Chapter 89:

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Kellan’s face remained as neutral as a cloudless sky, but the subtle tightening of his fingers betrayed the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.

He hadn’t expected Allison’s response to be even more flippant than his own. Without the slightest flicker of embarrassment or discomfort, she casually remarked, “Doesn’t count. That night? Let’s just say your performance didn’t exactly blow me away.”

His gaze darkened, the memory of the paltry tip left on the nightstand flashing across his mind like a bitter aftertaste.

Allison’s head lifted slowly, their eyes locking, and in that moment, a spark ignited between them—so intense it felt like the air was charged with invisible lightning.

Kellan’s pulse quickened, his voice dropping to a low, gravelly tone. “Care to let me make up for it?” His words dripped with challenge.

Her response was dismissive, laced with amusement. “No, thanks. Missed opportunities don’t come knocking twice. Mess up once, you’re done. No second chances from me.”

The elevator doors parted with a soft chime, and they both stepped inside.

For a moment, silence blanketed the space, heavy with unspoken words.

Just as the doors began to close, Kellan suddenly rose from his wheelchair, and at the same instant, Allison grabbed his tie, yanking him forward with startling force.

Their eyes locked again, and in that fiery exchange, neither needed to speak to know exactly what they both craved.

“Nice tie, Mr. Lloyd,” Allison teased, her voice light but edged with mischief.

Lɒtєst ϲh𝒶ptєrs ιn g𝓪lnovеℓ𝓈.𝗰𝗼𝗺

“Your eyes are nicer, Ms. Clarke,” he replied smoothly, his hand slipping behind her neck as she held a firm grip on his tie.

Their gazes intertwined, and in that split second, it felt as though their souls were laid bare—raw and vulnerable. Kellan could hear the pounding of his heart echoing in his chest, the intensity of the moment crashing over him like a tidal wave.

In a synchronized move, they leaned in, and their lips collided with the force of a lightning strike. The kiss was searing, fierce, unapologetically assertive. Unlike their previous chaotic encounter, this one was deliberate—a silent challenge woven into every touch.

Neither was willing to concede. Both pushed for control, their combined tension sparking like two blades locked in combat.

Allison’s grip on his tie tightened, nearly cutting off his breath, while Kellan’s fingers tangled in her hair, pulling her closer as if he intended to merge their very beings into one.

A low, strained hiss escaped between them, neither willing to yield. The connection between them crackled like an electric storm, a game of chess where one false move could mean total surrender. Yet, the thrill of the battle kept them locked in place.

This battle of wills, this intoxicating rivalry, thrummed through their veins, resonating with something primal and deep.

As the elevator descended rapidly, it arrived at the underground parking lot, bringing a cool gust of air laced with the faint scent of gardenias. The doors slid open with a soft ding.

Just as swiftly as they had come together, they pulled apart, as if the searing exchange had been nothing more than a fleeting illusion.

Allison walked toward her car, casually twirling her keys between her fingers as though nothing had transpired. “Goodbye, Mr. Lloyd,” she said over her shoulder, her tone calm and uninterested.

Without a second glance, she drove off, leaving him standing there in her wake. The way she departed, with such ease, reminded Kellan of someone dressing and leaving after the act—cold and detached, as though the moment had never held any real meaning.

It wasn’t until her car had disappeared into the distance that Kellan registered the fire still coursing through his veins, a slow burn that had taken hold of his entire body. “Goodbye, Ms. Clarke,” he muttered under his breath, more to himself than to the empty air.

Women had never been more than a distant afterthought for him, let alone something as intimate as a kiss. But this kiss had been different from the one they’d shared before. If their earlier encounter had been raw instinct, a surrender to base desires, then this one carried the weight of every smoldering emotion and unspoken power play between them.

Kellan couldn’t begin to untangle the web of Allison’s mind. She was like the calm surface of the ocean, concealing a whirlpool of dangerous currents underneath. Whether in lust or intellect, Allison always seemed to have the upper hand, as though she was playing a game only she understood.

Reflecting on it, Kellan let out a quiet, bitter laugh.

“She’s playing me for a fool.”

She had kissed him and then walked away without a second thought, leaving him to stew in the aftermath. No matter how long he pondered it, he couldn’t unravel the enigma that was Allison.

The faint scent of gardenias still lingered in the cool air, hanging in the parking lot like a ghostly reminder of their intense, private moment.

As the floral scent teased his senses, Kellan couldn’t help but think of the flower’s meaning—eternal love and promises.

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