She senses me coming. I can tell by the subtle shift of her body and the straightening of her spine. Fight or flight. But she’ll do neither.
Olivia spots me first, her face lighting up with practiced perfection. “Hunter! What a surprise!”
Aurora goes completely still. The woman beside her glances between us with narrowed eyes.
“Ladies.” I rest my hand on the back of the booth, directly behind Aurora. The heat of her body radiates against my arm. I could touch her if I shifted two inches. “I thought I should introduce myself to my fiancée’s friends.”
Olivia beams, making introductions, but I barely register. All my focus is on Aurora; on the slight tremble I detect when my fingers deliberately brush her shoulder as I extend my hand to the woman beside her.
When I finally look at Aurora directly, her eyes meet mine with defiance that does nothing to mask the chemistry between us. Challenge and heat and confusion all warring in those pretty blue depths.
“Aurora,” I say, her name like a claim on my tongue. “Nice to see you again.”
The table goes quiet. Her throat works as she swallows.
I nod. “Nice to see you too.”
The challenge of extracting Aurora from her sister’s watchful eye excites me. A predator never rushes, because patience is what ensures victory.
“Olivia, darling,” I say, letting my hand rest possessively on her shoulder while my attention remains fixed on Aurora. “I need to borrow your sister for a moment.”
Olivia blinks up at me, surprise flitting across her features. “What for?”
“I’ve been meaning to discuss the Harrison Foundation gala next month. Your father mentioned Aurora handles the family’s charitable endeavors.”
A perfect lie. Plausible and impossible for anyone at the table to verify immediately. Derek had mentioned no such thing, but my extensive research has given me the perfect ammunition.
“I didn’t realize you were interested in the foundation,” Olivia says, her smile faltering slightly.
“Reed Technologies is always looking for meaningful partnerships.” I extend my hand to Aurora. “It won’t take long.”
Aurora hesitates, trapped. She can’t refuse without raising questions. The dark-haired friend beside her is watching me as she can see straight through my bullshit, and she narrows her eyes.
“We were just celebrating your engagement,” this friend says coolly.
“And you’ll continue when I bring her back,” I reply, not bothering to look away from Aurora. “Five minutes.”
Aurora sets her glass down with deliberate care. “It’s fine, Grace.” She slides out from the booth, careful not to touch me. “The foundation is important.”
I place my hand at the small of her back as I guide her away, feeling her body stiffen at my touch. The contact sends electricity through my palm.Mine. The thought blazes through me with primitive certainty.
I steer her toward the hallway leading to the private rooms Elixir reserves for VIPs—far enough from prying eyes but still within the club.
“There is no foundation discussion, is there?” Aurora says under her breath as we walk.
“No,” I admit, applying the slightest pressure to guide her around a corner where we’ll be completely hidden from view. “But we definitely need to talk.”
I notice one of the private VIP rooms is empty and slip inside, closing the door behind us. The room is dimly lit with low, amber lights that cast shadows across her face, highlighting those defiant blue eyes.
“What do you want?” she asks, backing away.
I advance, maintaining the distance between us at exactly one step. Close enough to smell her light floral perfume, which makes my mouth water.
“You know exactly what I want.” My voice comes out rougher than intended. “The same thing you want.”
“I don’t want anything from you.” She tilts her chin up, but her pulse hammers visibly at the base of her throat. “Especially not now.”
I move closer, watching her pupils dilate. “Liar.”
