Domino’s eyes snap to hers, and I swear I hear her breath catch. He doesn’t even blink.
“Doesn’t matter. He saw her. He knew. You think primal instinct waits for a fucking introduction? Nah,” he scoffs, shaking his head. “You don’t wait when something’s yours. You take it. You claim it. Before someone else does.”
I watch Blair practically melt into her chair. Cheeks flushed like she’s burning from the inside. The other women shift in their seats, some crossing their legs, others uncrossing them. What the hell.
I lean back against the counter, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised. He keeps hijacking my little book club, and business is booming because of it.
“What about when she ran from him?” Maggie from two towns over chimes in, lips pursed. “Wasn’t that a bit… dramatic?”
Domino’s laugh is a low rumble, visibly shaking through the ladies. “Dramatic? You’re running from a six-foot-eight beast with tusks who just told you he’s never letting you go. That’s not dramatic, that’s survival instinct. But it didn’t matter, did it? He hunted her down. Like I said,” he snaps the book shut, the sound loud and his next words final. “You don’t wait. You take.”
A shiver runs through the entire circle of women. I watch it ripple, spread, ignite. I don’t miss the way Blair’s hand brushes her throat, the way Laura — the town dentist — swallows hard. It’s like he’s speaking their fantasies right into existence. And he still doesn’t even fucking blink.
I clear my throat, pushing off the counter. “Alright, professor. Are you gonna read us some quotes now or just keep preaching?”
He smirks, leaning back, stretching out his legs. “I don’t mind reading if you don’t mind listening.”
The women practically vibrate with excitement, nodding, leaning forward, almost like they’re ready to bow at his feet. It’s absurd. Hilarious. It’s fucking dangerous.
I chuckle under my breath. “Ok, but if you make these ladies swoon too hard, you’re the one carrying them out.”
He just shrugs, then cracks his neck. “I can handle it.”
The hell he can. Hedefinitelyknows what he’s doing to them.
It’s already dark outside when I’m walking back from the bookstore. I lost track of time again, stuck between the pages of a new story, completely oblivious to the hours slipping away.
I'm just a few feet from Ria's door when I hear it. A hiss, jarring and wet, slithering through the silence. Then a scream splits the air, high-pitched and cracking.
"The Holy Nagathis will cleanse you!"
I don't have time to process the words.
A blur of scales and fangs is already flying at my face. Fast. My body locks up, lungs frozen mid-breath. The world narrows to the glint of scales, the flick of a tongue, the very specific horror of a live snake launched at me like a goddamn missile.
My arm flies up on instinct. I brace for the bite but it never comes.
A muffled pop echoes from behind me.
The snake jerks mid-flight like something invisible swatted it sideways. Blood sprays, tiny droplets hitting the concrete. There’s a scream, and then another pop. And another pop.
Those were fucking gunshots.
My feet unfreeze. I bolt for the entrance —get to safety, get to fucking safety— but I don't make it two steps. An arm hooks around my waist and drags me back against a wall of muscle and leather. The scent of engine oil and cold metal hits me. My first instinct is to scream, but a hand clamps over my mouth, cutting it off before it even reaches my throat.
“Don’t.” The voice is completely even, like nothing special happened. Like there weren’t snakes and gunshots just seconds ago. “I’m here to protect you. Your friend isn’t home. I’m taking you to safety.”
My heart jackhammers against my ribs, adrenaline flooding every nerve. I start shaking my head, twisting against his hold. I don’t know who the hell this guy thinks he is, but I’m not going anywhere with him.
He sighs, like I’m an unreasonable toddler throwing a tantrum. “Gonna release you now. Don’t scream. There were two of them. More might be coming.”
I force my heartbeat down, nodding against his palm. He releases me slowly, and the moment I’m free, I spin around. A biker. Of course it’s a fucking biker. Tall. Dark. Dangerous. Hard jaw. Dead eyes. The whole shebang.
“Come,” he says, turning on his heel like I’m just going to follow without question.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I spit out, fists clenched. “Who the hell are you? I’ve never seen you before.”
He stops, and looks back at me, completely unbothered. “No time for this.”
