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Fury leaned forward, his eyes twinkling. “The tough part’s obvious. You've got your hands full handling dancers and dealing with Gavin Manning. The rom-com thing? Just a hunch based on that little smile you got when we walked past that movie poster earlier. And the cat?” He pointed to my black skirt. “You’ve got some telltale fur on your clothes.”
I brushed at my skirt, cursing internally. Damn it, Whiskers. “Not bad, Gracen. But don’t go thinking you’ve got me all figured out.”
The waitress returned with our coffees and my muffin. I took a sip, savoring the bitter warmth.
“So,” Fury said, wrapping his hands around his mug, “since we’re stuck here, why don’t you tell me something about yourself that I couldn’t guess?”
I took another sip of my coffee, buying time as I considered my response. Fury’s eyes were still on me, patient but expectant. I couldn’t deny the pull I felt towards him - the way his smile made my stomach do a little flip, how his gaze seemed to see right through my carefully constructed walls. But I’d been down this road before, and I wasn’t about to make the same mistakes again.
“Something you couldn’t guess?” I finally said, a coy smile playing on my lips. “How about the fact that I can juggle knives?”
Fury’s eyebrows shot up. “Now that I’d like to see.”
I laughed, the sound surprisingly genuine. “Maybe if you’re lucky. It’s not exactly a skill I break out at parties.”
“I’ll have to make sure I’m at the right party then,” he replied, his voice low and warm.
I felt a flush creep up my neck and cursed internally. Despite my best efforts, there was definitely a spark there. And in my experience, sparks usually led to fires.
And I’d been burned enough times to know better than to play with matches.
CHAPTER THREE
Fury
“Welcome to Club Privé, Mr. Gracen,” Sienna said, her voice barely audible over the music. She was close enough that I could smell her perfume - something spicy and exotic that made my head spin.
Knife-juggling, huh? What other secrets are you hiding, Sienna Marquez?
I tried to take it all in at once - the opulent decor, the mirrored walls, the crystal chandeliers that seemed to dance in time with the music. But my eyes kept being drawn back to Sienna. She moved through the space with the confidence of someone who owned it, and I wondered what it would be like to see her dance.
“Impressive,” I managed, hoping I didn’t sound as overwhelmed as I felt.
Sienna smirked, clearly seeing right through me. “You ain’t seen nothing yet, Gracen.”
She led me deeper into the club, past the main bar where bartenders were prepping for the night ahead. As we rounded a corner, I nearly collided with a group of scantily clad dancers rushing by.
“Watch it!” Sienna snapped, her hand shooting out to steady me. The moment her fingers grabbed my arm, a shiver traced its way down my back.
Our eyes met, and for a split second, I saw something flicker in those emerald depths. Desire? Annoyance? Maybe both?
She pulled her hand away like she’d been burned. “Rehearsals,” she muttered. “Come on, Gavin’s office is this way.”
We weaved through the backstage area, dodging more dancers and a small army of makeup artists and costume designers. The energy was frenetic, everyone laser-focused on their tasks. It reminded me of the trading floor back in my early days on Wall Street, but with a lot more glitter.
Finally, we reached a door marked ‘Private’. Sienna knocked once, then pushed it open without waiting for a response.
“Gavin? Your new boy wonder is here.”
I bristled at being called a boy, but before I could say anything, she left.
As the door closed behind me, I focused on the man rising from his chair. At thirty-seven, Gavin Manning had been through hell and emerged, and I was sure I didn’t even know half of it. He smiled as he circled his desk, extending his hand to me.
“Fury, damn good to see you, again. What’s it been? 5-6 years?”
“I believe so,” I said. His handshake was firm, no macho posturing to prove he was more manly than me by trying to crush my fingers. Glancing around his office and observing the way he carried himself as he sauntered over to a bar along one wall, I realized what was different.
He was relaxed.
