Page 1 of Wicked Serve

Prologue

Nikolai

June

The High Line at sunset is pretty.

Isabelle Callahan at sunset is stunning.

I lean against the park railing, watching as she runs her fingers through a planter of light purple coneflowers. There are other people around, tourists and New Yorkers alike, but I don’t pay them any mind. Not when I can admire her dark hair, flung carelessly over one shoulder, and how her airy pink sundress falls over sun-kissed legs.

I adjust my aviators, glad she can’t see my eyes.

The ache I feel whenever I look at her hasn’t faded, even after weeks of meeting up like this. A night at Little Sister Lounge. An afternoon at the Met. Kisses in the back of cabs and split bottles of wine and walks in Central Park. It’s as easy as breathing, and it always leads to the same places: her bed or mine.

It’s intoxicating. Dangerous.

Perfect.

Isabelle straightens, pushing her heart-shaped sunglasses up her freckled nose. “You really haven’t seen Legally Blonde? Ever?”

I shrug. “Isn’t it old?”

“You did not just call my favorite movie old.”

“I’m pretty sure it came out before either of us were even alive.”

“And it holds up perfectly.” She nudges my shoulder with hers. “We’re watching it tonight.”

“I thought we were watching New Girl.”

“This is too important.” She scrunches her nose. “I’ll even be quiet and let you experience it.”

I grin. “No you won’t.”

She bursts into laughter. My heart skips like a scratched record. I cup her jaw, thumb rubbing over her cheek, and kiss her. She smiles against my mouth as she returns it.

“Elle Woods basically created my style, you know.”

“Pink on pink on pink?”

“You like it.”

“I do.” I play with the strap of her dress. “You look like the sunset.”

She shakes her head. “Flirt. You already know I’m coming over.” She bends to pick one of the flowers. “Aw, this one has a broken stem.”

“Pretty, though.” I tuck it behind her ear, touch lingering. She shivers as she steadies my hand, her white-polished thumb pressing against my pulse. Even behind the sunglasses, the endless blue of her eyes leaves me breathless.

I know I shouldn’t, but I take out my phone. She’s too gorgeous for her own good; this moment needs to be preserved. I’ve never felt strongly about summer, but lately, I haven’t wanted it to end. When fall comes, we’ll just be memories to each other. My chest tightens at the thought.

“Smile.”

“I thought we said no pictures,” she teases.

“I’ll delete it later.”

“Nik.”

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