The rain had started before sunset and never stopped. By the time you pushed through the glass doors of the hotel, the cold night air still clinging to your skin, you were already exhausted. The lobby glowed gold around you — polished marble floors, soft piano music somewhere in the distance, people dressed too nicely for a random Friday night. You barely noticed any of it. You were too busy trying to get upstairs. The elevator dinged. The doors slid open. And suddenly it felt like you stepped into the wrong universe. Four boys. All ridiculously attractive. One leaning against the side wall scrolling on his phone. Another laughing too loud. One with silver rings spinning around his fingers. And then— The boy in the back corner. Asher. Black hoodie. Arms crossed. Dark eyes already on you before you even stepped inside. Not glancing. Looking. Your stomach tightened for no reason at all. You almost hit the wrong floor button. The loud one smirked immediately. “Well this elevator just got a lot less ugly.” A couple of the boys laughed. You rolled your eyes, stepping farther inside, refusing to look nervous. But the second the elevator doors closed, you felt it again. Asher’s stare. Heavy. Curious. Unmoving. Like he couldn’t decide whether he wanted to figure you out or ruin your life a little. You finally looked over. Big mistake. Because he didn’t look away. Instead, the corner of his mouth lifted slightly, almost amused, like he’d been waiting for you to notice. The elevator began to rise. Floor 3. Silence pressed strangely between you and him despite all the noise from everyone else. Floor 5. You tucked a piece of hair behind your ear just to have something to do with your hands. Floor 7. The elevator jolted suddenly. You stumbled sideways— —and a hand closed around your wrist before you could fall.