The salt in the air was thick, the scent of the ocean mixing with the faint smell of damp wood. Amelia stood on the weathered pier, staring out at the dark, almost impenetrable sea. The night was eerily still, save for the distant hum of the city behind her. The lights from the buildings glimmered like distant stars, but it was the ocean that had always drawn her in—a reminder of how small she was in the grand scheme of things. It was her escape, her place of solace, where she could think without being judged or interrupted.
Her fingers curled around the railing, the cold metal biting into her skin, grounding her in the present. The water below churned slightly, as if echoing her internal restlessness. Amelia had always been good at hiding what she was feeling. In fact, she'd become an expert at it. But tonight, something gnawed at her—a feeling of being watched. She couldn't shake it, no matter how much she tried to convince herself it was just paranoia.
A shadow moved in the corner of her eye. She turned quickly, but the person who stood there was already walking towards her. Tall, with dark hair falling just over his eyes, he was dressed in a black leather jacket and dark jeans, his presence both striking and unsettling. There was an air about him—something magnetic, yet dangerous. He seemed to glide effortlessly across the pier, as if he belonged to the night itself.
"Nice night for a walk," he said, his voice low and smooth, with a hint of something she couldn't quite place. His gaze met hers, and for a brief moment, she forgot how to breathe.
"Yeah, it is," Amelia replied, trying to mask the sudden flutter in her chest. It wasn't the wind making her skin tingle. It was him. There was something about the way he looked at her—something predatory, yet intriguing. "You come here often?"
"Not often," he answered, his lips curling into a half-smile. It was the kind of smile that made her question whether he was hiding something. "But tonight, I couldn't resist."
They stood there in silence for a moment, the sound of the waves crashing against the pier filling the void between them. Amelia couldn't understand why she felt this strange pull toward him. She should have been on alert—this wasn't a place where strangers should be trusted—but instead, she found herself intrigued, her curiosity overpowering her better judgment.
"I'm Amelia," she finally said, breaking the silence. "I don't usually meet strangers like this."
His smile widened slightly, his eyes narrowing in amusement. "Dominic," he replied, his voice almost a whisper, as if sharing the name was a secret between them. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming her senses. "I didn't mean to interrupt your solitude. I've just been... watching you."
The words were out before she could stop him. He'd been watching her? The words struck her like a cold wave, and instinctively, she stepped back, her pulse quickening. Something was off. She wasn't sure if it was the way he said it or the way he seemed so... confident, as if he knew something about her that she didn't.
"You've been watching me?" Amelia echoed, her voice a little too sharp.
"Not in a creepy way," he said, his expression almost unreadable. "Just from a distance. I couldn't help but notice you, Amelia. There's something about you... a vulnerability, perhaps. You're hiding something, aren't you?"
Her heart skipped a beat, and her body froze. How did he know? She hadn't said a word about herself, and yet, he seemed to know exactly how to get under her skin. Amelia had been living a life of careful concealment for years—never revealing too much, always keeping herself at a distance from others. But Dominic—his eyes burned through her facade as if he could see every secret she had buried deep inside.
"I don't hide anything," she snapped, trying to regain control of the conversation.
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at her with an intensity that made her feel exposed, vulnerable. His eyes flickered briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes, and for a brief moment, Amelia wondered if he could hear the rapid pounding of her heart. He wasn't just a stranger on a pier; he was something more, something that stirred something deep within her—a mixture of desire and danger.
"You don't have to hide anything from me," he said, his voice softer now, almost coaxing. "I can tell that you're more than just what you show on the outside. I can see the real you, Amelia."
The words hung in the air between them, charged with unspoken promises, with an electricity she couldn't deny. She swallowed hard, unsure of what to say next. She wanted to retreat, to turn around and walk away, but something inside her refused. Something told her that this encounter—this moment—was too important to let slip away.
"Why are you here, Dominic?" she finally asked, her voice quieter now, almost uncertain.
Dominic took a step closer, the heat of his body radiating in the cool night air. His eyes were intense, locking onto hers with a fierce determination. "I'm here because I couldn't stay away. You've been calling to me, Amelia. Whether you know it or not."
A chill ran down her spine, and her breath hitched in her throat. His proximity was intoxicating, and yet, she felt an overwhelming sense of danger, of something darker lurking beneath the surface of his words. She had no idea who he was or what he wanted, but she couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter—this man—would change her life in ways she couldn't even begin to imagine.
"You don't know anything about me," she said, her voice wavering slightly, betraying the nervous energy building inside her.
"I know enough," he replied, his gaze moving to her lips once more. "I know that you want something more than what you have. And I can give you that, if you'll let me."
Amelia's mind raced. Was he referring to the attraction between them? Or something more dangerous? She didn't know whether to run or to stay. But as she stood there, caught between the pull of his words and the need to protect herself, she realized that this moment, this man, had already planted itself in her mind. She couldn't walk away now, not when she was so close to uncovering what lay beneath the surface.
Dominic leaned in slightly, his breath warm against her cheek. "Trust me, Amelia. You're going to want to know more."