“It’s nice to see you, Antonio.” Her voice dipped in warning as she tugged on his hand. “I’m sure he’ll work out just fine, but if he doesn’t, I know where to find you.”
Sweat beaded along the mage’s brow, and the rising stench of panic came before she released his hand with a small, amused laugh. She turned to me like this was always a part of her plan.
“Let me introduce you to Conrad Mecariee.” She glanced at me, smiling as the golden rings in her hair shined. “He runs some fights you might be interested in.”
She turned and motioned toward him. “Antonio Ramirez, he’s got some talent in South America that might interest you. He’s looking to expand into turned fighters, so I think you two will have plenty to discuss.”
Her tone said it wasn’t a suggestion, so I obliged, turning on my business mask.
Shaking his hand, I forced civility into my grip when all I wanted was to break his hand off. Small talk flowed out of me like muscle memory, polite, effortless, the kind of charm that made men laugh even when they knew I’d gut them in business later. She was handing me an opportunity on a silver platter, and Iplayed the part she expected until Antonio finally took the hint and disappeared back into his seat.
Then she leaned in close.
Her scent surrounded me in wildflowers with a fresh sweetness that made me salivate. My pulse stuttered as the air around her became hotter.
Her hand slid up my thigh, deliberate and slow. Her voice brushed against my ear. “I expect a twenty percent finder’s fee on whatever comes of that.”
Her fingers tightened just enough to make my breath hitch and my heart pound.
A sharp laugh tore out of me, too loud, too unguarded. A few heads turned our way, but I didn’t care. This—this—was why she fit so perfectly in the jagged edges of my world. She was power wrapped in silk, ambition that smiled while it bit.
When she looked at me again, her eyes gleamed that golden blush color, swirling with a kind of predatory calm that made weaker men step back and walk away. Her plush lips flattened into a thin, unreadable line. Her hair, that ashy blonde mane, fell across half her face, half-light, half-shadow.
It should’ve been intimidating. Instead, I wanted more of it.
I couldn’t hold back anymore. The tension that had been winding tight since the moment we sat down snapped. My hand found her jaw, fingers sliding into her hair as I made sure my thumb skated over the mark.
She gasped but didn’t stop me.
I tilted her face toward mine and captured her lips.
It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t patient. It was full of desperation, months of denial and hunger packed into one reckless moment. Her lips softened beneath mine, and, for one fleeting heartbeat, she kissed me back.
Her hand, the same one that had just threatened me, slid higher. Her fingers brushed my crotch. Her tongue grazed mine. Heat flared between us, and the world narrowed down to just the sound of her breath and the thud of my heart.
Then a crash broke the spell. Glass shattered somewhere behind us, followed by a muttered “Shit!”
Nova pulled away, breath unsteady, eyes darting to the floor. The guy behind us, Nick, was already crouched, trying to scoop up shards with a bleeding hand.
A tall male fairy in a pressed vest appeared like magic, conjuring a vacuum that swept away the mess in seconds. Nick muttered something, his jaw tight, as he sat back down when the male fairy said he would bring him another.
The air changed. The tension was back, thicker, heavier. Nick’s stare drilled into the back of Nova’s head.
What the hell was that about?
Before I could ask, Zeth returned, settling beside her with that infuriating calm. “Looks like I missed a part of the show,” he said, voice dry as ash.
Nova froze when their eyes met. An entire conversation was exchanged without a single word, then she turned away sharply, murmuring something about watching the fight. I didn’t miss the color creeping up her neck or the way her knuckles cracked as she clasped her hands together.
Something had happened between them. Recently.
The realization hit hard, followed by another. The jealousy I’d felt toward Antonio wasn’t the same as what I felt toward Zeth… or even the wolf behind us, Nick. They were different kinds of threats.
When I thought about it, her mother had been famous for having multiple mates, so why wouldn’t Nova be the same?
The thought should’ve angered me, but instead, it twisted into something sharper, more strategic. Wanting her all to myself hadn’t changed, that fire still burned as fierce, but I could play the long game. I always did.
Business had taught me this much: every obstacle was just an opportunity in disguise. Every challenge was a chance to plan smarter.
