What was supposed to be a quick pit stop had turned into a full-blown week in Nebraska.

Originally, it was just a simple trip to see your cousins—nothing more than a blip on your road map. Maybe swing by for one of Ash’s infamous drinks, catch up, and be back on the road by morning. But that plan went up in smoke the second Jo caught sight of you.

One look, and she was already plotting. And really, who were you to say no to your favorite cousin?

So now you were here—still here—sweating through your clothes in a bar that reeked of too many bodies and even more regret. The lights flickered like they were on their last leg, and the music buzzed faintly through crackling speakers. It was the kind of place where trouble didn’t just show up—it was born there.

Leaning against the bar beside Jo, you gave her a tired grin as she slid a drink your way. It was neon blue and slightly concerning. With a shrug, you tipped it back, hoping it wouldn’t kill you. It burned in a way that made your eyes water. If you had taken any more, surely you'd have been knocked onto your ass.

You were still trying not to choke when you caught sight of him.

Green eyes. Sharp jaw. A smirk that said he’d been watching you for a while. He sat across the bar, gaze lingering like it had every intention of staying there. For a second, he seemed to weigh his odds—and then, he stood.

Your stomach dipped.

Jo followed your line of sight, and the second she realized who you were looking at, she let out a low groan.

“Oh, no,” she muttered, taking another drink. “Don’t even think about it. He’s smooth as hell—and twice as dangerous. You’ll blink and forget how your clothes came off.”

You didn’t respond, couldn’t, not with the way he was moving through the crowd like it parted just for him.

His presence hit you before he even spoke—commanding, confident, impossible to ignore. He had his own magnetic field. He stopped in front of you like he belonged there.

“Well, well,” he said, voice low and rough around the edges. The kind of voice made for late-night trouble. “Jo never told me she had such a pretty friend.”