Page 46 of Heat Me

Biting my lip, I muttered, "This whole thing feels… off. Like it’s not a coincidence. It’s like Fate is pulling the strings. Higher power stuff. I can’t believe it’s random."

"But your own cousins, Storm? That sounds like some kind of observer bias."

And… there it was. I frowned. This was exactly why I hadn't told anyone, not even the cousins in question. It just sounded too ridiculous, too wild.

Damien studied me as I fell silent, with a crease on my forehead.

"Hey, listen… I don’t doubt you, it’s just—"

"You wouldn’t be the first, that’s okay. Everyone doubts me." My tone came out more sour than I intended.

Damien huffed, letting out a protesting whimper. "Storm, I didn’t mean it like that! I know you’re special, different. And I know you believe in this. If anyone can pull off a miracle like finding True Mates, it’s you. Who else could? You’re purple, and…no man can be your equal, right?" He grinned.

I shrugged. "I guess we’ll see soon enough. Maybe some doubters will come crawling back on their knees, apologizing…"

"And maybe one of them will get on his knees for a different reason," he teased with a wink.

"I wouldn’t mind that," I shot him a knowing smile.

Truthfully, I didn’t know if there was anything to brag about yet. So far, it was just a gut feeling. A strong one, yes. Sure, I’d figured out one of my brothers’ True Mates before it was confirmed (and maybe one more!), but could I rely on just a few examples? Perhaps I still needed to keep my ego in check.

"I'm kinda going back and forth on this. But that would be the real test of my abilities," I admitted. "Before, I worked with a set database. Now I have to find people in the open pool. It’s a whole new level. And first, I need to convince these clients to even attend the fair. Everything depends on that."

As we neared the company building, I turned into the parking lot and checked the time.

"Fifteen minutes left. We drove for twenty-five. Damn it! Let’s go."

We got out of the car. The wind was sharp—September wasn’t bringing good weather. Damien’s bright red-pink hair whipped across his cheeks. For a moment, I found myself staring at him—his small nose, freckles, and full lips.

Then Damien circled the car and approached me in a few quick steps.

"Storm," he said, stopping in his tracks, his eyes fixed on my face. His small hand landed on my forearm, sending a pleasant shiver through me.

"Listen… I believe in you. I really do! You can do anything you put your mind to. I wasn’t joking when I saidno man can be your equal. Not… in my eyes." He was slightly out of breath by the time he finished, a strange intensity in his whole body.

We stood there for a moment, caught in each other’s gaze. His energy, his strong aura—it all mesmerized me; he was enchanting me, making me… his.

"You’re perfect," I murmured, brushing my fingers against the birthmark on his cheek.

He blushed. "Me? Have you seen yourself?"

"Yes, you. I’m sorry all of this is happening during your heat. It must be awful being dragged around like this in your condition."

Damien laughed, waving it off. "Nah, not at all! Your life is fascinating. I’m glad to be a part of it. And I appreciate you thinking about my situation instead of leaving me out in the cold."

"Of course. I promised I’d be here for you."

He smiled sweetly, and, hand in hand, we headed toward the administrative building to the left of the main hall. There were more cars in the parking lot than I’d expected, considering it wasn’t an expo day, and for a while, I kept looking around.

We walked into the lobby. The receptionist didn’t stop us—he must’ve been briefed about the situation. We went straight to the elevator and rode up to the floor where Mr. Ragu’s office was located.

To my surprise, three security guards I didn’t recognize were standing outside the office. None of them had worked here when I was a guard. They must’ve been new hires. As theynoticed me, one of them frowned slightly, like he wasn’t happy I was there. Clearly, they’d been informed of my arrival.

Their attention didn’t stay on me for long. A moment later, all three of them shifted their focus to Damien, and I saw their nostrils flare as they caught his scent. Of course. Damien’s pheromones weren’t being suppressed by blockers.

Immediately, I let out a low, warning growl from deep in my chest. All three of them instinctively stepped back a little.

Without saying a word, we walked past the guards. I knocked on the office door and heard Mr. Ragu’s nervous voice invite us in.

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