furrowed in disgust

“A total sleaze bag. You dodged a bullet Amby!” Lilah chimed in, sipping the drink in her hand.

Heat crept up my neck as the memory of that tiny ring in that tiny apartment made my stomach churn. I was truly blinded by love, and not in a good way.

“And the nerve,” Jane continued, huffing in indignation, “calling you boring after he cheated on you? I want to personally show him what boring looks like.”

The shared fury of my friends made the heartache I felt dull. But guilt also clawed at my chest.

“It’s okay, guys,” I said, my voice low. “I’m sorry for not listening to you all back then.” I lowered my eyes, my chest tightening. “However, I can’t stop thinking of where I went wrong. I loved Liam with my very being, and I did everything I could to match up to his demands… Why wasn’t I enough?”

As I muffled a sob with my hands, I felt them circle around me with a warm hug.

“Don’t cry over that loser again, he doesn’t deserve it,” Ginny said firmly once they pulled away, and I nodded, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

Lilah squeezed my shoulder. “You’re stunning. Anyone would kill to be with you. It’s his loss.”

“And lucky us, cos we have our friend back” Jane added, smirking at the bartender who served a tray of shots.

I looked at the mini cup hesitantly, my stomach churning with dread. Liam never liked me drinking, so I’d stopped entirely for him. Now I hardly know what my tolerance was.

“I don’t want to, guys,” I refused, pushing the tray away and eliciting frowns. “I haven’t done this in a while.”

“Which is the problem,” Lilah doubled down, sliding one toward me. “You’ve been living like a nun.”

“Now’s your chance to live it up again. Don’t hold yourself back.” Ginny’s voice echoed in my ears, a silent nudging.

I stared at it for a long moment, contemplating the consequences. Though I’d feel sick tomorrow morning, I couldn’t refuse anymore on seeing my friends’ eager eyes.

“Fine” I breathed, gripping the glass. “Let’s do this.”

My friends cheered around me, took a glass, did a countdown, and we all downed it in one gulp.

The liquor hit hard as it slid down my throat and I chased it with a lime slice. The sourness of the combination, electrifying. My body warmed, my chest loosened, the room softened and I smiled at the rush in my system.

Ginny leaned in, eyes gleaming as she threw her hand around my neck. “Let your night of freedom begin!”

******

Many shots later, my head pounded hard and the room spun around me so much that I held onto Ginny for support. My friends, however, were on a roll and full of energy, earning even side glances from the few customers remaining in the bar.

“We should probably start going now,” I muttered lowly, dragging Lilah off an empty table close by.

“Noooo,” she grumbled, pushing me off and flopping back on the stool. “We’re having your freedom party! The fun is yet to begin.”

“Yeahhh,” Ginny burped then giggled, Jane joining in the laugh.

I frowned, steadying myself. “What more can we do now that we’re drunk? Let’s crash at my place.”

Jane stood up with a glass, pushing it to my lips to take a gulp. “You haven’t made your revenge list yet.”

I wiped my lips, cringing from the bitterness that invaded my senses. “Revenge list?”

“Yes! We did it back in college, remember?” Ginny said, her eyes lit up with recognition. “Ten things to do to get back at your ex!”

“That was cute while we were twenty. I turn thirty in three weeks.” I deadpanned.

“Which is exactly why you need to do it, Amby! You spent your late twenties trapped, so now that you’re free… just live a little.” Jane lectured, pulling a napkin from a nearby table and asking for a pen from the bartender.

I let out a sigh, feeling even more dizzy as I watched what she wrote in bold: TEN WAYS AMBER WILL GET BACK AT LIAM.

Lilah raised a finger, looking profoundly serious. “I think, number one should be: get laid.”

I choked, eyes wide as Jane wrote the first item with a smirk:

1. Get laid.

Ginny nodded, clinking her glass with mine. “Cheers to that!”

“Wait,” I said, laughing nervously as I held Jane’s hand, “I’m not… this isn’t…”

She waved me off. “Hush, Amber, you need this. Did Liam even think of you for a second while he was screwing that girl? No he didn’t, even when he knew you were coming that morning. So do this for yourself.”

“Besides,” Lilah interjected, “I am offended he found you boring because I know he can’t handle you. So you need to prove him wrong.”

I stared at the words on the napkin, my heart thudding in my chest as a mix of emotions swirled within me. If he paid no heed to me, his fiancé, even after I caught him, why was I still being a prude?

“I bet Amber can even snag someone here tonight if she wants to,” Ginny mused, wiggling her brows at me. “After all, ever since she pulled off her coat, a few stares have flown in her direction.”

My eyes moved past them to scan the room, and true to her words, a few guys glanced away.

One man didn’t , he held my gaze and I couldn’t look away.

He was seated casually against the wall, dark hair messy, sharp jawline, and brooding eyes that saw only me. He looked like the opposite of every safe choice I had ever made, he looked like danger distilled. My pulse hit a weird rhythm, my legs turning to jelly at the intensity of his gaze and a warm feeling curled below my abdomen.

“Oh, he’s intense. I like him already.” Lilah leaned in with a smirking.

“Go on,” Jane nudged me hard. “Talk to him. Don’t chicken out.”

I swallowed hard. At first I would have refused, but now my thoughts were… why not?

I had nothing to lose anyway, so maybe a night with a man like him was exactly what I needed. I grabbed Ginny’s glass for courage, ignored their excited squeals, and walked toward him on unsteady feet and reckless impulse.

He didn’t look away once, his gaze growing more intense with each step I took to him. I stopped in front of his table, heart hammering like it wanted out of my ribs.

“Would you like a toast?”

⚠️ WARNING: The following scene contains explicit romantic and intimate content.

Amber POV

The man didn’t answer immediately. His eyes trailed me slowly, as if he could read every intention I hadn’t yet decided to have. Each second stretched, unnerving me, as I waited for this man's verdict. A silent, desperate voice in my head prayed I wouldn't end up more embarrassed than betrayed.

His eyes dropped to the shot glass in my hand, then rose back to meet mine.

“A toast?” he repeated, his voice deep and amused. “To what?”

My mouth went dry, my brain still buzzing from alcohol, as I struggled to come up with a reasonable response.

A small, unreadable smile tugged at the corner of his mouth, an intense glint flashing in his eyes.

“Can’t figure it out?” he murmured.

I huffed out a weak laugh, rubbing my shoulders as my neck heated up. “You could say that.”

He gestured to the empty seat across from him. “Sit. Let’s figure it out.”

My pulse fluttered at the firmness beneath his words, and I sat, placing the glass on the table and rubbing my palms together. From this corner, the bar noise softened, fading into the background like we’d stepped into a different world entirely. Now I could see him up close, and study his striking features.

“You look like you’re celebrating something,” he began.

“Really? I’m trying to,” I admitted, my voice low against the hum of the bar. “I broke up.”

His brow arched. “Is that so?”

I nodded, and he leaned forward, signaling to the waiter. “Then we’re celebrating your freedom. We need something better than this.”

The waiter returned, and he whispered something into his ear, nodding and leaving. The waiter then returned with a tray of champagne, and I let out a small gasp, watching as he placed two glasses and poured the wine with precision.

“Isn’t this too much?” I commented.

“For your freedom?” He placed a glass in my hand. “No.”

I reached for the glass, my hands brushing his, and my breath hitched. He only smirked, withdrawing his hand and lifting his own. “To freedom.”

I clinked mine against his, taking a sip with him, though I could still feel his gaze on my mouth. My pulse raced as the intensity of his gaze increased, and I couldn't help but swallow more of the bubbly champagne.

“How long,” he asked, swirling his glass lazily, “have you been trying to forget him?”

The question struck me, my hands freezing mid-air. I lowered my gaze, focusing on the glass which had a small amount of liquid left.

“Not long enough,” I muttered.

Before I could continue talking, I felt his hand swoop under my chin, forcing it to meet his stormy eyes, and my heart stopped.

“Then how can I be of help?” he whispered, causing my stomach to tighten.

“Help… how?” I stuttered, struggling to rein in my thoughts that ran wild from his touch.

He eyed my lips openly this time, before moving lower then back up.

“You already know how. Don’t you, Amber? Otherwise you wouldn’t be here.” He leaned close to my ear, his breath sending tingles down my spine.

I stared at him, unable to pull back from his touch. There was something unsettling about him, the way his eyes tracked my every movement and took complete control of this moment. And yet, rather than being afraid, I was drawn in.

“How do you know my name?” I forced out, unable to deny his words earlier. “I don’t recall telling you since we started talking.”

“I know how you’re looking at me.” His smile deepened, dangerous and private, as his thumb brushed lightly over my lower lip.

I hadn’t noticed, but he was right. His hand now trailed my hair gently, like a silent way of teasing.

“And I know,” he whispered, leaning in until his breath grazed my ear, “that you want a distraction from heartbreak… not small talk.”

He stretched his hand towards me. “So let me be your companion.”

The air thinned between us, heat pooling low and heavy between my legs as I looked into his eyes. However, as I was about to agree, a flicker of responsibility tugged at me.

I placed my hand on his chest, creating distance. “I can’t go… my friends are still here.”

I turned slightly, for the first time since I sat with him, to see my friends' laughter grow louder. The three of them stumbled toward the back of the bar, toward the tiny door with a restroom sign, and staggered in, too drunk to even glance in my direction.

A small knot of panic tightened in me. “I need to check on them…”

“You don’t have to,” he cut in quietly, his voice low as his gaze followed mine. “I'll ensure they are safely taken care of. You, however, are coming with me.”

That single, dominant promise of control was my undoing. I didn’t know if it was the alcohol or the heartbreak, but suddenly, I wanted him more than I’d wanted anything else in months.

His eyes flicked down, searching for a silent agreement before his hand slid to the back of my neck, warm and firm, and he lifted me.

And without another word, he led me out of the bar.

*********

The room we were in was located above the bar, which surprised me because I didn’t know the bar had places like that. It was small and dark, but I barely had time to register the expensive scent of leather and clean smoke as he placed me on the ground then moved his hands to my waist, pulling me flush against him.

His lips engulfed mine in a claiming kiss, his tongue skillfully dominating mine and shattering my senses. I gulped in air in between, unable to keep up, but the man kept going, pushing my back until I hit the wall.

My fingers dug into his shoulders, heat suffocating every thought I’d ever held about being “proper and gentle.” Since he was meeting my rebellion with dominance, I had only one option: escalate. I wrapped my hands around his neck, pressing my body fiercely against his chest, leaning into the kiss with desperate, bruising intensity.

“Don’t start what you can’t finish, Amber,” he growled against my lips.

“Bring it on,” I breathed.

That earned me a low chuckle that vibrated straight through me, and he pulled away.

His coat dropped, followed by his jacket, then his shirt, revealing a pair of chiseled chests and six-pack abs. He eyed my figure shamelessly, eliciting a small gasp as his hands slid to the V-neck of my gown, over my breast, then to my back to zip it down.

The dress slid off, revealing my figure, and the coldness of the room hit my skin. He wrapped his arms around me, trailing kisses down my neck.

“You’re shaking,” he murmured against my skin.

“I’m drunk,” I replied, tilting my head for more access.

“You’re turned on,” he corrected, sliding his hands to slip through my underwear, eliciting a low moan from me. “You were already soaking wet while we were talking… weren’t you?”

His hands slipped in before I could speak, and all thoughts in my head fizzled out as he began moving in and out, and my nails dug into his skin.

“Please,” I whispered, my throat dry as the pleasure made me weak in my knees.

“You want me. Say it, Amber,” he ordered, his voice a gravelly demand.

I managed a breathless nod. “Yes… I want you. Please,” I repeated the desperate word, my mind blurring as he lifted me like I weighed nothing.

He moved to the bed, dropping me to bounce against it. His firm hands gripped my breasts, kneading them harshly whilst the other hand slipped my pants off. I was a mess, letting out breathless moans as his lips found my heat, sucking it mercilessly.

“Spread your legs,” he commanded, and my legs flew apart, though they wanted to close. I fell powerless to the bed while he went deeper.

He went on, switching between his hands and his lips, and by the time he was done, I was already mentally far away. I wanted to speak out, but I felt a harder length press against my entrance.

“Wait… I’m not…” I said faintly, looking up to meet his gaze.

His eyes were dangerously dark and attractive, his breaths in shallow bursts as he stroked his shaft slowly. The veins on it throbbed, and the tip was already leaking, making me feel the urge to lick it up.

He released it, propping his hands by my sides to hover above me, his eyes glinting with something wicked.

“Oh, I forgot to ask. How rude of me,” he remarked, trailing his fingers around my thighs.

Suddenly, he gripped each thigh, wrapping it around his waist, and pressing his shaft against my clit. He moved slowly, lubricating it with the juices that squirted out from me, while seizing my lips in a slow kiss.

This man was definitely more dangerous than I thought.

“Can I f*** you?” he uttered in my ears, his breath fanning against my skin and sending shocks through my body.

This was crazy… He is crazy. But then again, the past 24 hours had been crazier than I expected. So what was one more thing to add to that list? I was gaining something this time as well.

“Yes, please,” I whispered, pressing my lips to his with resolution.

And from then on, the rest of the night was a blur of kisses, manhandling, breathless moans, and a man who ruined me thoroughly.