Leonard didn’t even know why his feet betrayed him. One mont, he was standing outside the apartnt building, jaw tight and fists clenched from a day that had already left him raw and irritable. The next, Lara Johanssen had appeared, her voice dripping with that sweet, mocking drawl, and instead of brushing her off, as he should have, he found himself following her.
It was infuriating, how easily she could pull him along, as though he were so moth compelled to burn itself against her fla. Lara walked a step ahead of him, her head held high, posture immaculate, her heels striking the polished floor with sharp, deliberate clicks that drew glances from strangers they passed. Every inch of her moved with calculated grace, as if she owned the very ground she walked on.
Leonard’s hands dug deeper into the pockets of his coat, knuckles whitening as he forced himself not to snap at her back. His jaw was tight enough to ache. The act of clenching his fists inside his pockets was the only thing keeping his temper at bay.
The restaurant she chose was upscale, of course. They were shown to a booth in the corner. Lara slid in first, crossing her legs with fluid elegance. She leaned back against the cushioned seat, resting one elbow on the table, and looked at him with a catlike smile that made his blood heat with annoyance. Her eyes sparkled with amusent, as if his irritation was her favorite kind of entertainnt.
"So tense," she purred, her voice warm and silky, a sharp contrast to the cold steel in his. "Relax. We’re just having dinner."
Leonard didn’t relax. He leaned forward instead, his forearms braced on the table, his gaze sharp enough to cut glass. His voice was flat, clipped. "Cut the gas, Miss Johanssen. You wanted to talk, so talk. I don’t have ti for your theatrics."
Her only response was a hum of amusent as she picked up the leather-bound nu. She flipped it open lazily, her manicured nails tracing the columns of dishes like she had all the ti in the world.
"I’m hungry," she said lightly, not even looking at him, her eyes scanning the words. "Conversations like this should always be over good food, don’t you think?"
Leonard’s jaw ticked. He wanted to reach across the table, slam the nu shut, and force her to spit out whatever venom she’d lured him here to deliver. His patience was a taut wire, seconds from snapping.
"I’m not ordering anything," he bit out. "So say whatever it is you dragged here for."
At that, Lara finally looked up. Her smirk deepened, amused by his defiance, as if his resistance only entertained her further. With a sharp snap, she closed the nu and set it aside. Then she raised her hand to signal the waiter, who glided over without hesitation.
"Suit yourself, big man," she murmured without missing a beat, her eyes never leaving his. "But I won’t starve just because you’re sulking. You can sit there and glower all you want. I’ll talk after I order myself a dinner."
Leonard stared at her, unimpressed, but beneath the irritation was a flicker of unease. He knew Lara well enough to understand this performance ant sothing poisonous was coming. The longer she stretched it out, the sharper the sting would be.
When the waiter arrived, Lara ordered herself a steak, dium rare, with a glass of red wine. She handed the nu back with a smile that could have belonged to royalty. Leonard said nothing, his silence sharp as a knife. Only when the waiter retreated did Lara fold her hands under her chin and lean forward slightly.
Her eyes glittered as she spoke. "Felix and Katherine," she said casually, like she was comnting on the weather. "They’re getting closer every day."
Leonard’s chest tightened. His fists clenched hard beneath the table, but his expression didn’t shift. He didn’t give her the satisfaction of a visible reaction.
Lara, of course, noticed anyway. She tilted her head, her lips curving into a sly smirk. "You don’t like it. Neither do I."
She let the words hang for a mont, studying him like a cat watching a trapped bird. Then she continued, her voice low. "So why not work together? You want Katherine back, don’t you? And I want Felix. Why not help each other? You distract Katherine, I’ll deal with Felix. Eventually, they’ll drift apart."
Leonard listened in silence, his face carved from stone, but inside, his blood boiled. He didn’t move, didn’t even blink, his eyes sharp and hard. Then, slowly, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them. His voice was low, quiet enough to be mistaken for calm, but each word carried the weight of threat.
"You don’t get to drag Katherine into your gas," he said coldly. "Touch her, and you’ll regret it."
The air between them shifted, heavy with tension. Leonard leaned even closer, invading her space deliberately. Lara could feel his anger radiating off him like heat.
But his next words ca clipped, almost dismissive, like a blade tossed aside. "What you do with Felix... I don’t care. That’s your business."
Lara, unfazed, tilted her head. The corner of her mouth curved upward in an amused smile, her gaze glittering. "So protective, Leonard," she said softly.
She leaned back, her hands folding neatly in her lap, her calm composure infuriating. "But don’t worry. I’m not here to hurt her. I just want what’s mine."
Her voice was confident, certain, almost smug. She made it clear she wouldn’t back down.
"Think about it," she added, her tone deceptively light. "You may not care now, but when Felix takes everything from you, your ho, your family, Katherine, you’ll wish you had on your side."
Leonard’s stare could have cut glass. He pushed back from the table, his chair scraping softly against the floor. Standing tall, he looked down at her, his shadow falling over the table. His voice was low, final.
"Stay out of my way, Lara," he warned. "This is the only warning you’ll get."
Reviews
All reviews (0)