"Bye, bitch. Go be Fate's favorite hoe."
I ended the call, still smiling. Shoulders back. Tits out. Ziggy's voice echoed in my head, making me smile despite the lingering nervousness. My phone buzzed in my hand just as I started to put in my purse. Unknown number. My stomach dropped before I even read the message, because I knew who it would be. Another burner phone in an attempt to slither back into my life. My thumb hovered over the notification for a second before I tapped it open. Might as well see what fresh hell Trevor had conjured up this time.
"He'll leave when he sees what you're really like. I won't."
My stomach clenched, a reflexive response I hated, how did he know I was on a date? Three months since I'd changed my number and two weeks since the last message. Each time I thought maybe, just maybe, he'd finally gotten the message, he found another way to reach me. The words themselves were familiar, the same toxic blend of false concern and thinly veiled threat that had been his specialty during our relationship. But something had changed in me. The fear that once would have gripped me, sent me spiraling into self-doubt, now merely brushed against me before transforming into a dull, tired anger. Like dealing with a persistent mosquito rather than a venomous snake.
I deleted the message, blocked the number, and slipped my phone into my clutch.
"Tonight is not about him," I whispered to myself, straightening my spine. "Tonight is about me."
I smoothed my hands down the front of my dress one last time, then stepped fully onto the rooftop. My attention shifted immediately from the city vista to the table clearly set for two. And the man already seated there.
Oh.
Oh, he was huge. I know I said I wanted a big boy but damn.
My steps faltered slightly as I took him in. Even sitting, I could tell he towered over most humans. Wide shoulders stretched the fabric of a dark suit jacket, the material tailored perfectly to contain his powerful chest and arms. His legs seemed to go on forever, one ankle resting casually on the opposite knee.
And stupidly handsome. Like, unfairly so.
His skin was pale, making the dark curtain of his straight black hair seem even more dramatic where it fell past his shoulders. The collar of his shirt was open, revealing a glimpse of what looked like raised scars tracing along his neck before disappearing beneath the fabric. But it was his eyes that made my breath catch. Black with pupils that glowed red like embers in a dying fire. Demon eyes. Beautiful, terrifying, utterly captivating.
And they were locked directly on me.
The moment our eyes locked, I felt it, a hot, tight tug low in my chest, like an invisible thread wrapping around my ribs and yanking me forward. My breath caught as the sensation bloomed outward, magic blending with raw, animal attraction until I couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. The Moirai hadn't been kidding about the whole "fate thread" thing.
I had to fight a very real urge to skip the whole polite approach and simply cross the lounge to slide straight into his lap, straddling him like I belonged there. The image flashed through my mind with such startling clarity that heat rushed to my face.Jesus. Get it together, Jade. This is still a first meeting, no matter what magical thread is yanking at your libido. I pulled myself together, barely, as I began walking toward the table.
He stood as I approached, and holy shit, I was not prepared. The thread-pull intensified with proximity, connecting directly to my libido like someone had hooked jumper cables to my most sensitive nerves. My thighs pressed together involuntarily, a futile attempt to ease the sudden ache between them. His gaze dropped, following the movement, and when he looked back up, it was clear he knew exactly what I was feeling. And he was feeling it too.
"I'm Jade," I finally said, breaking the silence.
"Pleased to finally meet you Jade, I'm Magnur," he replied with a small smile.
As he said my name, the thread between us tightened further, as if fate itself confirming: Yes, this one. This is yours. I had to lock my knees to keep from swaying toward him.
He gestured to the table. "Please."
I nodded and moved to take my seat, aware of how he waited for me to sit first before lowering his body into the chair opposite mine. The table between us wasn't small, but his presence made it feel intimate, as if we were sitting much closer than we actually were. Candles flickered between us, casting golden light across his features, highlighting the sharp angles of his cheekbones and jaw.
I realized with a start that there was already food and drinks arranged on the table, the sisters had thought of everything. But food was the absolute last thing on my mind right now.
"You are..." he began, then paused, as if searching for the right word. His eyes never left mine as he finished, "breathtaking."
Something warm unfurled in my chest at his words. The warmth spread outward from my chest, down through my body, little sparks trailing along my skin. I couldn't remember the lasttime a simple compliment had affected me so strongly. Maybe never.
We looked at each other across the table in silence, the city fading to distant background noise, the thread humming between us with increasing intensity. I didn't feel the need to fill the quiet with nervous chatter. This silence felt right, like we were communicating on a level beyond words.
I met his gaze directly, wanting him to see that I wasn't shy about my interest. Wanting him to recognize exactly what kind of woman he was dealing with. I wasn't going to play coy or pretend I wasn't already imagining what those large hands would feel like on my body.
He held my eyes, and I saw something shift in his expression, a decision being made, restraint being carefully measured and deliberately set aside. The smile that spread across his face was slow, showing just a hint of sharp teeth. His nostrils flared again, and I realized with a jolt that he could probably smell my desire from across the table.
"The sisters mentioned you were direct," he said, appreciation evident in his tone. "I find that incredibly appealing."
"Good," I replied, leaning forward slightly. "Because I what you see is exactly what you get and I appreciate honesty and openness."
"Then let me beveryclear. It is taking all of my control," he said, "not to bury my face between your yummy thighs and feast."
