Page 41

EVE

I was going to murder Ragnar.

The thought was sharp and immediate, slicing through the haze of frustration as I pushed through the diner’s swinging kitchen doors back into the kitchen.

It had been a long night. Between Orion and Xander risking god knows what, and Sam losing his mind, I was beyond fed up.

Ragnar was just the cherry on top of a really shitty day.

Louise was now pacing near the prep station, muttering angrily under her breath. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked like she was on the verge of either throwing something at the unwelcome Goliath sitting in our booths.

“Louise, why don’t you go home, okay? I’ll close up tonight.”

“You’re really just going to let him talk to you like that? He scared off that nice couple from table six! He’s trouble, Eve, I know it in my bones.”

“He’s a pain in the ass, but he’s not worth you losing your night over. Go home, have a glass of wine, and pretend this whole thing didn’t happen. I’ve got it covered.”

Louise gave me one last, pointed warning about not putting up any of his shit before leaving through the back exit. I took a deep breath, squaring my shoulders.

I let the kitchen door swing shut behind me with a soft thud, my fury powering me forward. My gaze narrowed as I scanned the room, landing immediately on him.

He was still sprawled in the back booth like he owned the place. It was infuriating. That cocky smirk tugged at his mouth as our eyes met—daring me to make the first move.

Squaring my shoulders, I marched across the diner, the pounding of my feet like a war drum. I stopped in front of the booth, glaring down at him as he tilted his head back.

“Well, if it isn’t my least favorite Hellspawn,” he drawled.

“We need to talk.”

“Oh, I’m all ears, Firecracker.”

I leaned forward slightly, narrowing my eyes, deciding I wasn’t taking any of his shit. “You can’t behave like this when I’m at work.”

“Behave like what?” he said, feigning innocence. “I’ve been nothing but helpful. Kept you alive, didn’t I? Or were you expecting me to fetch your coffee too?”

“You know exactly what I mean,” I snapped. “You scared off my customers, insulted my boss, and made my night ten times harder than it needed to be. I don’t care what your deal is. It ends. Now.”

“Careful, Firecracker,” he growled. “You’re getting awfully bold.”

I took a step closer, my anger overriding the tiny flicker of warning in his tone.

“Bold is the least of your problems, Ragnar. Either start showing some respect, or get the hell out of my diner.”

He stood slowly, until his full height towered over me. It was impossible to ignore how big he was, his presence pressing into my space with an intensity that stole the air from my lungs.

“Or what? You gonna toss me out with your bare hands?”

My resolve wavered, just for a second, but I forced myself to stand tall, even if I barely reached his shoulders.

“You’re not allowed to boss me around, Ragnar.”

“If you want to keep breathing, you need to fucking start fucking listening to me.”

“I don’t know if you’re going for some kind of daddy-dom kink here, but you’ve missed the mark by miles, Ragnar. You’re not in charge here.”

For the first time, Ragnar’s composure cracked. A faint flush crept up his neck, which brought a twisted smile to my face.

“You sure about that?” he asked, stepping closer.

I backed away instinctively, but he followed.

My newfound confidence vanished as my back hit the wall.

The air between us was thick, heavy with tension that was equal parts fury and something far more dangerous.

“You want my help, you follow my fucking rules.”

His words rattled me. I didn’t want his help. I wanted to snap back, to take out every single frustration that had been building these last weeks, but my breath hitched as his eyes locked on mine.

The fight—the fire—between us was intoxicating, exhilarating in a way I hadn’t felt before.

It wasn’t just the argument; it was the way we clashed, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing in the room.

My heart raced for all the wrong reasons, and I hated the way my body betrayed me, drawn to the heat and intensity that radiated off him.

Then his expression shifted, subtle but undeniable. His gaze dipped briefly to my lips before snapping back to meet mine, as if he’d just realized how close we were.

I opened my mouth to dispel whatever this brewing tension was. Before I could make a sound, Ragnar’s head whipped toward the window.

I strained to see what had distracted him, but there was nothing but darkness in the empty parking lot. But Ragnar’s eyes widened, his expression shifting to something I hadn’t expected to see on his face.

Panic.

I barely had time to process the movement as he surged toward me, his arm outstretched.

“Ragnar—” I started, but the words never fully left my mouth.

His arms wrapped around me as the diner erupted in a blinding flash of white light.