Page 56 of Knotting on Heaven's Door

I glanced up.

He stared at the floor, lashes low. “Five years ago, I almost bonded.” A short laugh escaped—sharp, self-deprecating. “She was beautiful. Said she loved art, food, the ocean—everything that sounded like me. I flew her to Santorini for a long weekend, chartered a catamaran in Capri. Cartier bracelet, vintage wine—whatever she glanced at, I bought.” He shrugged, but the motion was tight. “Thought I was showing her a future.”

My chest pinched. I could picture it too clearly: the blue Mediterranean, the glitter of diamonds, the illusion of forever.

“Then one night I borrowed her phone to snap a photo.” His jaw flexed. “Found messages between her and her best friend—screenshots of my transfers, jokes about how easy rich alphas are to fleece.‘Gonna ride this gravy train till the next one comes,’she wrote.” He let out a brittle breath. “Guess I was just a paycheck with a yacht.”

“Sebastian—”

He shook his head. “It happens. Lesson learned. But life’s funny, right? I spent ridiculous money on someone who only saw numbers… and now I’ve met a woman who actually deserves everything, and I can’t even afford flowers to thank her for a used sofa.”

His eyes lifted to mine—blue, raw, nothing smug about them. “Creditors take their cut the second money hits my account. I’m on financial lockdown for the next two years. So even if I wanted to show you gratitude, hell, even basic courting…” He trailed off, the corner of his mouth lifting in a hollow smile. “All I’ve got is sweat equity and bad timing.”

Something inside me twisted hard—empathy and anger and an ache I didn’t have a name for. I knew what it was to be used. To feel like love was conditional. His confession hit deeper than I wanted to admit.

Before my better judgment could kick in, the words tumbled out. “How about dinner?”

Silence.

My brain screamedwhy gods why, can I not shut my damn mouth?but it was too late. The offer hovered between us, shimmering and reckless.

Sebastian’s brows rose, surprise flickering into something softer. “Dinner?”

I swallowed. “Nothing fancy. No threads. Just… food. Two people who could probably use a normal night.”

Sebastian’s lips tugged into a slow, lopsided grin. “If you’re okay with vendor-cart shawarma and walking under the stars with an alpha who makes bad jokes and can’t afford cab fare, then prepare yourself—because I’m about to take you on the worst date of your life.”

“It’snota date.”

He tilted his head, eyes gleaming with something that looked suspiciously like satisfaction. “You asked me out,boss. That makes it a date.”

“It was a pity invitation.”

“It was dinner,” he countered, voice like velvet-wrapped arrogance. “And it came fromyou. So, yeah, it counts.”

I crossed my arms. “Why are you smiling like that?”

The grin widened, sinful and far too knowing.

“Because,” he said, leaning in just enough to make my pulse spike, “we only got through two out of those three rounds you mentioned.”

My stomach flipped.

He kept his eyes locked on mine, voice low and infuriatingly smug. “So I’m really looking forward to round three.”

I hated the way my breath caught. Hated the way heat bloomed low in my belly. And I especially hated that godsdamned grin.

Cocky bastard.

CHAPTER 13

Ada

The next day, I met Sophie for lunch atViolette, a small café tucked between a florist and a vintage bookstore just off the town square. It was the kind of place where everything felt curated and intimate—chic without trying too hard. Lavender wallpaper with soft gold accents, plush chairs in every shade of purple, and delicate chandeliers that sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the windows. A vase of violets sat on every table. It smelled like fresh-baked pastries and wildflowers.

Sophie was already seated when I arrived, sipping something citrusy from a crystal glass, her skin glowing and her smile brighter than I’d seen it in months. Mated life clearly agreed with her.

“There you are,” she beamed, standing to pull me into a hug. “You look good. Did you do something different with your hair?”

---