Page 9 of Before Dawn

“Good guess.”

“I’m good at reading people.” His gaze didn’t waver. “Especially when I’m interested.”

I bit my lip, warmth flooding through me. Was it normal to feel this drawn to someone I barely knew? Probably not. But after weeks of stress and exhausting exams, this was the most at peace I’d felt in a while.

“Your accent…” I trailed off, eyes searching his. “Where’s it from?”

“Dominican Republic.” He paused. “Wasn’t sure if you’d notice.”

“Very noticeable.” I leaned in just a fraction, caught in the way his presence filled the space between us. “Are you fluent?”

A mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. “No lo sé, ¿verdad?”1

The words rolled off his tongue, smooth and rich, sending an unexpected thrill down my spine.

Dear God. Why was this turning me on?

I swallowed hard, steadying myself. “I’ll take that as a yes.”

“Bingo.” He grinned, his confidence unwavering. “I grew up there. Moved to California when I was about nine. English was a challenge at first, but I figured it out.”

“Do you still speak Spanish often?”

“When I’m upset or with my family. They insist on it.”

“Learning quite a lot about you tonight, aren’t I?”

His lips curved, slow and deliberate, as he slid off his glasses, locking eyes with me.

“I don’t mind. I’ve got interesting company.”

Before I could respond, a guy—who almost resembled the one from the entrance—walked up and murmured something in his ear. I couldn’t make out the words, but I caught one: Mikkel.

Of course.The hot stranger had a name just as devastating.

His expression shifted, more serious now as he turned back to me. “That’s my cue to leave, Red. You’re good company, and if you forget everything else I said tonight, don’t forget this.”

I blinked up at him. “Huh?”

His gaze softened. He leaned in, his voice dropping just enough to make my pulse skip. “Whoever or whatever made you cryisn’t worth a single tear. And they sure as hell don’t deserve to be in your life.”

That made my night. Possibly my whole damn month.

He pulled his keys from his pocket and walked out—practically gliding through the door.

So fucking unreal.

So goddamn majestic.

I downed the rest of my water, sitting there, letting the music soak in, trying—and failing—to wipe the Mikkel-induced smile off my face.

I couldn’t forget this night.

I couldn’t forget our conversation.

I couldn’t forget him.

Oh, this wasn’t gonna end well.

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