@vnf1lxtly9: From the vanity, I could see a couple laughing in the garden. Three stories separated us. One shout might close the distance. They glanced up. I disappeared below the sill. Brilliant. Someone finally looked my way, and I hid. When I checked again, they'd gone. I kept telling myself they might know Mateo. Asking the wrong person for help could make everything worse. Tessa and the others might still be held downstairs. I wanted them safely home before I tried anything reckless. For now, I needed to stay alive and give him a reason to let me outside. He'd heard about my dad, my mother's drinking, my fear of losing Tessa. He hadn't interrupted. I'd almost forgotten where I was—until he locked me in again. That small kindness wasn't freedom. But his interest might be useful. I fell asleep rehearsing warmth I didn't feel. Near dawn, the door banged open. Mateo crawled toward the bed in a gold shirt and dirty white jeans, gripping a nearly empty glass. “Still up?” “Thanks to you.” He climbed beside me. I retreated toward the wall, gathering the sheet. “Been thinking about you.” “You too,” I said, trying to sound pleased. Mostly I'd been thinking about getting away from him. Details. He showered the bed with gold confetti from his pockets. “Should've come to the party.” He was drunk enough to crawl. Maybe he was drunk enough to agree to something he normally wouldn't. “We could still go down,” I suggested. “Have a dance. Just the two of us.” Perhaps a guest was still outside. Perhaps he'd look away for a moment, and I could run. Either possibility made it hard to breathe. I leaned in to kiss him. He sat up before our mouths met. Had he missed the signal? Or read it too well? He offered me drugs. I refused. I needed my judgment intact if I got through that door. Then he climbed off the mattress. His next words were much steadier. “You don't need to act interested in me.” This is a story I wrote! If you’re into it, come check out my characters on Cycle AI and show them some love！ #Cycleai #DarkRomance #BookTok #CaptiveRomance #Cliffhanger

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