Page 30 of When the Storm Breaks
He turns to Chase. “Better brush up on your squatter’s rights, buddy.”
Chase lets out a long sigh, clearly unimpressed.
“You’re hilarious,” he mutters dryly.
I hear the sarcasm in Haiyden’s tone, but it still stings. I shouldn’t have come. I should’ve stayed home, where it was safer.
The sound of Haiyden’s boots crossing the floor snaps me out of my thoughts. He stops in front of me, the corners of his mouth lifting—infuriating and magnetic all at once.
“I hear there’s a coffee waiting for me? Charming, Calla,” he says, voice laced with mockery.
Suppressing a groan, I gesture toward the coffee tray still sitting on the bar.
“Help yourself,” I mutter, shooting Chase a look.
He shrugs, unapologetic. “What? He likes coffee.”
Haiyden walks to the bar, every movement deliberate as he picksup the cup. He lifts it to his lips and takes a long sip. His eyes never leave mine. There’s an intensity in his stare that suffocates me, and when he lowers the cup and mouthsthank you, it feels like there’s not enough air on this earth.
Heat rushes to my face, and I look away, pretending to lose myself in my book. My fingers tremble as I grip the pages, trying to focus, but the scrape of a chair across the floor pulls my attention back to him.
Haiyden sits across from me, stretching out his long legs like he owns the space. He pulls out his phone and scrolls casually while I sit here, tense and restless.
Out of the corner of my eye, I study him. The sharp line of his jaw, the slight curl of dark hair, the way his fingers wrap around the coffee cup—everything about him feels meticulously designed to draw my attention, and I hate how easily it works. My gaze drifts lower, to where the cuffs of his jeans brush against his boots, and that’s when I notice—his feet are just barely touching mine under the table. It’s not an accident. He’s filling the space, claiming it in a way I can’t.
I force my eyes back to the pages of my book, willing myself to just read, but my heart betrays me—every beat a quiet reminder of the man sitting across from me. His presence fills the room, and even in the stillness, I can feel the weight of his approaching storm. And still, I steal glances, each one pulling me deeper into his orbit.
The faint scent of citrus and sage floats between us—bright and clean, with an undercurrent of something earthier. My thoughts betray me, slipping to the back office: his hands on me, his lips igniting something primal. Something I couldn’t control. I feel the phantom weight of it now, pressing into me with force.
The memory is searing. Overwhelming. For a second, I forgetwhere I am entirely.
Chase’s footsteps pull me back into the present, breaking the spell. He emerges from the back, coffee in hand, and drops into a seat like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“I’m late to the party this morning, huh?” Chase says, tone light, but I see the glint of curiosity in his eyes.
“No party,” I blurt out, too fast, too flat.
I glance at Haiyden, and his smirk is immediate—curling at his lips like he’s in on a joke I don’t want to be a part of. It’s infuriating how easily he reads me when I’m trying so hard to stay composed.
Chase follows my gaze, then turns back to me, nodding toward my book. “No work today, Calla?”
“Ahead of schedule.” The lie twists in my throat, but it’s easier than explaining the truth.
“Impressive,” he says, raising his coffee cup in a mock toast before taking a sip.
I manage a small smile in return.
“Do you get any time off for Christmas?” he asks, the only one in the room who seems remotely interested in my life.
“I work on more of a freelance schedule,” I say, but the words come out clumsy. “I, uh… make my own hours, so I can work whenever I want.”
My face warms as I realize I’ve just outed myself, admitted these mornings aren’t exactly required.
“Anyway, I fell behind. Working here’s just been helping me catch up.”
It’s quick, but I catch Haiyden’s expression—an almost-smile tugging at his lips. It’s subtle, but it’s there, and it’s maddening. Likehe’s silently laughing at me while I trip over my own words.
This man is insufferable.
