until dawn bled through the curtains, her own reflection haunting her from that live feed.

ever left the app. Whoever "Ares" was, he had seen her. He had a camera some

Something in her chest tightened at the thought of explaining it. They would cal

ied her out of habit rather than intention. She ordered her usual chamomile tea a

as when sh

of every person in the café. His hair was dark, a little tousled, his jaw sharp enough to look lik

sta. They weren't idly scanning the r

throat

gerous and oddly familiar. He collected his order, adjusted t

dly she was certain the e

rying an easy confidence that made the words sou

ng her lips to part.

e on the table between them. "You loo

ickened. "Do

. "Not yet. But I

they hit her like a thunder

e Ares had used

blood r

ed, her voice trembling de

e offered the name like a gift, his eyes glintin

omach

u know my name

ing his coffee. "You look

m. And maybe it would have-if she hadn't spent the last twenty-fo

out, resting lightly on the table. Not touching her,

nto something gentler. "I'm not a stalker. I'm

nstincts screa

head in the café turned toward her, heat flooding her cheeks. She muttered an apology to no one

-

at work, couldn't laugh at Dede's jokes, couldn't think

ke chains. She locked her door twice, checked the windows again, and sea

t on the bed, h

htened as she

handsome,

s breat

flew acros

e there. You sa

y came i

what he seems.

er teeth, typ

rust you? The stranger who wa

as though in response, befo

l protect you. Even

adly she dropped the

e charming stranger who seemed to know her name without ask

errifi

eper into a web sh

-

out for drinks. "You need fresh air, a little fun. St

r. Music pounded, glasses clinked, and the smell of whiskey and p

she sa

a

lips curved into that same infuriating smirk. His gaze l

racks, her heart slam

Dede whispered, f

The lie stuck

ff the bar and walked toward them, th

oothly, ignoring Dede e

omach

ing between them. "Uh, excuse

now your friend," Jace replied with a

r legs refused to move. His presence was magnetic, overwhelmin

demand answers, but before a single wor

en need to lo

the screen when she fina

u not to trust

eath c

w what she'd just read. His gaze sharpened,

ser, his voice low eno

ger..." He paused, his lips brushing dangerously close to h

dy went rigid, her

e realized one terrifying