Chapter 19. Breaking Point

Evelyn

I halted in my tracks, his voice slicing through the silence like a knife. Then came the click, and suddenly the bar lights flickered on, casting a warm glow over the staircase and illuminating my figure. A peculiar heat crept up my skin, seeping into my flesh and bones—his voice, resonant and deep, carried an edge that sent my heart into a frenzy.

Summoning my courage, I clenched and unclenched my fists before finally turning to face him, meeting his gaze head-on. There he sat on a bar stool, his appearance starkly different from the morning encounter. Shirtless, every contour of his sculpted muscles on display, the veins in his arms prominent. Strands of hair fell across his forehead, offering tantalizing glimpses of his enchanting green eyes. In his hand, a glass of whiskey, his favorite brand—ironic, considering Dad despised it yet still brought it home upon Jacob’s arrival, despite claiming to loathe his best friend now. Strange, wasn’t it?

Every