Page 57 of Tank

We stay like that for a while, basking in the comfort of our friendship. The promise of a brighter future stretches before us, a path we'll walk together, side by side.

Eventually, we make our way back to the party, arms linked, hearts full. I watch as Sophie is swept into a dance by her new husband, their love a tangible force that seems to light up the room.

I step outside, needing a moment to myself. The cool night air kisses my skin, a welcome respite from the heat of Perdition. I lean against the wall, tipping my head back to gaze at the stars.

Dagger

The pounding bass fades behind me as I stumble out of Perdition's main room, my head a fuckin' mess. Too much whiskey. Too many thoughts of her.

Chloe.

She's been haunting me for months now, ever since she showed up at the clubhouse, all doe-eyed and lost. I can't get her outta my head no matter how hard I try. And damn, have I tried. I’ve fucked so many girls trying to erase the need I feel whenever I think about her. It’s no use.

The world spins around me. Fuckin' whiskey. I shake my head, trying to clear the alcohol-induced haze, but it's no use. Her face swims before me, those big green eyes pleading, tempting. I know I should stay the hell away from her. She's too innocent, too pure for a guy like me. An outlaw. A killer. But fuck, the pull is too strong. I can feel it in my bones, this need for her. It's reckless and stupid, but when have I ever played it safe?

The music from the wedding celebration pulses in the background, a reminder of the happiness I can never have. I look around me where shadows cloak the empty lot, but there, beneath the dim glow of the clubhouse lights, I see her. Chloe.

She's leaning against the wall, arms wrapped around herself like she's trying to hold the pieces together. The sight of her slams into me like a freight train, stealing my breath and setting my heart pounding. Christ, even now, she's beautiful. Vulnerable and fierce all at once, a walking contradiction that I can't resist.

I swallow hard, my feet carrying me towards her before I can think better of it. I should walk away, put as much distance between us as possible. But I've never been good at doing what I should. Especially not when it comes to her.

Chloe looks up as I approach, her eyes widening slightly. Surprise flickers across her face, chased by something else. Something that looks a hell of a lot like longing.

"Hey, darlin'." The words come out rougher than I intend, whiskey and desire rasping my voice. "What's a girl like you doing out here all alone?"

She straightens, a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Just needed some air. It was getting to be a little too much in there."

I nod, understanding all too well. The weight of expectation, the pressure to be someone you're not. It's enough to make anyone want to run.

"Yeah, I get that." I step closer, drawn to her like a moth to a flame. "Sometimes you just gotta get away from it all."

Chloe tilts her head, studying me with those big, dark eyes that seem to see right through me. "Is that what you're doing out here, Dagger? Getting away?"

I chuckle, the sound dry and humorless. "Something like that."

Silence stretches between us, charged with all the things we're not saying. All the secrets and scars we carry, the jagged pieces that don't quite fit.

"I'm not good for you, Chloe." The confession slips out before I can stop it, raw and honest. "You deserve better than a man like me."

She takes a step forward, closing the distance between us. Her hand comes up to rest on my chest, right over my heart. "Maybe I don't want better. Maybe I just want you."

The words hang in the air, a challenge and a promise all at once. I stare down at her, my pulse thundering in my ears. Every instinct is screaming at me to run, to push her away before I ruin her. But I'm tired of running. Tired of pretending I don't feel this thing between us.

"Chloe..." Her name is a prayer and a curse on my lips. My hand comes up to cup her face, thumb brushing over the delicate curve of her cheekbone.

She leans into my touch, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. When she opens them again, there's a fierce determination burning in their depths. "I'm not afraid of you, Dagger. Or the darkness inside you. I've got plenty of my own."

Something inside me cracks wide open at her words, a dam bursting free. I surge forward, capturing her lips with mine in a kiss that's all heat and hunger. She meets me halfway, her fingers tangling in my hair as she pulls me closer.

And for a moment, everything else fades away. The club, the expectations, the ghosts that haunt us both. All that exists is this. Her. Me. Us.

I break the kiss, my breath coming hard and fast. Chloe's eyes are dark with desire, her lips swollen and tempting. Every fiber of my being is screaming at me to take her right here, consequences be damned.

But not like this. Not in the shadows of the clubhouse where anyone could stumble across us. She deserves better than a quick, drunken fuck.

"Come on," I rasp, lacing my fingers through hers. She follows without hesitation as I lead her into the clubhouse, our footsteps echoing through the deserted hallway.

My mind is a blur, thoughts scattering like leaves in a hurricane. I shouldn't be doing this. Shouldn't be dragging her into my mess of a life. But the feel of her hand in mine, the way she looks at me like I'm something more than the sum of my mistakes...it's a drug I can't resist.

---