1 Bold Offer

Shit.

Phoebe Sheldon grunted, her head throbbing from the intense pounding that could rival the great flood.

Last night was a blur. Her engagement party had been a blast, with all her friends and family in attendance. She had indulged a bit too much in the festivities, and drank a little too much wine. Thus she was forced to retire early and fell asleep quickly in her hotel room.

Pushing her hands against the mattress, she struggled to sit up. The coldness of the bed struck her, and she suddenly realized why. The space next to her, where her fiancé should have been, lay empty.

Morning already? She checked the clock and saw it was only one in the morning. With a heavy grunt, she pushed herself up from the thick mattress and made her way to the adjoining room where her cousin was meant to be sleeping.

The door was unlocked, and as she gently pushed it ajar, there she saw her fiancé buried hilt-deep in between her step sister's thighs. She froze in shock as if struck by lightning.

Moans enveloped the room, each one hitting Phoebe like an exploding bomb. She pressed her palms against her mouth, trying to stifle her sobs, and softly shut the door. Despite the closed door, the sounds of lustful screams and whimpers continued, mingling with the wild, screeching noise of the bouncing bed frames.

Sitting on the edge of the fountain, the wind whipped against Phoebe's face as she gazed up at the sky, silently pleading for answers. For two years, she had been a faithful, loving girlfriend, giving her all to a man who ultimately betrayed and broke her heart. Now, unsure of how to move forward, Phoebe struggled with the knowledge that her own step sister had taken away the one person who truly mattered to her.

Desire for revenge burned within her. Little did she realize that retribution was on the horizon, embodied by a strikingly handsome stranger wearing a mysterious masquerade mask.

Muttering a curse under his breath, Jack Lorenzo struggled to button up his shirt. Seeking peace, he had retreated to the balcony with a glass of Screaming Eagle. The last thing he expected was for a woman to lunge at him like a hungry tiger. Thankfully, she was drunk, allowing him to swiftly guide her off him and onto the couch before making his escape.

It was the wedding anniversaries of three of his closest friends. Jack sarcastically referred to them as "the three idiots" for all deciding to get married on the same day and month. Throughout the party, he endured their teasing, including a playful attempt to strip him naked and auction him off to the female guests in a comedic effort to find him a wife.

At just thirty years old, Jack wasn't quite ready to settle down; no one had managed to catch his eye and stir those thoughts just yet. Lost in contemplation, Jack blinked and refocused his gaze, noticing a woman with long blonde hair cascading like a waterfall down her shoulders near the fountain.

He was never one to believe in nymphs or ethereal beings, but in that moment, with the moonlight gently illuminating her delicate features, she seemed otherworldly. Her bright eyes outshone the stars, and her naturally red lips put even the most vibrant flowers ashamed to bloom in their presence. Something about her struck him deeply, unlike anything he had experienced before. Although he typically would have ignored someone in a situation like this, he couldn't resist the pull she had on him and found himself walking towards the fountain.

Jack struggled to come up with a witty remark to catch her attention, the kind that always made girls blush when he spoke, but his mind drew a blank at that crucial moment. No clever words or charming phrases came to him.

Phoebe gazed up at the man, noticing him for the first time, his hazel green eyes sparkling like precious gems in the moonlight. She had never been one to believe in deities, but in that moment, he seemed almost divine, bathed in a sliver of light that highlighted his features.

His intense gaze made her feel as though she might melt under its weight. She attempted to avert her eyes, but it was as if an invisible force kept her locked in place. Blinking rapidly, she watched as he began to blur before her eyes. "Take this," he said, offering her a handkerchief and that's when she realized she's crying.

Phoebe hesitated.. However, she sensed no ill intentions or malice emanating from him. It appeared that he simply wanted her to wipe away her tears. Slowly, she accepted the handkerchief, feeling the softness of the fabric in her hands, and gently pressed it against her damp cheeks.

"Come with me," he offered with a hint of a smile. "I can make all your worries disappear." Jack had witnessed the deep sadness etched on her face, a weariness that suggested she was fed up with the world around her. He feared that if he didn't intervene soon, she might spiral into a dark place. And so, he was determined to distract her from the pain that weighed her down.

"What do you have to offer?" Phoebe asked warily. She observed him from head to toe. If she sought revenge, he seemed like the ideal candidate to carry out the deed. "Money, wealth, power? I have no use for any of that."

Jack grinned mischievously. "Will my body be enough?" It was meant as a lighthearted jest, an attempt to lighten her mood, with no inkling that she might have interpreted it differently.

Phoebe stood up decisively, her mind made up. She's playing with fire, aware of the danger it posed. Yet, she longed for the fire, wanting it to engulf and consume her. "Give me your room number."

Jack was in a daze. His mouth opened slowly, and his hand seemed to move of its own accord as it retrieved his key card and passed it to her without a word.

***

However, nothing happened to them that night. Instead, Phoebe entlded throwing up at him in the middle of their deed and quickly fell aslep.