Page 71 of The Alpha's Crimson Vow

Because I’ve sat across a table like this before.

With him.

I remember the way Alex used to eat—so calm, so assured. Like nothing in the world could ever rattle him. He never rushed, never hesitated. Just this quiet confidence, like he owned every space he walked into. And he did it so effortlessly.

I remember the way he’d sometimes watch me eat, with that deeply intense look that made me shudder whenever I saw it.

And I remember how much I loved that.

I inhale slowly, forcing the memory down, locking it away. I try to focus on the man in front of me instead. Jimmy is charming. He’s kind. He has this easy presence, like nothing really fazes him. He’s attentive, present. He’s everything a woman should want.

So why does it feel like every moment I spend with him only deepens my memories of Alex?

Jimmy watches me for a beat, and then tilts his head slightly. “Alright,” he says, setting his fork down. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

I glance up at him. “Nothing,” I say automatically.

He gives me a knowing look. “See, that answer? That’s the number one lie women tell when everything is going on in their heads.”

A small, reluctant smile tugs at my lips. “That so?”

“Oh, yeah,” he nods, leaning forward, resting his arms on the table. “That, and ‘I’m fine.’ Classic.”

I huff out a small laugh, shaking my head. “Well, lucky for me, I haven’t used the ‘I’m fine’ card yet.”

“Yeah, and I’m terrified for when you do.” His eyes gleam with amusement, but there’s something else beneath it. A quiet sharpness, a perceptiveness. He knows a little about Alex, I had told him about the shifter who turned out to be a Prince during our first date. And suddenly I feel bad that it’s obvious I’m thinking about him.

I move in my seat, glancing down at my plate, pushing the food around with my fork. I should say something. Change the subject. Steer this conversation anywhere else.

But I can’t. Because the truth is, my mind is still stuck in the past, tangled in golden threads I don’t understand, haunted by a pair of piercing eyes that still have a hold on me, no matter how much I try to ignore it.

I shouldn’t be thinking about Alex, not when Jimmy is sitting right here in front of me. Not when he’s trying. And yet, he’s all I can think of.

The rest of the dinner passes quickly, and soon Jimmy and I are walking arm in arm out of the restaurant. I grip my clutch a little tighter, shaking my head slightly, as if the motion alone can force my mind to focus on the moment and stop wondering back to Alex.

Jimmy nudges me playfully with his elbow, pulling me back into the moment. “I can’t wait to get a peek into what goes on in that mind of yours,” he says, his voice light, teasing.

I blink at him, then let out a small smile, though it feels more polite than genuine. “Oh, trust me, you’d be bored in no time.”

“Doubt that.” He grins, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

As we walk toward the parking lot, I glance up at him. Objectively speaking, he’s a beautiful man. And yet, standing here, my arm looped around his, there’s no spark. No fire. No ache.

And then I notice a tiny spot of sauce at the corner of his mouth. Without thinking, I reach up, brushing my thumb across his lower lip to wipe it away. It’s an innocent gesture, one I don’t even register.

“Careful, Katherine,” Jimmy murmurs, a teasing edge in his voice. “Looks like I’m starting to grow on you.”

But before I can respond, a voice cuts through the night air, sharp, low, and familiar.

“Katherine?”

My body tenses instantly. Every nerve in my system goes on high alert.

Slowly, I turn around, and Alex is right there.

He stands a few feet away, his stance tense, his broad shoulders rigid, and his eyes—sharp and burning with something unreadable. But it’s the way he’s looking at us—at Jimmy—that really makes my pulse spike.

I take a breath, forcing the shock down. “Alex, what are you doing here?”

---