I couldn’t remember the last time I had smiled.
I’d spent years building a version of myself made of steel and cold calculations, but Daphne was the magnet that pulled the atoms apart. I wasn't here to “reconnect” or wallow in what I’d lost in the Caribbean. I was here to lay a snare. If Zeno wanted to use her as a spy, he was going to learn the hard way that you don't send a bird to watch a predator.
When I saw her, silver sequins clung to her like a second skin, legs that went on forever, until they hit my wildest fantasies. The “gentle” man I’d been in Aruba died a final death. I didn't want the lightness she used to give me anymore. I wanted the darkness of her, belonging to me. The way she moved through the crowd was a mix of grace and provocation.
She noticed me first, but instead of walking toward me, she was painting the room. Her eyes flickered to the two guards at the elevator and then to the fire escape behind the DJ booth, a clinical coldness in her gaze that contrasted with her shimmering silver dress.
She was a predator mapping her exits, not a woman in a club. I watched her approach with the cold patience of a man who had already won the game, but for the first time, I wondered if I was the one being trapped.
She thought she was the one walking into an ambush, but she had no idea I’d been waiting for her to come home to me.
“Daphne, good evening,” I said, keeping my tone steady.
She raised an eyebrow, a smirk curling on her crimson lips, as if amused by my attempt.
“Do you always ambush women on rooftops?” she asked.
“I wouldn’t exactly call this an ambush.” I shrugged, nonchalantly.
“Call it what you want,” she replied with a hint of a smile. “But this doesn’t seem like the kind of place you’d normally frequent.”
“It looks exactly like the kind of place you’d hang out at,” I shot back.
She paused, tilting her head with a faint, contemplative smile, then burst into laughter.
“Cut the crap, Thal,” she said, shaking her head with a mix of amusement and exasperation. “You’ve had me followed, haven’t you?”
“If I said no, would you believe me?” I asked, my eyes fixed on hers, fighting the urge to drown in her ample cleavage.
I took a slow breath to steady my racing thoughts, only to regret it as her familiar perfume wafted over, threatening to undo me.
“Can I get you a drink?” I asked, my voice steady but casual. When she nodded, I signaled to the server, who approached right away. “I'll have another whiskey,” I said, then turned toward Daphne, offering a small smile. “And you?"
“Champagne, please,” she replied, her tone brief and slightly sharp. Her voice indicated irritation, clearly annoyed that I had intruded on her space. I knew I would need to be cautious to get past her defenses.
From the corner of my eye, I admired her stunning appearance, aiming to sound playful and charming.
“You look amazing,” I said, hoping to see a softening in her response. She looked past me, her eyes fixed on the crowds of tourists below, the flickering dance floor lights shimmering across her smooth skin.
I wanted to tell her that the only time she had shone brighter was the night we made love under the full moon on the beach, but I sensed she didn’t want to be reminded of that moment.
Suddenly, she turned her head toward me, her eyes flashing with something unreadable, something I couldn’t quite identify.
“Why are you here, Thal? What do you want?" Her words sliced through all the bullshit between us like daggers. If she wanted clarity and honesty, I’d give it to her.
“I’m here to see you.”
“Obviously,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Why?”
I took a deep breath, ignoring her sarcasm. “I came to tell you that I know what you’re doing, Daphne. I’m not stupid. I know the truth.”
“Excuse me? What is this truth you speak with such arrogance? You don’t know anything about me, Thal.”
“Not true. I know that you’re working for Zeno, for starters.”
“That’s not a secret. I’ve known Zeno almost my entire life.”
“That’s not what I mean,” I said, a flash of anger rushing through me. “I know he has you spying on me.”
