Page 10 of Heat Me

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Honestly, I don’t even remember how I made it to Mr. Ren Ragu’s company. I think I got there purely on autopilot. My mind was a mess, buzzing with thoughts and emotions like a hive of angry bees. By the time I was in front of the Fate's Choice building, my hope for a phone call from Damien was slowly fading.

According to Ragu, his heat could start very soon. It was hard to believe he hadn’t found someone else to accompany him after my rejection. After all, I’d met him a day later—he’d had time to make arrangements, and now it would be difficult for him to tell the other guy, "No, I’ve changed my mind." Damien’s guarded attitude seemed to suggest that.

I got out of the car and took a deep breath. Well, it was out of my hands now. He had to make the next move—my part was done. He knew where I stood.

The new marital contract auction-and-fair center was… impressive. Way bigger than the one I used to work at. It had been completed after I got kicked out of Fate’s Choice, so I’d never been here before.

Three massive, interconnected halls and a sleek administration building right next to them. Fancy. Mr. Ragu was clearly expanding his empire—probably scrambling to afford the extra expenses, though, especially if there were fines piling up for failed matchmaking deals.

Inside the lobby, a beta I didn’t recognize immediately stood up from behind the reception desk, like he’d been waiting for me. "Mr. Storm Nolan, right? Mr. Ragu is expecting you."

He led me to the administration building, and we took the elevator to the third floor. He knocked lightly on a door, and a muffled voice called out, "Come in."

The office wasn’t what I’d expected. Small. Practical. More like a glorified admin’s cubicle than a CEO’s luxury suite. No leather sofas, no glass coffee tables—just functional. Honestly, I was impressed. Maybe Mr. Ren Ragu was more no-nonsense than I gave him credit for. Or maybe he was just broke and couldn’t afford the more luxurious finishing touches.

The man himself stood as I entered, a big smile plastered across his face. He was a sturdy omega in his fifties, taller than average, with that oilyI’ll-sell-you-your-own-soulaura. I’d always pegged him as an unrelenting opportunist. He shook my hand and gestured to a chair.

"So, we meet again," he said with a fake polite expression.

I just nodded, also keeping my face neutral. What was I supposed to say?Thanks for firing me six months ago, you bastard?

"My husband spoke highly of you," he said. "You did well at Dark Dreams. Congrats. It seems wherever you go, youthrive."

Oh, he could shove that compliment right up his ass.

"So, not to take up too much of your time, I’ll get straight to the point," Ragu continued, all smiles.

"Please do," I replied dryly. "Because this sure is more than just a welcome-back interview."

He laughed—a dark, rumbling sound—and leaned back in his chair. His face flushed red, and for a moment, he looked almost desperate. "Well, let’s just say our last conversation didn’t go as well as either of us would have liked."

"You could put it that way," I muttered sourly.

"But the past is the past, right? Who wants to dwell on it?"

"Yeah, who," I replied flatly. How convenient.

"Well," he said, his grin widening, "we've got new things coming, and we need to tie up some loose ends. We could really use your expertise."

I narrowed my eyes but stayed silent, letting the pause stretch out until he squirmed just a little.

"We double-checked your stats," he continued, "and in the last three months, while working as a client matchmaker, your results have been… impressive. No slip-ups. You were among the top performers in finding high mateship matches in our database."

I kept my expression blank, but inside, I was far from being calm.

"So, you know," Ragu went on, his voice dropping a notch, "we’re exploring advances in DNA research to improve our matchmaking process. We’re about to sign a deal with Blue Lowen, CEO of Malden Pharmaceuticals, for some preliminary testing."

"That’s great. Congrats. So why do you need me?" My tone was almost rude.

He cleared his throat, glancing toward the window like he couldn’t meet my eyes. "Well, these tests are still in the early stages. At best, they can eliminate entirely incompatible matches. Of course, it helps narrow down 70% of the pool, which is great, but it’s not enough for our top-tier clients. That’s where you come in."

I folded my arms. "Yeah, I’ve heard about Malden’s research. They’re still fumbling to figure out what makes the perfect genetic compatibility for True Mates. No breakthroughs yet. Even such a genius like Blue Lowen can’t find a definitive answer."

Ragu's grin widened, but I watched him with a narrowed eye. This was the same man who’d fired me like I was trash—right after my criminal case. No mercy. No listening to my pleas.He didn’t care that I was innocent. And now? He needed me, and for the first time, my past wasn’t a problem.

"But you, Storm," he said, that smug tone back in full force, "you somehow managed to find more high-mate pairings in three months than most employees do in two years. You’ve got a nose for it." He even pointed to his nose like he thought he was clever.

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