Page 36 of Lovers Fate

My nose flares, breathing him in. There’s something about the way his voice sounds. His voice is deep, dangerous, and addictive.

“I’m going to remove my hand if you promise not to scream.” I nod, and he leans close, his nose ghosting my ear. Don’t take last night personally. You’re not ready for my kind of pain.”

His hand falls away, and he steps back, leaving a small space between us. My gaze shifts to the lock on the door, and as expected, he locked us inside.

“That’s too bad, because I’m positive you’re not ready for mine,” I challenge.

His expression turns from rigid to fascinated. He smiles wide, flashing me perfectly white teeth, and then asks, “What’s your name?”

“I think you established you weren’t interested in names.”

He arches a dark brow.

I don’t have to give him my real one. “Trix. What’s yours?”

“I want your real name, not the one you want people to call you because you’re not interested in making friends.”

”You want to be my friend?” I ask playfully.

“No, I want to know your name.”

“You go first,” I challenge, my stomach fluttering. “You better make it quick, or your girlfriend will figure out you got lost in the women’s restroom.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“Wife?”

“I don’t have one of those either.”

“You make it sound like it’s something you buy.”

“Isn’t it?” he ponders.

“I’ve never sold myself to be with a man.”

“But you dance for money?”

“I dance because I enjoy it. I don’t have a sign convincing them to drop their wallet when I’m done.”

After last night, I should leave and get the hell away from him. But then my curiosity gets the best of me and has my mouth asking questions I’m not sure I want answers to. “How do you know I walk alone?”

His eyes hardened like a wall, preventing me from looking in. “I don’t. It’s friendly advice.”

It was him.

In the black car that drove Charlie off the road. I got a news alert that a man last night was run over in the middle of the night with his hand cut off. They never found a car or had any leads as to who did it. The case is under investigation, and the police are asking the public for help. I don’t feel any remorse that Charlie is dead. He was a creep who followed me and who knows what sick game he had in mind?I’m not sure what game the man in front of me has in mind either.

“Well, mister,” I say in a sultry voice, “I can take care of myself.”

“Mister?” he mocks.

My eyes slide down his face to the five letters tattooed on his neck right when he reads them aloud.

“Draco,” he says softly. “My name is Draco.”

I can hear a tinge of a British accent, but he hides it well. My eyes lift to his. “Athena.”

“Athena,” he repeats and steps back. “Be careful, Athena.” He turns the lock on the door. “It’s almost Halloween. You never know what you might run into out there.”

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