Page 20

Orion

I fan the deck of cards between my fingers, concentrating on the fluid sweep of each card as I shuffle. The repetitive motion steadies me, gives me a moment to breathe. Sometimes I find myself doing these tricks without even thinking, like second nature. I still remember the first time I mastered a double lift—I was fourteen, holed up in my room for hours, obsessed with getting it perfect. That same thrill still zings through me now, years later.

Just as I’m about to practice a new flourish, I notice Briar stepping into the living room, her hair loosely pinned back and a curious smile on her face. I pause, cards poised in mid-shuffle.

“Oh, don’t stop on my account,” she says, settling on the sofa. Her eyes sparkle with interest. “I’m just here for the show.”

I grin, straightening. “You want a show, huh?” With an exaggerated bow, I start running through a few quick moves— riffles and cuts, the deck dancing from one hand to the other. Her laughter encourages me, and I feel my chest warm at the sight of her so relaxed. We both need a bit of levity, I remind myself. All this fear and tension can’t be the only thing between us.

“Let’s see a real trick,” she challenges, folding her legs beneath her. “Not just fancy shuffling.”

“Okay, okay,” I reply, feigning a dramatic sigh. “Pick a card, any card.” I fan the deck out in front of her.

“Jeb pick a card,” Jeb says, swooping in out of nowhere. He flies at my hands, snatching a few cards with his beak. “Jeb’s card.”

“Jeb, give that back,” I say, holding my hand out.

“Jeb’s card.”

“Can you make him give the card back?”

Briar laughs, like this is the funniest thing in the world. “Jeb, why don’t you give Orion back his cards.”

“No, Jeb’s cards.”

Briar smiles at me, shrugging her shoulder. “Well, there you have it.”

I glare at the bird. “What are you going to do with that card?”

“Jeb magic.”

I shake my head, shuffling the rest of the deck I still have in my hand. “Briar, and only Briar,” I say, looking right at Jeb, “pick a card.”

Briar laughs, plucking one from somewhere in the middle, eyes flicking to it before pressing it tight against her chest so I can’t see. “All right, what now?” she asks, a playful grin tugging at her lips.

I shuffle the remaining cards with a flourish. “Just slide it back in the deck,” I instruct, holding the fan open again. She does, and I lose the card in the shuffle, or so it appears. In truth, I have a control on it—years of practice with a break at a certain point in the deck.

She leans forward, watching intently as I cut and riffle, sending the cards flying in a neat arc. One final snap and I spread them on the coffee table, face down. With a showman’s flair, I flip the exact card she chose.

“No way!” she gasps, eyes lighting up. “How’d you do that?”

“A magician never tells,” I say, biting back a grin as I gather the deck.

I shuffle the cards once more, looking over at the bird. “Do you want to choose another card?”

Jeb bobs his head. “Jeb’s card.” He chooses another from my hand, and Briar helps him.

I shuffle the cards again, letting the two of them place it back in the pile. I shuffle, and then show the card to the pair of them.

She laughs, shaking her head. “I can’t believe you also do this in addition to, you know, shooting bad guys and punching things.”

I raise an eyebrow. “I don’t just shoot bad guys and punch things,” I say, feigning offense. “Sometimes I tackle them, too.”

She snorts, then tilts her head, curiosity dancing in her expression. “Have you ever wanted to be a full-time magician? I mean, it seems like something you love.”

My hands go still around the deck. It’s a question I’ve asked myself plenty of times. “I do love it,” I admit. “There’s a rush in performing, in watching people’s faces light up with wonder. Being a bodyguard is… important, though. It feels good to protect people, keep them safe. But if I had to pick? I guess... magic,” I say, shrugging.

Just as the words leave my mouth, a flutter of feathers interrupts. Jeb swoops in, landing on the coffee table with a triumphant squawk. Before I can react, the little thief snatches a few cards in his beak and hops off, flapping around as though showing off his prize.

“Hey!” I exclaim, lurching forward to reclaim my deck. But Jeb squawks louder, flapping his wings out of my reach.

Briar bursts into laughter, practically doubling over. “Jeb, you scoundrel!” she manages through her giggles. “Give those back!”

“Jeb can talk,” the bird insists, muffled by the cards he’s holding.

I glare at him, half amused, half exasperated. “Sure, you can talk. Can you listen?”

Jeb hops onto the armrest of the sofa, dropping one card in his haste. I scramble for it, then try to lure him in with a gentle motion. “Come on, buddy. You can’t just steal a magician’s tools.”

Briar’s laughter ramps up another notch as Jeb cocks his head. “Steal a magician’s tools!” he mimics, voice surprisingly clear. Then he sputters some incomprehensible squawks, like his own form of laughter, and flutters down to the coffee table again.

“Should I grab some crackers as a bribe?” Briar suggests, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Anything to get my cards back,” I grumble, though I can’t help but smile at the absurdity of the moment. Compared to the danger circling us outside these walls, this silly scenario feels like a gift.

Briar heads to the kitchen and returns with a little dish of seeds and nuts, holding it out for Jeb. He eyes the offering, bright curiosity in his gaze. Dropping the cards, he bobbles over for a snack, giving me just enough time to snatch them up.

I breathe a sigh of relief, checking them for damage—only a few bent corners, nothing permanent. “Trouble-maker,” I mutter under my breath, but there’s no real heat in it.

Briar sets the dish down on the table, then looks at me with a grin that sends warmth straight to my chest. “Hey, at least he’s entertaining. Maybe you could incorporate him into your act?”

I arch an eyebrow, imagining the chaos Jeb would unleash mid-performance. “I’m not sure the world is ready for that.”

She smiles, her features softening. “It’s nice to see you unwind, Orion. You’re… different when you’re doing magic. Like you’re truly yourself.”

My heart does a small flip at her observation. “Maybe that’s the secret. Show a guy a deck of cards, and he forgets about the weight of the world for a second.”

She nods thoughtfully, her gaze lingering on me just a moment longer than expected. “Well,” she says quietly, “I like this side of you.”

I swallow the sudden lump in my throat. For a beat, the air crackles with something unspoken, and I realize I like this side of us. Card tricks, mischievous birds, and a moment of simple joy in a life that’s grown too complicated.

“Thank you,” I murmur, softly gathering up the deck. “I like it too.”

I’ve always told myself I wouldn’t get attached—wouldn’t let my personal life bleed into my work. It’s a mantra I’ve lived by for years. Keep it professional, keep it detached. Never thought I’d meet someone like Briar who’d make me question all of that. But here I am, leaning against the kitchen counter, spinning my phone in my hand, catching my reflection in the dark screen and realizing that, for the first time, I’m thinking about changing my whole life for a woman.

What the hell am I doing? I ask myself, but the answer comes easily. Whatever it takes. Because with every day that passes, with every kiss and heated glance, Briar’s found her way under my skin in a way no one else ever has.

My phone buzzes—Briar’s mother. Minnie Green . She wants an update on Jason, of course, and I can’t blame her. She’s paying for my services, after all, and her daughter’s safety is on the line. I let out a long breath, steadied by the realization that I don’t have many answers to give her right now.

I open my contacts and tap Dean’s name. The call connects on the second ring.

“Any news?” I ask, skipping the small talk.

Dean exhales on the other end. “Some, but you’re not gonna like it. We haven’t found Jason, but we’ve intercepted chatter about a possible hit on the zoo.”

A spike of alarm races through me. “A hit on the zoo? That’s… that’s bizarre. Are you sure it’s connected to Jason?”

“We’re not certain,” Dean admits, his tone grim. “But we have reason to believe it’s tied to the Bratva, led by a guy named Yuri Chekov. Heard of him?”

“Only in passing.” My free hand clenches around the edge of my desk. Yuri Chekov is no small-time threat—he’s the type who’d orchestrate something big, something brutal. “But why the zoo? That doesn’t make sense unless Jason’s working with them, or they’re using him as a pawn.”

Dean’s quiet for a second, then a soft click tells me he’s flipping through files or emails. “We don’t have a clear motive. Could be they’re after city officials, donors, or something else entirely. But we can’t ignore the coincidence of Jason searching for Briar at that very same place. If there’s some deeper angle here, the Bratva might be pulling the strings.”

My gut twists at the thought of Briar—already terrified of her stalker—now caught up in the crosshairs of a Russian mafia syndicate. “We’ll tighten security,” I say, forcing my voice to remain calm. “Send me any intel you have.”

“Already on it,” Dean replies. “Hang in there, Orion. We’ll get to the bottom of this.” He pauses. “How are things going there?”

I blink. “What do you mean?”

He doesn’t sugarcoat shit, and I appreciate that about him. “I can tell you’re serious about this one. You’re not letting your feelings get in the way of the job, are you?”

“Briar is nothing more than a job to me. I don’t have feelings for shit.” I lie. I can’t tell Dean how I’m quickly falling in love with her.

When I hang up, I realize my heart’s pounding, and it’s not just from the news about the Bratva. It’s the reality that Briar’s life has become entwined with something a hell of a lot bigger than a jealous ex-boyfriend. A part of me whispers that I should step away, let the professionals handle it. But that’s not happening. Not with how deep I’m in—emotionally as well as professionally.

I read Minnie Green’s text again, fingers hovering over the keys. I’ll protect your daughter, Mrs. Green , I think. Even if it means changing everything I thought I knew about myself. Because Briar’s worth it. And God help anyone who stands in my way.