IMDD CHAPTER 226 [SEASON 4] (Patreon)

Eva knew little about this man, except, of course, his formidable background and the obvious. Because they never delved into deep conversations or shared personal stories, they didn’t know much about each other, despite months of going out. This lack of personal connection was the reason they were able to maintain their arrangement for so long; the less they knew about each other, the less complicated things became, and the more convenient it was for both.

“Don’t get too drunk and pass out just because I’m here." His sudden remark broke the silence.

She smirked, a playful glint in her eyes. "Afraid I'll throw up on you?"

That line suddenly reminded her of Gage again, causing her smile to fade quickly. In her attempt to hide her changing expression from Calix, Eva decided to head to the dance floor. “I think I’ll go dance a bit to sober up,” she told him.

But as she rose, so did Calix. “No, you don’t need to come…” she trailed off, as he was already striding ahead.

Shaking her head, she followed him until her footsteps carried her to the pulsating heart of the room—the dance floor. The rhythm quickly enveloped her, and just like that, she surrendered to the music, swaying and dancing.

Calix, on the other hand, simply stood there, an island of stillness in a sea of motion. Eva threw him an incredulous glance, laughter dancing in her eyes, even though this action of his was not really surprising, given his character.

“Are you really just going to stand there like a log?” Her voice, with a teasing lilt, sliced through the pulsating beats of the music. But while she moved freely, Calix remained rooted to the spot, an immovable presence amid the ever-shifting sea of dancers.

He leaned closer. "I'm only here to ensure that you don't end up squashed beneath a pair of dancing shoes, woman."

A genuine laugh bubbled up from Eva. "You're full of surprises tonight," she said, her hands grabbing his with an insistent grip to make him dance. “But seriously, live a little, big guy. Dance…”

But even as she tugged him along, the man remained immovable, save for his arms. "I don't dance," he replied, though he didn't pull away. He allowed her to grip his hands, standing firmly as she danced around him.

As Eva surrendered to the dance, the world seemed to fade as the music enveloped her. For those moments, nothing else mattered but the dance, the music, and the thumping bass syncing with her heartbeat.

The intoxication of dance and melody had momentarily lulled Eva into a respite from the relentless ache that was filling her chest. 

But in that apex of escape, when the music was its most potent and the dance was its most frenzied, an icy chill suddenly clawed its way up her spine. It was an inexplicable yet hauntingly familiar sensation. As if someone—someone familiar yet different and terrifying—was staring so intensely right through her.

In that moment, it was as though time itself froze, silencing the crowd. The entire world seemed to draw a collective breath.

The once comforting thrum of the music, which had masked the persistent sting of her heartache, was now drowned out by this overpowering sensation. It was as if an invisible thread tugged at the very core of her being.

Her gaze, instinctively, sought Calix’s. Perhaps she wanted to know if he somehow felt that too or if it was just her. Surprisingly, she found him staring intensely at something—or someone—just beyond her.

Following his line of sight, she turned.

Her heart lurched violently in her chest.

Amidst the bar's dim, ambient lighting, she spotted a familiar figure seated there with casual elegance.

The way he reclined on the couch, with an arm lazily thrown over the back, and the very manner in which he held himself, radiated a magnetism Eva had been drawn to time and time again. Even obscured by the shadows and the wisp of cigarette smoke that veiled his face, she knew him. Every fiber of her being recognized him.

With her heart in a frenzied gallop, she dropped Calix's hand and rushed towards him.

"Gage..."

___

a/n: What do you think will happen next? 😅