Page 57 of Anteros' Return

I watched as she drove off with Liam before pulling out my phone and dialling Ollie’s number.

He answered after two rings. “Alright, mate.”

“Fancy going out tonight?” I asked.

“Too bloody right I do.” He laughed, and from that moment, I knew exactly what the plan was.

Ollie and I entered the prestige club in Manchester. You might have wondered how I knew this was where Emily would be, but Ollie had done some digging through Kayla’s Instagram stories and found out within a split second.

We made our way to the bar as I scanned the crowd. She was nowhere to be seen, but I’d find her.

“What do you want to drink?” Ollie asked, pulling out his wallet.

I waved him off. “Put that shit away. It’s on me.” He shoved his wallet back into his pocket with a smile. “I was the one that asked you to come out, so I’ll pay,”

“And you asked me out with an ulterior motive in mind, didn’t you?” he questioned as he held up his hand to get the bartender’s attention. When he came over, Ollie nodded at him. “Two beers, please.”

“I have no idea what you mean.” I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what he meant.

“Mhm. I think that checking Kayla’s Instagram says a whole different story.” He took a swig of his beer. “Emily’s the one, right?”

“Yeah, mate, she is. She always has been, from the day I met her, y’know?” I couldn’t hide it from Ollie. He knew me too well. “We have a son together, Ol, and I missed almost eight years of his life. How could I have been so damn stupid?”

“You can’t say shit like that because you didn’t know. Everyone lied to you. Mike and your parents.” He placed his palm on my shoulder, trying to reassure me.

“I should have known Emily wouldn’t have moved on so quickly, though. I should have fought for her and came back.”

“Listen, we can all sit here and say all the things we could have done, and maybe if I was closer to Harry and Emily, I would have known and I could have helped but I wasn’t.” He sighed. “You have another chance at love with her and the possibility of a family, and I think you should fight for it. Fight for her like she wants you to. She doesn’t need to hear words. You need to show her.”

He was right. I knew I needed to show her. She wouldn’t believe words alone.

“I’ll never give up on her again, nor will I let Liam grow up without his father like Mike deprived him of for so long.”

“Listen, Mike was and still is a twat, and he’ll get what’s coming to him.” Ollie smirked as he took another swig of his beer. “I can’t wait to see his face when he comes back from his business trip.” He laughed as did I.

I was about to respond when the tiny hairs on the back of my neck bristled and stood at attention. I didn’t need to look to my left. I could feel her presence without even turning around. It was like an invisible force tugging at me, drawing me towards her with an irresistible pull that I couldn't resist.

One I didn’t want to resist.

I turned, resting against the wooden bar with my beer in hand. My eyes followed her every move as she joined Kayla on the dance floor, her hips swaying to the pulsing beat. Her hands caressed her own body in a seductive grasp, the fabric of her dress clinging to her curves.

All I could think about was ripping that damn dress off and claiming every inch of her like I did so many years ago, leaving nothing but tattered shreds on her bedroom floor. Intense desire coursed through me, my heart racing as memories flooded back in and my body yearned for hers once more.

Ollie smirked. “You going to stand here with me all night or go and get your girl?”

21

As the music pulsed through my body, I let myself get lost in its rhythm. My hips swayed effortlessly, almost as if they had a mind of their own. But even in my moment of abandon, I couldn't escape the feeling of being watched. It was a familiar sensation, one that made my skin tingle and my heart race. Shifting my body around slowly, I met the intense gaze of those piercing eyes that I knew all too well, and a shiver ran down my spine.

My breath caught before I could stop it, heart lurching like it had been yanked sideways. A surge of something hot and electric shot through me—part thrill, part panic. My skin prickled, and for a second, it felt like the air around me had shifted, charged with the kind of tension only he could bring.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to run toward him or vanish into the crowd. The fact that he was here, that he'd followed me, sent my thoughts spinning. My stomach fluttered in that way it only ever did around him. I could already feel his presence pressing against me from across the room, heavy and impossible to ignore.

What’s he doing here?

“Looks like we have some company tonight.” Kayla winked, nodding her head towards Beckett.

I didn’t know what came over me. Maybe it was the Malibu and Cokes I had prior to arriving, but I continued moving my body to the music, not taking my eyes off of his as he made his way over to me. He didn't care who got in the way, his focus on me never wavered.

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