Page 19 of Watch Me Burn
My phone vibrates in my pocket. My EA, Tiffany, with some crisis about the foundation gala, no doubt. I let it buzz. The only things that exist right now are Luna’s joy and her laughter floating over the muted sounds of the sparse street traffic.
They duck into a clothing store, and I cross the street, my dress shoes sliding on the wet pavement before finding grip. Why the fuck didn’t I wear boots?
I position myself near Notchtop Bakery & Café, using the window’s reflection to monitor the boutique entrance. The barista shoots me suspicious glances as I hover without ordering, but I don’t give a shit.
Since I kissed Luna last week and then punished her later as her masked wolf, I’ve been unraveling, thread by agonizing thread. The memory of how she trembled under my hands that night plays on repeat in my head, replaying in vivid detail at the worst possible moments.
Fuck! Heat rushes through my body, and my cock hardens against my zipper until I have to shift my stance to ease the pressure building there.
The boutique door chimes as they emerge with small shopping bags, still deep in conversation. What is it that women talk about all the time?
Wind whips down the street, sending snow spiraling around their boots. Luna tugs her coat closer while saying something that makes Maren snort with laughter, the sound carrying despite the distance. They head toward the art galleries, and I follow at a distance, keeping to the far side of the street.
This duplicity is killing me. Each night I’m with her, the compulsion to tear off the mask and show her who I am grows stronger. Two sides of myself fight for control, and she’s trapped in the middle without knowing it.
They pause outside Mountain Traditions Gallery, voices low as they debate going inside. A middle-aged couple walks toward them from the other direction, pushing Luna and Maren closer to the building’s front windows.
This is a perfect opportunity. I can walk over and act as if the meeting is pure coincidence.
My pulse pounds against my collar with the same intensity I feel before a kill.
Fuck! Get it together, Wolfe.
I stride across the street, navigating patches of gray slush while my footsteps echo off wet concrete.
“Luna? Is that you?”
Both women turn toward me, and Luna’s face lights up. The urge to press her against the gallery's window and kiss her breathless pounds through my veins likea second heartbeat. It’s all I think about now that I’ve tasted her. Her hazel eyes soften, her lips curving into a smile, and warmth spreads beneath my ribs.
“Damien, hi!” Small puffs of breath escape her lips. “What are you doing here?”
Maren eyes me with a sly smile.
“Had lunch with a friend.” It’s not a lie. Cade and I had lunch, and he’s the closest thing I have to a friend. “Though I have to say, running into you two is the highlight of my day.”
Maren adjusts her hat over her dark hair with an eye roll. “Smooth, Wolfe.”
A young couple pushing a stroller approaches behind them. The sidewalk’s too narrow for everyone, giving me the perfect excuse to place my hand on Luna’s hip and ease her toward the door. The touch shoots electricity through me, and I fight not to let my fingers linger. She smells like wildflowers and peaches, that scent that makes me want to bury my face in her neck right here on the street.
“What brings you ladies here in the middle of the workweek?” The question sounds casual, but I already know the answer. I’ve been tracking them since they left the sanctuary two hours ago.
“Just taking a much-needed break.” Luna shivers as the wind picks up, sending her hair across her face as more flakes swirl around us.
“Yeah, Ethan’s covering for us so we can have a girl’s day.”
This is my moment. It’s now or never.
“I’m glad I ran into you. I was going to call.” My eyes drink in every detail of Luna’s face in the afternoon light, memorizing the way the snowflakes stick to her lashes and how the cold brings out the pink in her cheeks. She’s more beautiful in daylight than in moonlight, if that’s possible.
“I have a gala on Saturday night for my foundation. It’s our annual fundraising event before the winter holidays.”
“Sounds fancy.” Maren glances between us. The gleam in her eyes says she knows where this is going.
I keep my focus on Luna. “I was wondering if you’d like to attend with me. As my date.”
The invitation floats between us in the frigid air, and I stop breathing. This is my test. Will she choose me despite her masked wolf’s warnings? More than that, it’s my desperate attempt to pull her into my real world, to have her beside me in the light instead of just the shadows.
Please say yes. Or no. Just save us both from this madness.
