Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 151(@200wpm)___ 121(@250wpm)___ 101(@300wpm)
As I round the corner, I almost collide with her—Sophia.
She’s been waiting, though she wouldn’t admit it. There’s a deliberate set to her posture, arms crossed, chin lifted in that defiant way of hers. The space between us hums with tension, the air thick with something I can’t quite name but feel in every fiber of my being.
For a moment, neither of us speaks. We’re too close, close enough that I can see the faint sheen of sweat on her brow, the way her chest rises and falls a little too quickly, betraying her composure. Her scent—something warm, like amber and smoke—wraps around me, making it impossible to think clearly.
“Impressive,” she finally says, her tone sharp, almost mocking. Testing me.
I meet her gaze, letting my eyes trace the curve of her lips, the fire in her eyes that rivals the flames I just commanded. “You too,” I reply, keeping my voice low, measured. There’s no point in playing coy—she knows she’s damn good, and I’m not here to flatter her. But there’s something more in the way I say it, a deeper meaning she catches onto. It’s not just her performance that impressed me. It’s her.
Sophia narrows her eyes slightly, reading between the lines, and for a split second, I see a flicker of something else—something vulnerable beneath that fierce exterior. But it’s gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by the walls she’s so carefully constructed.
“You’ve got everyone here eating out of your hand,” she continues, her voice like a blade, sharp and cutting. She steps closer, her gaze never leaving mine. “I suppose that’s what you’re good at—charming the crowd.”
I smirk, letting the corner of my mouth lift just enough to show I’m not rattled by her words. “And what about you? Are you charmed, Sophia?”
Her name tastes good on my tongue, and I can see the way it affects her. Her breath hitches ever so slightly, her eyes narrowing further. She’s not used to being challenged like this, not used to someone seeing through her armor.
“Don’t play games with me, Alex,” she warns, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. But there’s no heat in her words, only a thinly veiled curiosity. She’s intrigued, and she hates that she is.
“I’m not the one playing games,” I counter, stepping closer until there’s barely an inch between us. I can feel the heat radiating off her body, matching the fire that still simmers beneath my skin. My gaze dips to her lips, the memory of our earlier eye contact flashing in my mind, the way the world seemed to slow when our eyes locked. “But if I were, I’d make sure we both won.”
She scoffs, but there’s a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, one she quickly suppresses. “You’re trouble, aren’t you?” she murmurs, more to herself than to me.
“Depends on what you’re looking for,” I reply, my voice dropping an octave. “Sometimes trouble’s exactly what you need.”
There’s a beat of silence, the air between us crackling with unspoken words, unacknowledged desire. I can see the battle in her eyes, the way she’s fighting against whatever it is that’s pulling us together. She’s good at hiding it, at pretending she’s unaffected, but I know better. I can see through her defenses, and I think she knows it too.
Sophia steps back, just enough to create some distance, but it feels like a retreat. “I don’t need anything from you,” she says, her voice firmer now, back to that sharp edge she wields so well.
“Maybe not,” I concede, though I don’t believe it for a second. I can see the way her hands tremble slightly, the way she can’t quite look away from me. “But I’m here if you change your mind.”
I walk past her, feeling her gaze burn into my back, the tension between us still thick, unresolved. I know this isn’t the end, just the beginning of something we’re both too stubborn to admit is happening. She’s a challenge, one I shouldn’t take on, but I’m already too far gone to back down.
As I disappear into the shadows of the backstage, I can’t help but wonder what it will take to break through those walls she’s built so high. And whether I’m ready for what lies on the other side.
Sophia’s going to make me work for it. And damn if I’m not looking forward to every second of it.
Chapter Three
Sophia
The sun isn’t up yet, but the circus is already alive with chaos. The usual morning calm is shattered by frantic voices and hurried footsteps. I step out of my trailer, the cool morning air slapping me awake, but it’s not enough to shake the unease settling in my gut. Something is wrong.
“Rajah’s missing!”
The words cut through the early dawn like a knife. I freeze, my heart skipping a beat. Rajah. That damn tiger. He’s not just another animal; he’s a symbol, a legacy. Dante’s pride and joy. If he’s gone, it’s more than a loss—it’s a message. And it’s not a good one.