NOVEL NEXT Chapter 131: You don't Know When to Stop, Do You?
Alex grabbed his jacket with violent efficiency, his movements sharp and desperate.
He needed to get away... not just from the hospital, but from everything that reminded him of the impossible choice slowly tearing his sanity apart.
Somewhere he could think without her voice echoing in his ears, without the memory of her lips almost touching his making his pulse race with shameful anticipation.
He moved through the hospital corridors with desperate purpose, not bothering to tell anyone where he was going.
Every step took him further from Linda's confession, from the impossible choice, from the voice in his head that wouldn't stop whispering temptations.
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the hospital parking lot as Alex walked toward his car.
But as his hand touched the car door handle, a familiar voice cut through the quiet air like a blade.
"Alex! Wait up!"
He turned to see Lila jogging toward him, her hair catching the golden light, a practiced, teasing smile on her lips.
Fuck, Alex thought grimly. The last thing I need right now.
She stopped just a step away, close enough that he could feel the heat radiating from her.
Her stance was deliberate... one hip jutting slightly, shoulders relaxed, arms loosely crossed in a way that barely concealed the curves beneath her shirt.
"Hey," Lila said breathlessly, tilting her head just enough to let a stray lock of hair brush her cheek. "Perfect timing. I was hoping I'd catch you."
Alex felt the tension coil in his chest. She wasn't here by accident... he could tell. Every subtle movement, every casual tilt of her body screamed intent.
"Fuck this bitch," he muttered under his breath, clenching his jaw, "but she's not even pretending tonight."
Her closeness, the faint scent of her perfume, the almost imperceptible sway as she shifted her weight… it was calculated, meant to draw him in.
He knew exactly what she was doing, and it only made the anger and irritation spike.
Lila stepped a little closer, tilting her head. "Where were you, Alex… Everyone's concerned. You're not even picking your phone," she said, her tone casual, but the sharp edge beneath it made him tense.
"Something urgent came up," he said aloud, forcing his voice to sound calm despite the storm raging in his head. His grip tightened on the car keys.
Lila's lips curved into a knowing smile as she moved to block his path to the driver's side, her presence suddenly much more aggressive than playful.
"Actually," she said, voice low, playful, letting her gaze flicker up at him, "I was hoping… you could give me a ride."
She let the words linger, the almost imperceptible emphasis on you making it clear she knew exactly the effect she was aiming for.
Her lips curved into a faint, mischievous smile as she shifted her weight slightly closer, just enough to brush against him.
Alex's jaw clenched. Of course. Of fucking course.
"I'm sure someone else can give you a ride," he said, moving to step around her.
But Lila matched his movement, staying directly in his path. "Come on, Alex. We're going to the same area anyway, aren't we? It's not like it's out of your way."
Her voice carried a hint of challenge now, like she was testing how far she could push him.
Alex stared at her, his mind racing through options. Every instinct screamed at him to refuse, to get in his car and drive away without looking back.
Lila was trouble... had always been trouble... and tonight he had enough problems without adding her to the mix.
But if I refuse too harshly, she'll know something's wrong, he realized reluctantly.
She'll start asking questions, maybe mention to Danny that I was acting strange. The last thing I need is more attention right now.
And there was another consideration... a darker one he didn't want to acknowledge. If he was being honest with himself, part of him wanted the distraction.
Wanted something... anything... to occupy his mind other than Linda's confession and the impossible choice waiting for him.
Fuck it, he thought with grim resignation. One ride. Get her home, get rid of her, then figure out what the hell I'm going to do.
"Fine," Alex said curtly, clicking the unlock button on his keys. "But I'm not making any stops, and I'm not in the mood for conversation."
Lila's triumphant smile told him she'd known she would win this particular battle. "Of course," she said sweetly, moving toward the passenger side. "I'll be quiet as a mouse."
Like hell you will, Alex thought as he got behind the wheel.
As Lila settled into the passenger seat, adjusting her skirt and somehow managing to make even buckling her seatbelt look seductive, Alex felt a familiar weight settling over him.
What the fuck is wrong with my life? he wondered as he started the engine, trying to ignore the way Lila was watching him with those calculating eyes.
The hospital faded in his rearview mirror, taking him away from Linda's confession and toward whatever game Lila was planning to play.
The day just keeps getting better, he thought grimly as he pulled out of the parking lot with his unwanted passenger, wondering how many more complications his life could handle before something finally broke.
He kept his eyes on the road, one hand gripping the wheel. The fading sunlight cast long shadows across his tired face, tracing every line of exhaustion.
Lila studied his profile in the intermittent light, noting the tension in his jaw, the way his knuckles were white against the steering wheel.
Something had clearly happened before she'd found him, and whatever it was had left him raw, vulnerable.
Perfect timing, she thought with dark satisfaction.
"You look..." she tilted her head, her voice dropping to a softer register, "like you've had a rough day. Everything okay?"
"I'm fine," Alex said, voice clipped, eyes fixed ahead. "And save your talking."
"You're different today," she said, her tone tilting between tease and challenge. "Serious, busy. A hard-working man."
She let the words hang in the air for a moment, watching for his reaction.
When he didn't respond, she leaned slightly closer, her voice dropping to something more intimate.
"You know, I've always thought hard-working men are... kind of hot."
"I told you to stay silent," Alex said flatly, his grip tightening on the wheel.
Lila laughed softly, a sound that held no real contrition. "Come on, you're no fun."
She shifted in her seat, angling her body toward him more directly. The movement was calculated, designed to draw his attention despite his obvious desire to ignore her presence.
"Besides," she continued, her voice carrying a playful edge, "I can see you're all wound up about something. Maybe talking would help. Or..." Her lips curved into a knowing smile. "Maybe there are other ways to work off that tension."
Silence stretched across the car, broken only by the hum of the engine and the weight of what neither dared to say.
Alex's silence wasn't discouraging her... if anything, it seemed to embolden her further.
"You know what I think?" Lila said, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper. "I think underneath all that control, all that responsibility, there's a man who wants to let go. Who wants to stop thinking so much and just... feel."
She reached out, her fingertips barely brushing against his arm. "I could help with that."
"You don't know when to stop, do you?" His voice was low, deliberate, and sharp, each word carrying the weight of warning... and promise. Not playful, not teasing. Serious. Dangerous.