Finn’s POV
I let Ciara lead me upstairs, her hand gripping my arm like she’d won some kind of prize. My mind kept drifting back to the way Hanna had been laughing downstairs with Elordi. That gut-twisting feeling returned. It was strange—I had agreed to this plan to make Ciara back off, but all I could think about now was Hanna, and how much I didn’t want her anywhere near Elordi.
The hallway upstairs was quiet, a sharp contrast to the chaos of the party below. I followed Ciara into my bedroom. I could feel her eyes on me, but all I wanted was to be downstairs with everyone else.
“Thanks for this,” she purred, her voice sugary sweet. I barely glanced at her as she wandered toward the dresser, tugging at her soaked top. “I’ll just grab a shirt...”
I nodded, distracted. My thoughts kept drifting, trying to make sense of the frustration churning inside me.
But before I could say anything, Ciara turned, standing in front of me with her shirt halfway undone, her bra exposed. “Or...” she whispered, stepping closer, “we could celebrate your birthday properly.”
I froze. “What are you doing?”
Ciara smirked, running her fingers along the collar of my shirt. “What do you think, Finn? Like you said, you and I, we make sense, right?”
“This isn’t what I mean. I need to focus,” I muttered, taking a step back.
Her eyes darkened, and she let out a short, mocking laugh. “So, is it because of that little duck, Hanna?” Her voice dripped with disdain. “You’d rather be with that little loser? Jesus Finn, she’s immature!”
I stiffened. “Don’t talk about her like that.”
Ciara’s smile vanished. She stepped even closer, unbuttoning the rest of her shirt. “What is it about her, Finn? You told me we made sense. So why are you taking interest in a girl who barely knows what she’s doing?”
I swallowed hard, guilt clawing at my insides. This wasn’t what I wanted. I needed to end this. “Ciara, put your shirt back on,” I said, my voice firmer this time.
But she didn’t stop. Her hands grabbed mine, pulling them toward her chest as she leaned in. “Come on, Finn. Just let this happen.”