Leo's POV:

It was nearly midnight when Sera called me.

That alone immediately put me on edge.

Sera usually texted first. She never called unless something was wrong.

The moment I answered, her soft voice came through the speaker.

"Can you meet me at the club?"

No explanation.

No teasing tone.

Just that simple question.

I was already grabbing my keys before the call even ended.

By the time I arrived at the club, the parking lot was nearly empty.

Not a single customer in sight.

Every instinct in my body sharpened instantly.

Something felt off.

I stepped out of my car and quietly shut the door behind me while scanning the dark building carefully.

My hand instinctively moved toward the gun secured beneath my jacket as I entered through the front doors.

The club was silent.

Too silent.

No music.

No voices.

No movement.

Only dim lights glowing faintly near the stage.

"Sera?" I called cautiously.

Nothing.

I slowly moved farther inside, every muscle in my body tense and prepared for trouble.

Just as I approached the stage, one of Sera's coworkers suddenly appeared from the shadows.

I immediately relaxed slightly, removing my hand from my weapon.

The woman smirked knowingly.

"You're early."

"What's going on?" I asked carefully.

Instead of answering, she motioned toward a table near the stage.

"Take the seat closest to the front."

Confusion flickered through me, but I sat down anyway.

The coworker grinned.

"Enjoy the show."

The lights suddenly shut off.

For a brief second, darkness consumed the room completely.

Then music began playing softly through the speakers.

A single spotlight illuminated the stage.

And there she was.

Sera.

Jesus Christ.

She stood beneath the light wearing black lace lingerie that hugged every curve of her body perfectly. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders while her heels clicked softly against the stage floor as she slowly approached the pole.

My entire body immediately tightened.

Sera's eyes locked onto mine as she began moving gracefully to the music.

Slow.

Seductive.

Dangerous.

Every movement felt intentional.

Like she was dancing only for me.

And maybe she was.

I leaned back in my chair, trying desperately to maintain some level of self-control while she spun around the pole effortlessly.

But the second she slid one hand slowly down her body while staring directly at me...

Yeah.

Self-control was rapidly disappearing.

I wanted her.

Badly.

Not just physically either.

That was the problem.

The deeper this thing between us became, the harder it was to separate desire from emotion.

And I was already too far gone to stop myself now.

The music finally ended several torturous minutes later.

The lights returned slowly while Sera stepped off the stage, slightly breathless and smiling nervously.

I stood immediately.

The second she reached me, I grabbed her waist and kissed her hard enough to steal the breath from both of us.

When we finally pulled apart, she laughed softly.

"Surprise."

I stared at her for a second, still trying to recover mentally from whatever the hell that dance had just done to me.

"You trying to kill me, bella?"

Her cheeks flushed slightly.

"I just wanted to do something nice for you."

"Nice?" I laughed quietly. "Sera, I nearly lost my mind sitting there."

She bit her lower lip nervously.

"You liked it?"

I stepped closer until my hands rested against her hips again.

"I liked it far more than I probably should've."

The look in her eyes darkened slightly at my tone.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

The tension between us thickened almost instantly.

"Do you have plans tonight?" I asked quietly.

She shook her head slowly.

"Good."

My thumb brushed softly across her waist.

"Then come home with me."

Her breath caught slightly.

Then she nodded.

"Okay."

***

Sera disappeared briefly into the locker room before returning a few minutes later wearing her own clothes instead of the stage outfit.

But honestly?

She looked just as beautiful.

The drive back to my place felt different tonight.

Quieter.

Heavier.

Charged with tension.

Sera spent most of the ride staring out the window while absentmindedly playing with the sleeve of my jacket she'd stolen earlier that week.

Cute.

When we finally reached my gated neighborhood, she looked over at me in shock.

"You live here?"

I chuckled softly as the gates slowly opened.

"Problem?"

"No," she breathed while staring around at the massive homes surrounding us. "It's just... insane."

I pulled into my driveway and parked inside the garage before walking around to open her door.

The second Sera stepped inside my house, her eyes widened again.

The soft lighting illuminated marble floors, modern furniture, and massive windows overlooking the water beyond the backyard.

"This is your house?" she whispered.

I smiled slightly while helping her remove her jacket.

"You sound surprised."

"I am surprised."

I hung her jacket carefully before taking her hand and leading her upstairs.

Sera stayed close beside me while looking around curiously at everything.

But the moment we entered my bedroom...

The mood shifted immediately.

Silence settled between us.

Heavy silence.

The kind filled with anticipation.

I turned toward her slowly and brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

God, she was beautiful.

My fingers trailed gently down her arm before I leaned down and kissed her softly.

Sera melted against me instantly.

One kiss became two.

Then three.

Then suddenly her hands were gripping my jacket while mine settled against her waist.

Our breathing slowly grew uneven.

I pulled back slightly, forcing myself to look at her clearly.

"Sera..."

Her lips were swollen from kissing while her eyes searched mine nervously.

"Are you sure?"

I needed to ask.

Because despite what people believed about men like me...

I would never take something from her she wasn't ready to give.

Sera stepped closer and slid my jacket from my shoulders before letting it fall to the floor.

Then her fingers slowly unbuttoned my shirt while never breaking eye contact.

"That answer your question?"

Jesus Christ.

I swallowed hard.

Barely.

Still, I gently caught her hands before she could continue.

"We don't have to do anything tonight," I said honestly. "I mean that."

Her expression softened immediately.

Then she kissed me again.

Slowly this time.

Tenderly.

Like she was trying to say something words couldn't fully explain.

"I want this," she whispered against my lips.

That tiny sentence nearly destroyed whatever self-control I had left.

I shut the bedroom door before walking back toward her.

Sera's hands slid across my chest while mine rested carefully against her waist.

Every touch felt slower now.

More intentional.

More emotional.

Which somehow made everything feel even more intense.

I lifted her gently onto the edge of the bed before kissing her again, deeper this time.

Her fingers tangled into my hair while my hands traced slowly along her thighs.

Neither of us rushed.

There was no urgency anymore.

Just us.

Her.

Me.

And the terrifying realization growing stronger inside my chest every second I looked at her.

I rested my forehead gently against hers while catching my breath.

Then quietly...

Honestly...

Before I could stop myself...

"I love you, Sera."

The words slipped out so naturally that for a second, even I froze.

But the moment I saw the look in her eyes...

I realized I meant every single word.