Chapter 6: I'm Ready

Lila stepped out of the elevator into the cool night air. The rain had finally stopped, leaving the sidewalks shiny and the city lights sharp against a clear sky. She pulled her phone from the pocket of the emerald dress and dialed Sarah before she could change her mind. The line rang twice.

"Hey," Lila said when her friend picked up. "I just slapped Tyler in the lobby of the Meridian. I'm coming over. I need to talk."

Sarah's voice came through loud and clear, half shocked, half laughing. "You did what? Get in a cab right now. Door's unlocked. I'll pour the wine."

The cab ride felt short but endless. Lila kept rubbing her right palm where it still stung from the slap. Every time her fingers brushed the tender skin she remembered the sharp crack of her hand meeting Tyler's cheek, the way his head snapped sideways, the stunned look in his eyes before rage took over. The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror once or twice but said nothing. She stared out the window at the wet streets and tried to steady her breathing.

When she reached Sarah's building in Hell's Kitchen, she climbed the three flights of stairs, legs heavy. She pushed open the apartment door without knocking. The place smelled like vanilla candles and the leftover pizza Sarah always ordered on bad nights. Warm light from a single lamp spilled across the living room.

Sarah met her at the door in an oversized T-shirt and leggings, hair piled on top of her head. She pulled Lila into a tight hug, arms wrapping around her like she could squeeze the whole mess away. "Let me look at you," Sarah said, stepping back. She took Lila's hand and examined the red mark across her palm. "Damn. You really hit him hard. Come sit down before you fall over."

Lila sank onto the couch, the cushions soft and familiar under her. Sarah handed her a glass of cheap red wine and sat cross-legged beside her, knees touching. "Start from the beginning. Don't leave anything out. I want every single detail."

Lila took a long sip. The wine tasted tart on her tongue and warmed her chest. She told Sarah everything, voice steady at first, then cracking in places. The Thai food bag dropping in the bedroom doorway. The heels and the bra on the stairs. The moans. The exact words Tyler had groaned while he was inside the other woman. The bar on the rainy rooftop. The silver-fox stranger who had looked at her like he already knew what she needed. The elevator ride up. The way Marcus had fucked her against the window until she could barely stand. The name Hale clicking into place the next morning. The lobby confrontation. Tyler grabbing her arm. The slap. And finally his words, still ringing in her ears like they had been burned there.

"He called me an ugly bitch," Lila said. Her fingers tightened around the stem of the wine glass until her knuckles turned white. "Said he never loved me. I was just convenient. Paid the bills, cooked the food, kept the lights on. That's all I was to him."

Sarah's eyes widened. She set her own glass down so hard it clinked against the coffee table. "He said that to your face? After everything you did for him? Lila, you slapped the shit out of him and walked away like a queen. I'm so proud of you. Seriously. That took guts."

Lila nodded, but her shoulders stayed tight. She told Sarah about Marcus's offer. The clothes hanging in the penthouse, the movers already packing up her old apartment, the way he had held her after the lobby and said he wasn't leaving her to face any more of Tyler's poison alone. "He wants me to stay with him. Not just tonight. For real. He said whatever I need, it's mine."

Sarah leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "His dad, Lila. Tyler's actual father. That's a whole different level of complicated. I get it. You were hurting and he made you feel wanted. But are you sure this isn't just revenge wearing nice suits and a penthouse view?"

Before Lila could answer, the front door clicked open. Sarah's boyfriend, Jake, walked in carrying a six-pack of beer and a brown paper bag that smelled like tacos. He was tall, easy smile, hair still messy from whatever shift he had just finished. "Hey, babe," he said, bending down to kiss Sarah right there in front of Lila. The kiss started soft, then deepened. His hand slid to the back of her neck, thumb brushing her skin. Sarah made a small sound against his mouth and pulled him closer by the front of his shirt.

Lila looked away, but she could not unsee it. The easy way Jake's fingers traced Sarah's waist. The way Sarah smiled into the kiss like it was the most natural thing in the world. Heat pooled low in Lila's belly. She pressed her thighs together under the emerald dress, but that only made it worse. Her mind flashed to Marcus. The way his thick cock had stretched her against the window. The low growl in her ear when he told her to scream his name. The way he had filled her so deep she still felt the ache hours later. Her nipples tightened against the soft fabric. A slow, slick warmth spread between her legs, sudden and undeniable. She shifted on the couch, trying to ignore how wet she had gotten just from watching her best friend kiss her boyfriend.

Jake pulled back with a grin. "I'll give you two some space. Tacos in the bag if you're hungry." He disappeared into the kitchen, whistling.

Sarah turned back to Lila, cheeks flushed. "Sorry about that. He gets handsy after a long shift."

Lila forced a smile, but her pulse beat hard between her thighs. She could still feel the ghost of Marcus's hands on her hips, the way he had pinned her to the glass and made her watch the city while he fucked her slow and deep. Tyler had never made her body react like that. Never once.

She set her wine glass down. "I think I should go."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Back to the penthouse?"

Lila nodded. She stood, smoothing the emerald dress over her curves. Her skin felt too warm, too aware of every brush of fabric. "Yeah. I need to tell him I accept. I'm ready."

She stepped into the hallway outside Sarah's door, phone already in her hand. The city lights glittered sharp and clear now that the rain had stopped. She dialed Marcus's number. It rang once.

His deep voice answered. "Lila."

She swallowed, the ache between her legs still pulsing. "I accept. I'm ready."

There was a short pause. Then Marcus spoke again, voice low and certain. "Good girl. Get in the car waiting downstairs. I'll be waiting for you."

Lila's breath caught as she ended the call. She looked at the screen one more time. A new message had just appeared from an unknown number. The preview showed only two words that made her stomach drop.

"We need to talk".