CHAPTER 3: BREAKFAST
1837 Words
AMADEO
I enjoy a good Canadian breakfast. Back home, ours are much lighter. So when Sebastian and his new bride invited me to join them downstairs, I immediately said yes. The phone rings as I make my way to the elevator, and it’s a call I’ve been expecting.
“Did you make contact?”
“I did,” I reply. “I need more time.”
“You’ve had two weeks.” I hear sighing. “Do whatever it takes to get her here, and as soon as possible. Bring all five of them if you have to.” The call is disconnected before I can respond.
It’s a rule of mine to avoid mixing work and pleasure, but I’m prepared to make an exception for Valentina.
She’s beautiful, and no dragon can resist beautiful things, but it’s more than that. I’ve enjoyed all of life’s finer things, including my fair share of attractive men and women, but no one has made my beast stir like her.
I knew she wouldn’t show last night. Instead, I fell asleep thinking of those luscious lips of hers. I even dreamt of her long golden legs.
Lips and Legs.
I wanted more of both.
She walks into the restaurant minutes after me, wearing a tight, knee-length skirt with a slit and heels that make her legs look a mile long. From the way she struts, she knows it too. I find nothing more attractive in a woman than confidence and class, and she has both.
Two long tables are reserved for Giada and Bash’s guests, and Valentina sits almost directly across from me, beside last night’s meddling photographer and his sister.
“How’s work going?” she asks Anessa.
“It’s been fun. I ended up making those red corsets for the bartenders I told you about. They took a bit longer than I would’ve liked, but all of us got good tips the first night we wore them. Wanna see?” She pulls out her phone and scrolls.
“Very nice.” Valentina nods her head several times. “I hope you were compensated.”
“Yeah, of course. My boss even said he’d pay me to make something for the next themed night.”
Bauer and Charlie scoff loudly.
“Have something to say, boys?” Anessa turns towards them.
“You already know how I feel about you working there,” her brother responds sharply, staring at his menu.
“I can’t believe you let her work at a club downtown,” Bauer complains.
“Let me? Welcome to the 21st-century douche bucket number one and two. No one is letting me do anything,” Anessa interjects. “I do what I want.”
I’m always amazed at the creative insults women come up with.
“You’ve never had a problem with me working at a bar downtown.” Bauer’s date pouts. I can’t quite recall her name.
“You work at my bar. It’s different. I know what goes on there.”
That seems to appease the woman who looks an awful lot like a cosmetically enhanced version of Anessa. I would wager a lot of gold from my hoard that the resemblance between the two women isn’t a coincidence.
“I know they don’t think it’s safe.” Anessa turns to Valentina, “but it’s five minutes from home. They take good care of us there, and it’s easy money right now. That’s what I need for the time being.”
Charlie sends Valentina a pleading look, but she ignores him. I don’t like the man, but I can sympathize with him not wanting his sister working at a place where men become inebriated and can leer at women late at night.
I can feel my dragon clawing his way to the surface. I know they have history. Their body language last night told me as much, but the fact that Charlie has touched her enrages my beast to an almost homicidal level. It’s a reaction I’ve seldom experienced even in battle and the reason I followed her yesterday and left my scent all over her.
Dragons are covetous, and my rational side knows it’s not one of our finer qualities, but it’s how we are built. I clench my fists under the table and hold my dragon back. I have to painfully remind myself that she’s not mine, even though we’re drawn to her. I want to bed her, but more than that, I want to dominate and possess her. Unfortunately, Valentina doesn’t seem like the type to submit fully, and she definitely doesn’t trust me.
“Where do you work, Anessa? Maybe I’ll stop by for a drink before I leave.” She fixes her bright blue eyes on me, and her face lights up. Valentina’s eyes narrow suspiciously.
“That would be awesome! It’s called Mystique. You should all come by for drinks. You too, Gia.” She turns her head to Giada, who has popped up behind her.
“Maybe another time. I’m apparently leaving for my surprise honeymoon tomorrow.” Giada focuses on her cousin. “Did you know?”
Valentina shakes her head. Her expression remains neutral, and her mind is blocked from me, so I’m not sure if she’s telling the truth. I could rip through her mental walls if I really wanted to, but it would be painful for her.
“There’s no way Bash knew to book a trip to Egypt to see the pyramids all on his own without any help. Someone keeps feeding him information,” she says accusingly. “The man knows too much that I don’t tell him.”
I probe her mind gently and apply a bit of pressure to catch her attention since she’s been ignoring me. Her head lifts slowly from the menu a second later, and her light eyes meet mine. They remind me of honey, which is interesting considering she smells of honey and strawberries, one of my favorite combinations. She raises her eyebrows, and I smile across the table, but she returns to the menu, and the walls around her mind strengthen, shutting me out.
I was warned about her Circle’s strength, but they have surprised even me. She has surprised me in so many ways—my indifferent witch.
Valentina is the only one of the group born with a passive power. However, my notes state she is the most resourceful and knowledgeable with spells and potions, making her just as dangerous as the rest of her group. Without seeing their magic in action, I can feel the sheer force of it. The five of them, including Sebastian, have a barrier up right now, and they had it up at the wedding. None of the other witches or wolves with us for breakfast do. Either they’re an overly cautious group, or someone has messed with their minds in the past.
“Maybe it’s just your…” Anessa pauses. “Your connection, you know? He just knows you so well.” She was going to say mate bond, but Bauer’s date is human, and it’s of the utmost importance that humans don’t know about magic or the supernatural world. Things never end well when they do.
“Everyone and their mother knows you’ve always wanted to see the pyramids, Gia, ” Charlie interrupts.
“It’s possible you told him yourself when you were younger,” Bauer adds. “I know you didn’t shut up about it with me,” he smiles at her, and it’s the first time I’ve seen him look somewhat pleasant since I met him last night.
Interesting. This group’s dynamics are fascinating.
Giada smiles back sheepishly and shrugs. She’s adorable. “I’m not complaining. I’m actually really excited.” She squeezes Valentina’s shoulders, and I don’t miss the way she flinches. The movement is so slight that I wonder if Giada even noticed.
The rest of the breakfast continues much the same way. Valentina eats little, speaks even less, but she listens intently to everyone. When she does say something, she takes several seconds to compose her thoughts and choose her words. No one interrupts her or tries to hurry her when this happens, which tells me they’re used to her process.
At the end of the meal, she excuses herself to the restroom. It isn’t a private one, and I doubt she would allow a repeat of yesterday, so I wait outside. When she sees me, she presses her lips together.
“Is everything okay?” I want to ask if she had a premonition earlier, but revealing what I know about her magic will only make her suspicious. I move so close to her that she has to look up at me. “Is your stomach bothering you again?” I tuck a strand of her thick hair behind her ear, and she sucks in a small breath.
“Is there something you need?'' She takes a step back and places her small purse in front of her. Clasping it with both hands, she looks away.
“I was waiting for you last night.”
Her eyes meet mine again, and she arches her eyebrows. “That was foolish.”
“Maybe. Maybe I enjoyed myself so much, and I was simply hoping for more. Much more.” For a split second, I swear I see a flash of desire in her eyes, and then it’s gone.
She looks past me at the blasted photographer. His presence is souring the interaction.
“Are the two of you together?”
Valentina frowns. “No. He’s my ride home.”
Relief floods through me. “Good. Good. I’d love to take you out for dinner tonight.”
“I’m busy,” she responds too quickly.
“What about tomorrow?”
“Amadeo-”
“Call me Deo.” I grab her hand and step closer once again. She looks down between us, but thankfully she doesn’t pull away. “Tomorrow?”
She sighs. “This is my last week of holidays, and I’m busy every day. Maybe the next time you’re in the city, we will see each other.”
We’ll be seeing each other sooner than she thinks. She doesn’t have a choice.
“I would love that.” I smile and kiss her on both cheeks.
“You ready, Val?” Charlie finally speaks, and she moves to join him without so much as a goodbye.
I watch her hips and pert derrière sway as she walks away. I should’ve tried harder to get her out of that alluring dress last night.
Turn around, beautiful. Come on. Mírame (look at me).
She reaches the double doors and stops. Then she turns slightly and waves. Releasing a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, I wave back.
Soon.
I will have her soon.
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A/N
Valentina has no idea what she's gotten herself into. Here's your first introduction to Amadeo's P.O.V. What do you think?
- Writer
