Page 18 of Tempest

I looked up, plastering on a smile. “Jake? Hi!”

He grinned, all boyish charm as he slid into the seat across from me. “Great to finally meet you in person. You look even prettier than your profile pic.”

“Thanks,” I mumbled, heat rising to my cheeks. Yes, I’d found some men to date online. I knew this could go horribly wrong, but that’s why I’d made sure to meet them at a busy location and not let them pick me up. No way I was getting into a car with any of them. I might be a little naive at times, but I wasn’t stupid.

Jake launched into small talk about the unseasonably warm weather. I nodded along, gaze drifting to the entrance every few seconds.

“So, what do you do for work?” Jake asked.

I snapped my attention back to him. “Oh, I’m a receptionist for a dental office. You?”

“Software engineer. Love it, but the hours can be brutal.”

My phone buzzed. I snatched it up, pulse quickening. Just a text from one of my sisters.

“Everything okay?” Jake’s brow furrowed with concern.

“Yeah, sorry. Just… expecting an important call.” The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. “It was just my sister. I can call her back later.”

Jake smiled. “No worries. Hey, want to grab a refill?” He gestured to my nearly empty mug.

“Sure,” I said, forcing enthusiasm into my voice. As Jake headed to the counter, I exhaled slowly. What was I thinking? Tempest probably didn’t care who I dated. Sure, he’d blown up last night, and yet again, he’d let me walk off without coming after me. Every time my mom tried to storm off, Dad would pick her up and carry her off to their room. My sisters and I had learned early on when that happened, we needed to make ourselves scarce.

As Jake returned, a small part of me still hoped to see a furious Tempest burst through that door.

The bell above the door chimed. My heart leapt into my throat as Tempest strode in, his presence electric. The bustling cafe seemed to still, conversations hushing as heads turned. Yeah, everyone noticed when he entered a room. Women fawned over him, and the men wanted tobehim.

My breath caught. Tempest’s piercing gaze swept the room, landing on me with laser-like focus. A shiver raced down my spine.

Jake’s voice faded to a distant hum as Tempest approached, each step deliberate. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes… God, his eyes burned with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

“Kasen?” Jake’s concerned tone barely registered. “Are you all right?”

I couldn’t tear my gaze from Tempest as he reached our table. Without a word, he planted himself beside me, radiating raw power. The message was clear: Mine.

My heart thundered. I gripped my mug, knuckles white. “T-Tempest,” I managed. “What are you doing here?”

“Thought I’d grab some coffee.” His voice was low, dangerous. “Didn’t expect to find… this.”

Jake shifted uncomfortably. “Um, I’m Jake. And you are…”

Tempest’s gaze never left me. “Leaving. With Kasen.”

This was exactly what I’d wanted, wasn’t it? So why did I feel like I’d unleashed something I couldn’t control? And to think this was only step one of my plan for today. What would he be like after he saw me on two more dates?

I swallowed hard, torn between the thrill of Tempest’s possessiveness and an urge to assert my independence. Jake cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable.

“So, uh, Kasen,” he attempted, voice wavering, “you were saying about your work…”

I nearly laughed. Poor guy was trying too hard to ignore the huge biker beside me. I had to give him points for taking it all in stride.

Tempest’s presence loomed larger, his body angled toward me, effectively cutting Jake out. The tension was palpable, snapping in the air between us.

I stood abruptly, chair scraping against the floor. “I’m sorry, Jake. I should go.”

Jake’s bewildered expression tugged at my conscience. “But we just --”

“Thanks for coffee,” I rushed out, grabbing my purse. To Tempest, I hissed, “Outside. Now.”

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