Page 48 of His Ruthless Match

Maybe Jareth was right. Was I being short-sighted? Maybe, but I couldn’t bring myself to believe that magic was involved in this, because if it was, how could I fix that? It would be entirely outside of my control. Outside of Genevieve’s. I couldn’t accept that. Not yet. Not without trying harder.

Before I could respond, a loud crash echoed from the direction of the kitchen. My eyes widened as the sound was followed by the clanging of pots and pans.

“Uh… is Grelth okay in there?” I asked, glancing toward the source of the noise.

Jareth waved a hand dismissively. “He always makes a racket when he’s cooking. I think he does it on purpose, just to make a point.”

“What point would that be?”

“That he works hard, and I should be grateful.”

I shook my head, suppressing a smile. My gaze wandered to a nearby bookshelf, packed to the brim with books of all sizes. “I wouldn’t have pegged you as a reader,” I said.

“I love to read.” He flashed me a sly smile. “Just not the… ahem…same varietyof books as you.”

My cheeks flushed. “What do you read, then?”

To my surprise, genuine enthusiasm lit up his eyes. “History. Humans fascinate me. Don’t get me wrong, they annoy the hell out of me. But by gods, you spend so much time trying to understand everything—yourselves, the world, the universe. I don’t get most of it, but it’s interesting.”

He went to the bookshelf and pulled out a book on gears and motors. “For example, did you know gears are the oldest machine part? They date back to the third century B.C.. Greek mechanics in Alexandria invented them.”

I blinked at him in surprise. “Uh, no. I didn’t know that.”

He flipped through the book, showing me intricate drawings and diagrams. “They revolutionized warfare, transportation, everything. This one here”—he pointed to an image—“was part of an ancient weapon system. Brilliant, really.”

This side of Jareth—thoughtful, curious, and, dare I say it, intelligent—was unexpected. It made it harder to keep him in the “infuriating asshole” box I’d mentally shoved him into.

The sounds of clanging and banging from the kitchen grew louder.

“Your dinner’s almost ready!” Grelth called out.

Jareth closed the book. “Told you he’s adorable when he’s excited.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help the small smile that crept onto my face. Maybe this dinner wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Jareth placed the book about gears onto the bookshelf. “After you.”

Curiosity lit in me as he gestured toward the dining room. His behavior tonight was… off. Polished, even. It put me on edge.

Stepping into the dining room, my breath caught in my throat. The table, made of weathered wood, was long and sturdy. A feast covered every inch of its surface: perfectly seared steaks, roasted vegetables glistening with oil, steaming golden rolls, and a decadent salad adorned with ruby-red pomegranate seeds.

Grelth stood at the head of the table, his white apron pristine and a towel draped over his arm, a bottle of wine in hand. He looked both smug and weary, like a reluctant host pulling off a grand dinner party.

It was ridiculous. And hilarious. I pressed my lips together to hide my amusement. The last thing I wanted was to offend him, though I couldn’t explain why I cared. I hated most magical creatures on principle, and Grelth was easily the ugliest one I’d ever encountered. Yet, his sassy demeanor and sharp tongue had grown on me in a really short time.

Jareth pulled out a chair for me, his movements surprisingly fluid and gentlemanly. I stared at him in bewilderment as I sat down. When did he get manners?

“Cabernet sauvignon,” Grelth announced as he poured the deep red liquid into our glasses. “Master Grelth hopes you enjoy it. It pairs nicely with the steak.”

“Thank you,” I said politely, swirling the glass before taking a cautious sip. The aroma alone was intoxicating—dark berries, a hint of vanilla, and spice. When the taste hit my tongue, it was rich and velvety, the best wine I’d had in years.

Jareth raised his glass in an exaggerated toast. “Cheers to good wine and even better company.”

I ignored him.

Grelth served the plates with a flourish before heading back toward the kitchen.

“Aren’t you joining us?” I asked.