Page 46 of Fate's Unseen Shadow

With a slight head shake, Damon left the guys and crossed the bar to the pool table in the back corner. Not many people played, so he was glad to see the space empty.

He racked the pool balls and then chalked the end of the cue. Xavier was right, and that’s partly what worried him. He’d take this step, confirm how incredible she was, and then let her go because there was no way to merge their lives. She couldn’t walk away from what it took to run Cassin Systems, and Damon couldn’t walk away from what he had going on in Charleston. He and the guys impacted the community too significantly, finding runaways, to move away. He’d suffer with the pain of losing her over the regret of not helping to find children.

Ella arrived a few minutes later with a bourbon in her hand. “Slater told me to bring you a drink and take a break.”

“Thanks.” He accepted the tumbler. “Have you ever tried this one?”

“Pool?” She looked at the table, interest in her eyes.

“The bourbon.” He held it out.

“Can I drink and work?”

“The rule has always been two drinks a shift.”

She took the glass. “I do like bourbon.” She sipped it. “It’s good.” She licked her bottom lip, getting the last drop.

He could already taste her lips. “You can have my drink if you play a game.”

“I haven’t played since college.” She moved farther into the billiard area. “I remember not being very good.”

He racked the balls and passed her a pool cue. “Do you want to break or me?”

“You.” She smiled and covered her mouth with the rim of the glass. “I do remember that I couldn’t do that.”

He leaned over, ignoring the way her blue eyes watched him. He took the shot, scattering the balls across the green felt. Four balls fell into the pockets.

“Solids. You’re stripes,” he announced.

She set the glass down and sauntered around to the opposite side of the table. “This will be embarrassing.” She aimed, running the cue back and forth under her finger and lining up her shot. She missed the cue ball. Laughing, she laid her forehead on the table. “Oh my god. That’s horrible.” Looking up, “Can I try again?” she begged.

Damon chuckled and leaned back against the wall. “You can try as many times as you want.” Because from this angle, the only thing that could see up that skirt was the wall. It would be a different story if she had to shoot from the other side and the entire bar got a view.

“Three. That’s all I will try and then take my bruised ego back to work.” She aimed again and this time, made contact. The cue ball hit a solid green ball and rolled into the pocket. “That was the wrong ball.”

“That was the wrong ball. You’re correct. I figure you’re trying to help me out.” He leaned over the table and took his shot, sinking three before missing on purpose. “Your turn.”

She set the bourbon glass aside, half empty now. “I can do this.” She studied the placement before coming near him. “I will put that one over there in that far pocket.”

“You don’t have to call your shot until the 8-ball.”

“I’m manifesting the shot.” She bent over beside him, her hip brushing his. “If you dream it, you can have it.”

Damon bent down, caging her in by resting his hands on the edge of the table on either side of her. “Manifesting isn’t real, Ella.”

She turned her head, their faces aligning, her eyes darker in the dim lighting. “It doesn’t work with that kind of negativeattitude.” With a tiny smirk, she focused back on the ball. “Don’t be a downer.”

“I’m realistic, not a downer.”

She flipped her hair away from her face and arched her back as she aimed the pool cue. “But if you don’t focus on what you want, you’ll never achieve it.”

“I have focus.” And he knew what he wanted: her. “But I take what I want. I don’t wait for the universe to hand it to me.”

He hooked his finger underneath the pearls at the back of her neck, pulling them until they touched her throat. “I thought I told you not to wear your jewelry.”

She froze, her eyes skittering across the room, maybe seeing if anyone watched. She wet her lips. “You didn’t notice them earlier.”

“I was a little distracted by the rest of you.” He rolled a pearl between his thumb and forefinger. “I think I’ve changed my mind.”

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