13 Chapter 13

Seraphina’s POV 1

My instinct was to refuse immediately. “I don’t have an appropriate dress for-”

“What you’re wearing now is perfect.” Damien’s voice carried that infuriatingly confident tone that made my stomach do gymnastics

routines I didn’t authorize. The way he said it-like he was commenting on the weather rather than completely upending my evening

plans-made me want to simultaneously kiss him and throttle him.

I opened my mouth to argue, then closed it, then opened it again like some kind of demented fish. “But I… Adrian needs… Ophelia will kill

me if 1…”

“Speechless omega?” One dark eyebrow arched in what I was beginning to recognize as his signature look of amused superiority. “That’s

a first.”

The smugness in his voice snapped me back to coherent thought. “Fine,” I said, trying to inject some dignity into what was clearly a

complete surrender. “But I’m not paying for dry cleaning if someone spills wine on this dress.””

The corner of his mouth twitched-not quite a smile, but close enough to make my traitorous heart do a little tap dance. “Noted. I protect what’s mine,” he said simply, and the possessive note in his voice made my knees wobble like a newborn deer’s.

The casual threat, delivered in that low, dangerous voice, made heat pool in places that had no business responding during work hours

The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind of focused intensity that felt like being caught in a very attractive, very expensive tornado.

Despite the mate bond crackling between us like a live electrical wire, Damien and I fell into a surprisingly natural rhythm. He was

demanding but fair, brilliant but not condescending, and when I anticipated his needs-sliding the northern territory reports across his

desk just as he reached for them—he looked at me like I’d just performed actual magic.

Meanwhile, Ayla had been a constant source of commentary all day, providing a running narration like the world’s most inappropriate

shoulders,* she’d purr when Damien

SMELL. It’s

Perfect Man.*

maybe tone down the lustful commentary?” I muttered under my breath during one particularly vivid

do to

saying, those hands look very

“AYLA.”

approached, I was wound tighter than a Swiss watch, every nerve ending hyperaware of Damien’s

it like a

going to be the death of

breath during one particularly intense wave of mate-hunger,

09.18

712

pooled low

makeup and attempt to calm my racing pulse. The emerald dress still looked stunning, but now I could see the flush on my cheeks, the

He looked devastatingly handsome in his perfectly tailored navy suit, the fabric molding to his broad shoulders and lean torso in

and there was something different in his voice-softer than his usual commanding tone, almost…

were like steel beneath the expensive fabric,

warmth.

as I’ll ever be,” I managed, hoping my voice sounded

open for me, I caught another intoxicating whiff of his scent and had to grip the door frame to

on the small of my back to steady me. The simple touch sent fire racing through my veins, and I had to bite my lip to keep from making an

note of curiosity that hadn’t been there during our professional interactions,

your son.”

question caught me completely off guard. My heart stuttered, then began racing for an entirely

I asked carefully, studying his profile in the dim light of

simply, and there was something in his tone-not judgment or calculation, but genuine

warmth.

Adrian,” I began, unable to keep the fierce love from my voice, “and he’s four. He’s brilliant-scary

that made warmth spread through my chest. “Sounds like he keeps you on your toes.

two still in

hit me like a physical blow, all the warmth draining from my chest in an instant. I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur past as I tried to find words that wouldn’t make

his father is,” I said finally, my

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