Page 23 of Begin Again

The moment lingers between us, charged yet comfortable. Then, he leans in slightly, lowering his voice. “She trusts you, you know.”

I blink, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity.

“She wouldn’t open up like that otherwise,” he continues, his hazel eyes searching mine. “Which makes me wonder—what kind of spell do you have people falling under, Selene Smith?”

I roll my eyes, but the way he says my name sends a shiver down my spine. “Oh, you have no idea.”

His grin widens. “Now I’m even more intrigued.”

Before I can think of a response my phone buzzes on the table between us.

I sigh when I see the name flashing across the screen. “Ugh. It’s my little brother.”

Theo chuckles. “Oh, Ineedto hear more about this, I didn’t know you had a brother.”

I shake my head, grabbing my phone. “Trust me, you don’t. He’s probably calling to interrogate me about why I missed our weekly call or he’s checking back in to see if he can ‘take out’ my ex. It’s a weekly question.”

He leans back, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Oh, Idefinitelyneed to meet him.”

I groan dramatically. “That is never going to happen.”

“Why not?”

“Because,” I say, standing as I grab my bag. “You’d either team up against me, or he’d try to scare you off. Either way, I lose.”

Theo presses a hand to his chest before flexing his arms. “You wound me, Selene. Do I look that easy to scare?”

I smirk. “Guess we’ll never know.”

He huffs out a laugh as I step away from the booth. “You’re running away.”

“I’m walking away,” I correct, waving my phone. “Big difference. And besides, I know this is going to be a long call, so I might as well get comfortable somewhere else.”

He watches me for a moment before shaking his head with a grin. “Fine, go. But don’t think this conversation is over.”

I smile as I head toward the door. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

As I step outside and answer the call, my brother’s voice immediately comes through the speaker, full of suspicion and concern.

“Where the hell are you, Selene?”

I sigh, glancing back at the cafe. Theo is still watching me, his expression unreadable. I know this is a rhetorical question because we share our location.

“I’m getting in my car, about to head to my house from the cafe. Where the hell are you, Oreo?” I retort using his childhood nickname that I know annoys him.

“Your house.” He growls over the phone. Before I can even react he disconnects the call.

Fuck.

8

Selene

Istare at my phone, my pulse hammering in my ears. He hung up on me.

I shouldn’t be surprised, it’s Orion, but he hung up on me!

Shoving my phone into my pocket, I rush to my SUV, my mind racing as I yank open the door and slide inside. My hands tremble slightly as I fumble with my keys, shoving them into the ignition. The engine roars to life, and I barely take a breath before peeling out of the parking spot.