Lords & Thieves: Chapter Four
The prequel arc of ✨The White City✨ — a weekly serialized urban fantasy series
Previously in The White City:
A deal was struck. A date was set.
A “date” was also requested…
The man kept his pensive gaze transfixed on everything passing by outside the window, not once bothering to glance in her direction. Which normally would be fine if he were a total stranger who just happened to sit in the train seat facing her.
Not someone who was paying her thirty thousand dollars to go on a date.
“Like what you see?” He asked without turning his head.
Actually, yes. A little too much for Elena’s comfort. Not that she ever had anything against tattoos, or neck tattoos, but usually those were dramatic roses and statement pieces wrapped in thorns and rosary beads on guys who thought way too much of themselves. The tattoos on this guy, though?
She had no clue what they were. All she knew was they looked old, some of them followed what looked like a scar, and they made him look hot.
Insanely hot.
“I’m trying to figure you out.”
That got him to finally look at her. His luscious mouth twitched upwards. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.” Elena hugged her sweater around her waist, regretting leaving her bag back in her tiny apartment. Since the museums all had strict policies on bags, however, she felt it best to stick her cards in her pocket and pray her digital wallet worked. “You’re…interesting.”
“Oh?” That twitch turned into a smirk. Which turned into a silent invitation for her to keep going.
“Well, yeah. For starters, you’re this—” she stopped herself before she publicly announced you’re a mobster to the whole freaking train. “Um, guy. Who probably owns a car. And yet you wanted to take the train.”
“Disappointed I didn’t pick you up in my Maserati?”
“No.” She folded her arms and stared at his reflection in the window so it would look like she preferred watching the cityscape. “I’m more of a Ferrari kind of girl.”
He pretended to be insulted by her choice in luxury vehicles, but she caught the wink he gave her. “I promise I’ll do better next time.”
Next time. Those words made something in her stomach flutter that she instantly stamped down with a heavy dose of reality. There would be no “next time” after this.
“If you’re wondering why I prefer public transit over the convenience of custom leather seats and a sunroof, well…” He leaned back with a shrug. “There’s nothing convenient about parking.”
It was irritating how easily he made her giggle. Elena Martin was not that kind of girl to simper and giggle over gorgeous men like…like… “By the way.” Now she looked directly at him, wondering to herself how the hell he got her to go this far without filling in a few important blanks. “I just realized. I gave you my name, but you never gave me yours.”
“And I never will, ælfscíene. But you can call me Cade.”
Elena opened her mouth to point out the contradiction he just threw at her, but she didn’t quite have the right words for it. How could someone seem crazy and sane at the exact same time? So she shook her head and focused on the other puzzle at hand. “What does that even mean? ‘Elf sheen’?”
Cade slowly shook his head. “Nope. You’re asking for too many secrets.”
“Not my fault you have too many to keep.”
He began to retort with something witty wrapped in a smirk, but they were interrupted by the intercom announcing the next stop as theirs. So instead of responding, Cade motioned for her to slide out of the seat and stood behind her.
Did he—
Did he just touch her ass?!
