Page 97 of Wicked Fortune

I draw in a breath, then step out of the car into the cool night air. Behind me, the elevator doors close softly, cutting off any chance of retreat.

There is a small brick wall that separates the elevator bank from the rest of the roof, so I can see nothing except the dimly lit emergency exit instructions on the brick and the golden glow that seems to be rising from behind the wall. I should be grateful the wall is there; it gives me another moment in which to gather myself.

But I’m not. I’m ready to be all-in. Ready enough that I hurry to my right, arching around the edge of the wall and then stopping short and gasping when I see the fairyland spread out in front of me.

It’s beautiful. Magical.

And nothing at all like the dingy rooftop littered with cigarette butts and decorated with slightly rusty furniture.

It’s the same place, and yet this place is utterly enchanting, completely transformed into something magical. String lights stretch across the rooftop, forming a ceiling grid that casts a warm, golden glow. At the center, flames flicker out of a tall barrel, dancing and shimmering, their glow competing with the Valley lights spread out beneath us like a glittering sea that feels both infinite and intimate.

And there, by the fire, is Matthew.

He’s standing tall, not moving, yet somehow seeming to grow larger than life from nothing more than the fact of his existence. There’s a heat in his eyes that’s not from the fire, and though I’d told myself to take this slowly, I can’t deny that his gaze and this magical fairyland are both making me melt in the sweetest of ways.

He’s wearing dark jeans and a navy sweater that clings to his frame, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows in that way he always does when he’s thinking, planning. His hands are tucked into his pockets, but even from here, I can see the tension in his posture. The way his shoulders are just slightly hunched, like he’s bracing for a storm.

For me.

I lift my chin and take a step toward him, noticing only then that although he’s standing tall and straight, his face looks worn. As if he hasn’t slept in days.

I wonder if he sees the same in my face.

As if we’re both thinking that same thing, our eyes meet and hold. Then I look away, afraid of what I’m feeling. Afraid that I want him too much, and because I do, I’m not thinking about this right.

“You came.” His voice is soft, but it carries over the rooftop, over the crackle of the fire.

I shrug. “I’m just here for a party on a roof. Had no idea who left me that invitation.”

The corner of his mouth twitches. He takes a step toward me. “I wouldn’t have blamed you if you stayed away.”

“I probably should have.” I take a step toward him.

“So why didn’t you?”

I shrug, then sweep my hand to indicate the roof. “And miss all this?”

“Window dressing,” he says. “The only thing I care about is you. Not the fire or the lights. Not the roof or the elevator or the building or the whole damn Valley below us. Just you, Aria. Put me to the test. Throw the labors of Hercules at me. Anything. Just give me the chance to prove that I’m not The Cat. I’m not the man you hate. Not anymore.”

For a moment, I just look at him, because the truth is that he’s right and he’s wrong.

And maybe that’s okay.

“Aria?”

“You are The Cat,” I say, my voice little more than a whisper.

“Aria, no, I⁠—”

“No. Wait.” I swipe a finger under my eye to wipe away a tear. “I never hated The Cat,” I tell him. “I hated the Stair Man because he made me love him. And then he turned out not to be who I thought he was. But he’s you, Matthew. You’re The Cat. And you’re the Stair Man. And you’re Matthew.”

“Please, Aria. Let me⁠—”

“The Stair Man left,” I say firmly cutting him off. “The Cat betrayed my family. But Matthew Holt …” I trail off, my throat clogged with tears. “Matthew Holt never hurt me. He wouldn’t hurt me.”

His brow furrows. “No,” he whispers. “I wouldn’t.”

He takes a step closer. “I can’t change the past. But I love you, Aria. I love you, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving it to you if you’ll let me.”