EPISODE 20
ELIAS
This was a terrible idea.
I knew it the moment Mira dropped the bottle between us like it was something harmless.
It wasn’t.
Not with this group.
Not with her sitting across from me.
Not with him sitting next to her.
The sun had dipped lower now, painting everything in gold—soft light stretching across the deck, catching skin, highlighting curves, outlining bodies in a way that made everything feel… closer.
More intimate.
More dangerous.
And Althea— she looked like she belonged in that light.
The burnt-orange bikini clung to her like it was made for her skin, the color deepened now by the sunset, warmer, richer.
The thin straps rested against her shoulders, drawing attention to the slope of her neck, the way her collarbone caught the light every time she moved.
And that cover-up?
Useless.
Completely useless.
Because it shifted with every breeze, brushing against her thighs, teasing more than it hid.
I shouldn’t be looking.
But I was.
And worse—
I couldn’t stop.
⸻
“Okay!” Mira’s voice cut through.
“We’re doing this properly. Nobody escapes. Everybody plays.”
Lucian grinned.
“That sounds threatening.”
“It is,” she shot back.
Ryan groaned.
“I already regret agreeing.”
Lucia leaned back slightly, her red bikini catching the last of the sun, lips curved in amusement.
“Too late.”
Of course she was enjoying this.
She lived for moments like this.
⸻
“First spin,” Mira said, pushing the bottle.
It spun.
Slow.
Fast.
Then slower again—
And landed on Ryan.
⸻
“Truth or dare?” Mira asked.
“Truth,” he said immediately.
“Safe,” Lucian muttered.
Mira smirked.
“Fine. Who here would you not trust alone with your partner?”
Ryan hesitated.
His eyes flicked— to Lucian.
Then— to me.
Then— to Adrian.
Lucian laughed.
“Oh this is already messy.”
Ryan sighed.
“Lucian.”
“Wow,” Lucian placed a hand on his chest.
“I’m offended.”
“You shouldn’t be.”
“…Fair.”
Laughter.
Tension—slightly eased.
⸻
Next spin.
Lucian.
“Dare,” he said immediately.
Mira didn’t hesitate.
“Switch shirts with the person you think is the biggest threat here.”
Silence.
Lucian grinned slowly.
Then stood.
“Easy.”
And walked— straight to Adrian.
⸻
My jaw tightened instantly.
Adrian looked up at him calmly.
“You serious?” Adrian asked.
“Very.”
Adrian held his gaze for a second.
Then— shrugged slightly.
“Alright.”
That calm again.
That confidence.
I hated it.
⸻
They switched.
Lucian now in Adrian’s clean white linen.
Adrian in Lucian’s slightly louder patterned shirt.
Lucian looked at me and smirked.
“Feels right.”
I didn’t respond.
Because my eyes had already moved— back to her.
⸻
Next spin.
Lucia.
Of course.
⸻
She smiled before the bottle even stopped.
“Dare.”
Mira raised a brow.
“Bold.”
“I’m always bold.”
Mira leaned back slightly, thinking.
Then—
“Sit on the lap of the person you think wants you the most.”
Lucian let out a low whistle.
“Damn.”
Ryan rubbed his face.
“Why are we like this?”
⸻
Lucia didn’t hesitate.
Not even for a second.
She stood.
And walked— toward me.
⸻
Of course she did.
⸻
My body tensed instantly.
“Lucia—”
But she was already there.
Already lowering herself onto my lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Her hand rested lightly on my shoulder.
Too familiar.
Too comfortable.
Her perfume hit me instantly.
Sweet.
Overpowering.
Not her.
Not Althea.
⸻
I didn’t touch her.
Didn’t react.
Didn’t even look at her.
My eyes?
Locked on Althea.
⸻
And she saw it.
Of course she did.
Her expression shifted— just slightly.
A flicker.
Gone too fast.
But I caught it.
⸻
“Comfortable?” Lucia whispered near my ear.
“No,” I said flatly.
She smiled anyway.
⸻
“Okay, okay,” Mira clapped.
“That’s enough. Next.”
Lucia stood, completely unbothered.
Of course.
⸻
The game continued.
Faster now.
Messier.
⸻
Aria got truth.
“Do you think any of us are hiding something major?”
She didn’t hesitate.
“Yes.”
“Who?” Lucian asked.
Aria’s eyes flicked— to me.
Then— to Althea.
Then she smiled slightly.
“I didn’t say I’d name names.”
⸻
Mira got dare.
“Take a shot and call the last person you texted ‘baby.’”
She laughed.
“Absolutely not.”
“Rules,” Lucia reminded.
Mira rolled her eyes—but did it anyway.
The group laughed.
Energy lifted.
But underneath— the tension stayed.
⸻
Because we were all waiting.
For it to land.
On her.
⸻
The bottle spun again.
Slower this time.
Dragging it out.
And when it stopped— my chest tightened.
⸻
Althea.
⸻
Silence.
Not loud.
Not obvious.
But there.
⸻
Mira leaned forward slightly.
Eyes sharp.
“Truth or dare?”
Althea hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then—
“Truth.”
Interesting.
⸻
Before Mira could speak—
Lucia leaned in.
Voice soft.
Too soft.
“I’ll take this one.”
⸻
I didn’t like that.
Not one bit.
⸻
Mira raised a brow—but let her.
“Go ahead.”
⸻
Lucia turned fully to Althea now.
Her smile slow.
Careful.
Calculated.
“Let’s make this easy,” she said.
It wasn’t going to be easy.
Not from her.
⸻
Her eyes flicked briefly to me.
Then back.
⸻
“Do you still have feelings for Elias?”
⸻
Silence.
Complete.
Crushing.
⸻
My body went still.
Every muscle locking.
Every thought—
⸻
Althea froze.
Her breath caught.
I saw it.
Felt it.
⸻
Lucian muttered under his breath, “Oh, she’s evil.”
Mira whispered, “That’s not even fair.”
Ryan ran a hand through his hair.
“Lucia—”
“What?” she said lightly.
“It’s just a question.”
⸻
No. It wasn’t.
It was a trap.
⸻
And she knew it.
⸻
All eyes were on Althea now.
Waiting.
Watching.
Judging.
⸻
My chest tightened.
Because I wanted to know.
Needed to know.
Even if I wasn’t ready for the answer.
⸻
Althea swallowed.
Her fingers tightened slightly against her knee.
Her eyes— they flicked to me.
Just for a second.
And that second— felt like everything.
⸻
“Answer the question,” Lucia pressed softly.
”She doesn’t have to lulu”Mira stated in warningly “Isn’t it a game? you said it yourself no backing up”Lucia said in a twisted smile”Bitch”Mira stated “Althea be a darling and do answer the question”Lucia smiled Manipulation was her best game
⸻
And that was it.
That was the moment.
⸻
Because I couldn’t take it anymore.
⸻
“Enough.”
My voice cut through.
Low.
Sharp.
Final.
⸻
I stood.
Fast.
The chair scraping loudly again.
⸻
All eyes shifted.
But I didn’t care.
Didn’t stop.
⸻
I walked straight to her.
Every step heavy.
Controlled— barely.
⸻
“Elias—” Aria started.
I ignored her.
⸻
I stopped in front of Althea.
Close.
Too close.
⸻
“Don’t answer that,” I said.
Her brows pulled together.
“You don’t get to—”
“I said don’t.”
⸻
“Why?” Lucia challenged from behind.
I didn’t even look at her.
“Elias back of it’s a game Thea can choose by herself what she wants to answer or not”Adrian said in his usual voice
⸻
Because all I could see— was Althea.
⸻
“Because I already know,” I said quietly.
Her breath caught.
“Know what?” she asked.
⸻
And that— that was the breaking point.
⸻
Because I didn’t.
Not really.
But I needed to.
⸻
I reached for her.
Pulled her up before she could react.
⸻
And kissed her.
⸻
Hard.
Immediate.
Uncontrolled.
⸻
Not careful.
Not planned.
Not gentle.
⸻
Everything I had been holding back— gone.
⸻
Her body tensed instantly.
Shock.
Heat.
Resistance— then something else.
Something that made it worse.
⸻
Gasps exploded around us.
Voices.
Movement.
Chaos.
⸻
But none of it mattered.
⸻
Because for that moment— she was right there.
⸻
And I wasn’t letting go.
⸻
Until I had to.