Page 38 of Fractured Faceoff

"You think too little of yourself," I began. "Ava might be flashy and confident, but you? You have this quiet strength that pulls people in without them even realizing it. You're smart, capable, and fiercely loyal. There's a fire in you that most people can't see because they’re too busy being dazzled by Ava's spotlight. But me? I see it clear as day."

Her cheeks flushed a delicate pink as my words sank in. Isla looked down for a moment, seemingly unsure how to respond.

Before either of us could say anything more, the waiter appeared at our table with our food. He placed the steaming bowls of hot and sour soup in front of us, followed by the meticulously arranged plates of Peking duck.

"Enjoy your meal," he said with a polite nod before retreating.

Isla picked up her spoon, her movements almost hesitant. I watched as she took a tentative sip of the soup, savoring the flavors.

I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her like this—vulnerable yet resilient.

"Let's just enjoy the meal for now," I suggested softly. "We'll figure out the rest later."

She nodded slightly, still blushingbut more composed now. As we began to eat in comfortable silence, I felt a strange sense of contentment settle over me.

We ate in relative silence, the only sounds the clinking of chopsticks and the soft murmur of the restaurant. The hot and sour soup was as good as Isla had promised, rich and tangy with just the right amount of heat. The Peking duck practically melted in my mouth, each bite a burst of savory perfection.

Isla leaned back in her chair when we finished, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Let's say we do this," she began. "There'd have to be rules."

"Of course," I replied, leaning forward slightly. "What do you have in mind?"

She took a deep breath, clearly having thought this through. "First, no getting too personal. We keep our real lives separate from this... arrangement."

I nodded. "Fair enough."

"Second," she continued, "we need to set boundaries on physical interaction. Nothing too intimate."

A smirk tugged at my lips. "You know you get this line over your nose when you're passionate about something? It's cute."

She rolled her eyes but pressed on. "Are you paying attention?"

"I am," I insisted. "Anyway, I agree to your rules. However, there will need to be some physical interaction if we're going to be believed. You know this."

Isla looked away, biting her lip.

"I won't cross any lines, sugar," I said gently. "And I know you won't despite how irresistible I am."

She sighed, clearly torn. "I just… how are people going to believe this?"

"You want a story?" I leaned back with a grin. "I'll give you one."

Her eyes narrowed slightly but curiosity sparked within them.

"We met when we were kids, obviously," I began, spinning the tale in my mind as I spoke. "But it wasn't until that charity event last spring the Serpents hosted that we really started talking. You remember? The one with the silent auction?"

Isla nodded slowly. “Except, why would you be there? If I recall, you were playing for Toronto.”

“Well, my best school chum was going to be in attendance,” I drawled. “And I was scoping out a potential new team. I was a free agent, if I recall.”

She let out an approving grunt.

"So there we were," I continued, "both bidding on that ridiculous painting—what was it called again?The Abstract Serenityor something like that."

A small smile played at her lips.

“We ended up outbidding each other until we realized neither of us actually wanted the damn thing,” I said with a chuckle. “We laughed about it and spent the rest of the night talking and catching up. Of course, I hadn't seen you in years, and to find you've grown into a woman…"

"And then?" she asked skeptically.

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