“As dark as your soul I presume?”
He clicks his tongue. “See? You can do it too. I love it when you pretend to be mad at me, call me by my last name, and boss me around all at once.”
He wets his lips before taking a sip.
“Piss off, McKenna,”
“That sounds very British coming from that American mouth of yours. Am I corrupting you?”
I really have to try not to laugh. He’s been a little shit all day, which means my Sapphire’s in a good mood. And I get it, he’s back home, in the city that feeds this side of him.
Before I get the chance to respond, someone calls Tom’s name from the other side of the café.
Nothing new. Every street we turn, he gets recognized. By people he knows, but mostly people who know him. That part makes me a little nervous.
Strangers stop him out of nowhere, and Tom never says no. He has this switch he flips that makes everyone feel seen.
It’s genuine, none of it is fake charm. Making people happy fuels his energy,Cameron the fan-camalways included.
It takes getting used to, but I knew what I was signing up for.
As long as they leave me out of it, I’m fine. The last thing I need is people back in the States finding out where I am, and who I'm with.
Luckily, that doesn’t seem to be a problem. Everyone in this city sees Tom as the ultimate womanizer. And me? I’m the one hiding in the corner, trying to be invisible, studying the way he twists a crowd around his finger. When he shines, I know he belongs to the world out there. But when the lights go out, he belongs to me. Only to me.
The guy who called his name comes over. Tom gets to his feet and pulls him into a hug. He’s at least a head taller than Tom. He smacks Tom on the shoulder, and they hug again.
“Holy Christ, you didn't text you’d come back, fucking wanker!”
Accent—check. Rough language—check. Auburn hair—check. Half-moon wolf tattoo on his neck—check.
“Yosh, this is my nephew Finnegan. Finn, this is Yosh.”
“Nice to meet you, Finn.”
I reach out; as our hands meet, his thumb drags lightly across my palm.
A horny McKenna—check.
Finn joins us, filling Tom in on everything he’s missed. They mostly talk about parties and people I don’t know.
Finn does most of the talking while Tom nods along, offering the occasional approving hum. Tom’s nephew keeps going, barely stopping to breathe.
Someone who talks more than my Sapphire? That feels statistically improbable.
Then again, there’s the faint trace of alcohol in his coffee, and a runny nose that seems unrelated to the cold weather.
Maybe that explains the enthusiasm.
Finn shoves his chair back and stands, wobbling a little. He and Tom go through a quick, almost secret handshake before he turns to me.
“Sorry, gorgeous, I’ve got to get back to the office. Let me take you out after the holidays. I’ll show you a better time in Amsterdam than my uncle ever could. Tom will give you my number. Call me when he gets distracted by a pair of curves.”
What the hell?
The snort that escapes me is pure shock. My eyes fly to Tom.
“Finn, back off!”
