RANON POV
Seraphina's silence seemed to follow us, like an unwanted guest behind us.
Even as we walked through the store, with its bright lights, shiny floors, and clothes displayed like art her thoughts were far away. She was with me, but her mind was hidden behind careful eyes.
I had been watching her and our eyes had met one too many times in just a few minutes.
Like she had a lot of questions that needed answers, but she couldn't just get them.
Her expression held that curious look with eyes that kept looking to me.
Like she didn't trust me.
Like she was worried about something I would or I have done and she was trying very hard not to show it.
I didn't say anything. Not yet. Pressing her always made her want to move away, and I didn't want to see her shrink back into herself.
Instead, I chose to ignore her and help her pick a dress that had caught my eye.
A black silk, simple design, not too low-cut. Something that she would wear and would fit over her body like water. It was classy, but not showy, something that fit who she truly was under all that controlled act.
"Try this on," I said, looking into her searching eyes that were also locked in mine for a moment once again.
She looked at the dress like it was a trick, something to get her closer to me, she must have thought.
"It's too fancy," she said immediately rejecting it.
"It's perfect," I replied. "Go."
She narrowed her eyes, unsure if she should be annoyed or pleased. But she took the dress anyway and disappeared behind the curtains of the fitting room.
I leaned against the wall, arms crossed. I could hear soft noises, the muffled sound of her shoes, the smooth sound of the fabric sliding over her skin.
She was calmer in there.
Away from people.
Away from the media and every prying eyes.
Away from mine.
And maybe that's why I walked toward the curtain quietly, without a warning.
"Sera," I said.
The soft gasp she made was worth more than the price they would ever call for the dress or anything else in this shop.
She turned quickly, still holding the silk just around her waist. "Ranon! What are you doing? Get out."
She had only her brassiere on as she had already taken off what she was wearing. The silk was still around her waist, waiting to get grace, the body of which I had frozen for a second admiring.
That didn't stop me, I stepped inside.
Her face turned red right away. She moved back until her back touched the mirror, her blue eyes wide, not sure if she should be angry or embarrassed.
"Relax," I whispered. "If I wanted to take advantage of you, I wouldn't need a fitting room to do it."
"That's not comforting," she said quietly.
A smile started on my face. "Let me see."
"I'm not ready."
"I don't mind."
She held her breath, and she pressed the dress tighter against her chest. "Ranon, leave."
But she wasn't really angry.
Not truly.
Her heart was beating too fast, her eyes were too wide… and her heart skipped a beat when I stepped closer close enough that my breath moved the hair near her face.
"You're avoiding looking at me," I said softly.
"I'm trying to get dressed!"
"And thinking too much." I lifted a hand, gently touching her cheekbone. "You came back from work… bothered."
She swallowed.
She didn't say it wasn't true.
"Tell me what's wrong," I said.
She tightened her jaw. "You already know."
That made me stop for a moment.
Ah.
So she suspected something.
But she wasn't scared of me just scared of what it meant to be connected to someone like me.
Before she could worry more, I held the back of her neck and pulled her closer slowly enough for her to stop me, but she didn't.
Her lips opened.
I kissed her.
Not rough. Not forceful. Just enough to stop her from thinking.
At first, her body fought back, standing straight with a sense of self-respect, not understanding, and anger at everything she held onto like a shield.
Then, her fingers grabbed onto my shirt.
Only for a short time.
But she felt it too that little burst, that warmth, that strong and clear attraction.
When she finally pulled away, her breathing was not normal.
"Leave," she said quietly, her face red and her lips puffed up.
I did what she asked.
I took a step away, allowing the material to separate us. My heart was beating normally, but something within me… something I had not felt in a long time… began to move.
She quickly came out a few minutes later, fully clothed, not looking at me, and her skin was still reddish.
"Let's leave," she said softly.
I acted like I didn't see her face turning red.
But I saw everything about her.
Later that night, after taking her back to her place so she could "clear her head," like she wanted, JK gave me a package.
It was large.
It was dark.
It had a well-known mark three snakes wrapped around a knife.
"The Lascari family," JK said. "They are having a party in two days. They want you to be there."
I moved the package around in my hand.
The Lascaris did not ask people to come.
They ordered them.
And deals with them were never easy… especially with the battle over who gets their stuff getting worse, and with Mateo waiting to take advantage like a mean bird.
I put the invitation inside my jacket.
"Get the car ready," I said. "We are going."
Even as I talked, I realized my thoughts were going somewhere else not to the deal, not to the plans, not t
o the quiet battle.
But to a woman with stormy blue eyes and lips that still had a little bit of a fighting taste.
Seraphina Quinn.