The café was quiet, the kind of place that catered to whispered deals and meetings meant to be unseen. I took the corner table, facing the door. My coffee sat untouched.
He would arrive in exactly three minutes. I remembered it vividly from my past life—Damien Cross never arrived early, never late.
Right on cue, the bell over the door chimed.
Damien entered like the world belonged to him. Black suit, tailored to precision. Dark hair slicked back. Eyes so sharp they could cut glass. Conversations around us dipped as people instinctively shrank away from him.
He didn't look at me at first. Instead, he crossed to the counter, ordered an espresso, and only then scanned the room.
When his gaze landed on me, I didn't flinch.
He approached, each step deliberate."Miss Winters," he said, his voice low, carrying an edge of steel. "To what do I owe this… unexpected invitation?"
I gestured to the seat across from me. "Sit. We need to talk."
One brow lifted in mild amusement, but he sat. "You've got my attention for two minutes. Use them wisely."
In my last life, I'd been terrified of him. Now, I knew better—fear was exactly what he fed on.
"I know you're negotiating with the Blackwells," I began. "Don't. They're a sinking ship, and anyone tied to them will go down too."
His gaze sharpened, studying me like I was a puzzle. "Interesting. And why would the daughter of Charles Winters tell me this? Unless…" He leaned forward, a slow smirk curling his lips. "You have something to gain."
I matched his stare. "I do. A mutually beneficial arrangement. One that could give you leverage over my family… and me the freedom I want."
He chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it. "Freedom? You think making a deal with me leads to freedom?"
"In this city," I said quietly, "power is freedom. And I think you have more than enough for the both of us."
For a moment, silence hung between us. Then his phone buzzed. He glanced at it, stood, and buttoned his jacket.
"You've got nerve, Miss Winters," he said, eyes glinting. "I'll consider your… proposal."
As he left, I knew one thing for certain—Damien Cross wasn't just interested. He was intrigued.
And that made him dangerous in exactly the way I needed.