“You told me on our last date you’d let me do a reading for you this time. Time to pay up, handsome.”
Maddox gave the smallest nod known to man, and Vesper leaned in.
“What are those cards really going to tell you, Mercy? I’ve known him for five seconds, and I’ve already got a read on him,” Vesper drawled, draping her arm over Mercy’s shoulders, getting closer. “Mysterious, broody, a little tragic—but in, like, a hot way,” she added, grinning at Maddox like she wanted to eat him. She probably did.
“That’s just the surface, Vesper. The cards reveal what’s underneath.”
“Maybe we aren’t big on reveals, sweetheart,” I said. He was my longtime partner—I had to at least throw him a lifeline.
“It’s fine,” Maddox interrupted. Lifeline ignored for some gorgeous pussy. Couldn’t say I blamed him. “I’m not scared. It’s just…nonsense.”
“Nonsense?” Mercy gasped dramatically, clutching her cards to her chest. “Handsome, this nonsense is ancient wisdom! Now, stop being boring and shuffle these.”
Maddox muttered something under his breath but reluctantly took the cards. He shuffled them like they were explosives, tossing them back to Mercy like he couldn’t get rid of them fast enough.
“Perfect,” Mercy said, laying out a spread with flair. “All right, let’s see what we’ve got. Oh—this is interesting.”
Maddox sighed, rubbing his temples. “What now?”
“Hmm…” Mercy tapped a card. “Knight of Swords. Someone ready for the fight, whatever the consequences. Smart but headstrong, maybe a little too willing to shoot without asking why. Sound like you?”
Maddox grunted.
Eon leaned against the counter, hiding her smile behind her beer can. I caught her glance toward me, and I smirked.
“What?” I asked.
“Just thinking about how much you’d hate this if it were you,” she said, her tone light but teasing.
“Oh, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” I leaned a little closer, watching the way her eyes flicked up to meet mine. “Making me squirm.”
“Maybe,” she admitted, her lips quirking. “But I think you’d be a terrible client. No patience for fate.”
“I make my own fate,” I murmured, my voice dropping.
Her smile faltered, just slightly, like I’d caught her off guard.
Mercy’s voice cut through. “Oh, this is juicy,” she said, grinning as she tapped another card. “The Lovers! What are you hiding, big guy?”
Maddox groaned. “I hate everything about this.”
“You’ll thank me later,” Mercy said, winking. “Now, let’s talk about what you’re avoiding.”
Eon snorted, clearly enjoying Maddox’s torment.
I leaned closer to her again, whispering in her ear, “Should I be worried?”
“About her reading you?” She raised a brow. “Definitely. Mercy would eat you alive.”
I chuckled, leaning back but keeping my eyes on her. “Good thing I’ve got you to protect me, then.”
Eon didn’t respond immediately, but her gaze lingered on me a moment longer than necessary, something unspoken passing between us before she finally looked away.
“Good thing,” she murmured, almost too softly to hear.
Mercy gasped dramatically, but I saw a frown cling to her lips.
Maddox leaned forward, resigned but curious despite himself. “What now?”
