Page 47 of Seducing Hope (The Hope Legacy)

I chuckle. “You’re suggesting she’s not human?”

Nathan thins his lips as his gray eyes flash. “I’m suggesting she’s unusual.”

Zac nods, rubbing his chin. “Do you think you can still crack her shields?”

Briefly, I flood the garden with my power, wiping it clean of the destruction and chaos left behind from the battle, then shove my hands in my pants pockets and walk toward the street. “Yes. She won’t be on her guard if she thinks we are on the same side. Let’s go—we don’t want our little badass warrior getting stroppy and leaving the diner.”

Chapter Seventeen

Natia

Tauruses—their little secret? When they need help, it’s hard for them to admit it because they hate looking weak.

Isit alone facing the door in the deserted diner. Duncan sits two tables down, while Zee and Aaden sit three tables up. Cam’s Heaven is a typical American diner, with booths, plastic red-and-white-checkered tablecloths, neon signs, and waitresses who use the word “honey” in every other sentence. The food here is amazing—Archan will hate it. I’d be surprised if he’s tasted a french fry or corn dog in his life.

The waitress arrives; I open my mouth to send her away, but I change my mind and order for us both. He’s about to get an education in true American cuisine.

Zee rolls his eyes. “What? I eat when I’m stressed. It’s a thing, go look it up,” I grumble.

Precisely ten minutes go by when the bell jingles, announcing the entrance of Archan and his goons. The swell of power from them as a collective sucks the air out of the room and appears to shrink the diner to an eighth of its size. A look of surprise crosses his face when he sees I’m sitting alone.That’s right, buddy. I’m not scared of you… much.

He takes his coat off and peers at the torn, red, plastic bench opposite me. I struggle to keep from laughing at his expression. Deciding the plastic doesn’t deserve his rear end, he lays his coat across the seat and sits on it. The waitress appears with two cups of coffee. He smiles and takes note of her name tag. Or he might just be staring at her boobs. “Thank you, Ali.”

She gives him a toothy smile. “No problem, honey. I’ll be right back with your order.”

“That’s more manners than you’ve shown me in hours of numerous meetingsandan interrogation,” I mutter.

His lips tip up. “Will ‘please and thank you’ get me what I want?”

I arch an eyebrow. “Depends what you want.”

“From you? Many things.”

“Name one, with a please and a thank you, and I’ll think about it.”

He leans forward, an amused gleam in his eyes. “A kiss, please, and I promise to thank you afterwards.” He glances at the low neckline of my top as butterflies bounce around my abdomen, making me flush. I resist the urge to wrap my arms across my chest.

“No.”

“It’s only a kiss. Scared?”

Warning bells go off.Don’t fall for it, Natia. My stupid brain doesn’t beat my mouth. “No.”

“Then you won’t mind giving me a kiss.”

I glance at Zee, knowing he’d used this exact tactic a couple of nights ago when he took that stupid adjoining bedroom. He shakes his head. “You need to learn,” he grumbles.

“I know,” I mutter. “Fine, let’s get this over with.”

The screech of metal against cheap laminate suddenly echoes in the diner; I turn to see Duncan standing behind me, glaring at Archan. “Natia, you don’t have to indulge this asshole. I believe you’d agree that we’re here for more than power games, wouldn’t you, Mr. Reinhart?” Duncan snaps. I look back at Archan, who blinks and slides his gaze between me and Duncan as if dissecting the pair of us.

I reach out and touch Duncan’s arm. “Duncan, it’s fine. He’s right—it’s only a kiss, and he doesn’t scare me.” I meet Archan’s eyes and smirk, hoping he can’t hear my hammering heart. “If this is what it takes to get him to move on, then fine. It’s not a big deal.”

Duncan nods slightly and sits back down, keeping his eyes locked on Archan.

I lean across the table, squeeze my eyes closed, and pucker my lips in the least romantic way I can think of. Calloused fingers grip my jaw gently, and his breath tickles my mouth. My lips part, and my trapped heart feels like it’s trying to climb out of my chest. He chuckles. I open one eye to find his dancing with amusement. Releasing my jaw, he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.

“Not here, and not like this. It will be at a time of my choosing.”

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