Page 22 of Knotting on Heaven's Door

And fuck if my wolf didn’t snap to attention.

It was subtle, an invisible ripple under my skin, that low thrumming awareness only another shifter would understand. Her scent was still blocked, but even through the chemical calm, I could feel the heat of her anger pressed into my palm like a brand.

Professional. Controlled.

Butfurious.

“I appreciate that,” I murmured.

Her eyes met mine. Still smiling. Still unreadable. But something burned beneath it. When she let go, I flexed my fingers, the echo of her touch still buzzing.

I turned to leave, content with the sharp sting of her handshake still lingering in my palm, when I heard her voice behind me—lower, softer, the kind of tone reserved for someone you trust.

“I’m leaving you in charge next week,” Ada was saying to Mila. “Just keep everything moving while I deal with… everything else.”

“This isn’t the first time, Ada,” Mila replied gently. “Go. Take the time.”

Ada nodded once, distracted, already turning to head back inside. I followed her. Not on purpose. At least, that’s what I told myself.

The hallway was empty. No footsteps, no clatter of pans, no one to see the small, perfect window of silence between us.

I moved closer—close enough that she could feel the heat of me at her back—and leaned in.

“Hope you didn’t take time off just to avoid me,” I murmured, voice low and just a touch too close to smug.

She stopped walking. Turned so fast I nearly ran into her.

Her eyes narrowed, fire barely contained. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” I said, unbothered, hands casually sliding into my pockets.

“I took time off,” she snapped, “because my apartment was recently renovated and I need to clean it top to bottom. Which, believe it or not, is more important than babysitting an overconfident Alpha with boundary issues.”

I smirked, leaning one shoulder against the wall like this wasjust a casual hallway chat. “Well then. No need to worry while you’re gone. I’ll be on mybestbehavior.”

She turned to me fully, eyes locked on mine, and this time, her smile was ice-cold and razor sharp.

“Oh, I know you’ll keep quiet,” she said, voice dripping sweet venom. “After all, you wouldn’t want dear Papa to find out you landed a job by sleeping with the boss, would you?”

The smirk fell clean off my face.

Her words hit like a slap I hadn’t expected.

Sheknew.

She knew about my father. About the money. The disgrace. The fact that the name Laurente didn’t open doors for me anymore—it just reminded people how far I’d fallen.

Ada closed the distance, the clean citrus of her soap cutting through the industrial air. Her gaze held mine like a blade at my throat.

“One rumor from me,” she murmured, voice velvet-sharp, “and every gossip rag in Paris will know the fallen golden heir begged for work in Blue Springs. But I’m not interested in revenge, Sebastian—I’m interested inresults. I expect nothing from my staff but professionalism, no matter their surname or who they spend the night with.”

My jaw locked. Half of me wanted to strangle her for the threat; the other half wanted to drag her close and finish what we’d started.

She angled her head, “Prove you can deliver, or pack your knives. Simple.”

Then she turned, stride crisp, heels striking the concrete in a deliberate staccato that echoed down the corridor and straight through my chest.

I stood there, pulse roaring, torn between fury and the rough urge to taste that impossible mouth again—thinking, absurdly, that she looked even more dangerous in daylight, hair pulledback, those dark frames perched on her nose.

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