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Forrest Navarro was a gorgeous beast of a man who was every woman’s dream. Based on the curious stares from the women at the nearby tables, my speculation was spot on. He stood tall, with an athletic frame, and shaggy dark brown hair, looking sexy as hell in light-washed jeans. He wore a T-shirt with the word “Ba7M5Bu88” printed across it. The design looked like a chemical formula, but I wasn’t sure. Underneath the bold letters was the phrase: Nature Heals the World. I didn’t know why, but I made a mental note to check out the Ba7M5Bu88Project.

Everything about him intrigued me. If he wore the shirt, it probably had some significance.

You don’t have time for this stuff, Kiera. Especially no time for infatuation.

It was weird that he stood a few tables away, staring at me without saying a word or waving a hand. Why didn’t I smile or gesture his way?

Because the intensity of his eyes froze me in place.

Bruno came back from the bar, sat down, and draped an arm around my shoulder. His touch broke the trance, and Forrest’s expression changed from indifferent to murderous.

A stunning murderous beast, indeed. He looked like he could kill someone right now. Or was I drunk and imagining things? A single cocktail had never done anything to me. Maybe Forrest was having a bad day, just like me.

“You want another drink?” Bruno nudged me with his elbow.

“No thanks.”

Forrest made his way over to my table. There was a ruthless menace in the way he walked and commanded attention. A BaMBu beast ready to crush his mortal enemy. I didn’t know why, but it thrilled me. The memory of us tangling in his bed flashed in my mind, making me shiver from head to toe even though the temperatures were in the mid-eighties.

The closer he got, the more the air thickened, making it difficult for me to breathe.

Arriving at the table, his potent energy swirled around me. He stared down at me with his sage-colored eyes that appeared dangerously darker than usual. Maybe the cocktail did something to my vision. God, he was a green-eyed beast that wielded power with one look, and I felt like prey that wanted him to devour me.

Why the hell did I keep referring to him as a beast? I shook my head from whatever spell I was trapped in.

“Kiera,” he said in a guttural tone.

What was it about my name coming from his mouth that made the muscles in my core feel like they were being struck by lightning?

Gather your wits.

“Forrest.” I smiled courteously. “What are you doing here?”

“Eating.”

Duh, Kiera.Why else would anyone show up at a restaurant?

Where was the hole in the floor when you needed one?

CHAPTERSIX

FORREST

When I entered the restaurant, I sensed something was different. Then I spotted Kiera, and the displeasure I’d felt earlier vanished, followed by a massive boost to my heart as though someone had used a CPR machine on it.

Bruno’s appearance by her side irritated me more than it should have. Someone like him shouldn’t be with someone like her. She was in my circle of friends, and it was only natural to be protective of her, right?

How long had they known each other? Were they dating? The frustration sunk into me like serrated fangs.

I had no claim to her, even though I hadn’t been able to keep her off my mind. The taste, scent, and feel of her still lingered in my system, making me wonder about too many things—too many what-ifs. What if things hadn’t ended the way they did between us? What if I had reached out to her the following days, weeks, months? Why had she left before I even woke? These were unanswered questions that begged to be explained.

Another time. Not tonight.

My interest in Bruno stemmed from his association with dangerous people—people who could lead me to The Trogyn. This is why I’d volunteered to be a model at a fashion event he worked at. I hadn’t expected to see him here in Texas, but life often carved out unseen paths. As a visionary, this was an opportunity to further my investigation.

Why was Bruno here? Were his friends here too? What were they planning?

A waft of Kiera’s perfume slithered up my nose like a snake, seducing my entire body. Standing beside her, energy sizzled between us. If it hadn’t been for the crowded restaurant, I could probably have heard the electricity snap in the air. This had never happened with anyone else.