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Patience.
    Serenity reached for her wine glass, knocking it onto the stone floor. “Damn it.” A delicate, trembling hand covered her mouth.
    Her energy stream sloshed and pulled from his as she slinked toward Evan. Cyrus clung to the tendrils of her electric pool still intermingled with his. This was not the way it was supposed to happen. She was supposed to realize the human was all wrong.
    “Cyrus Ambrose, this is my fiancée, Serenity Shaw.” Evan put his arm around her waist.
    Cyrus clenched his hand into a fist, longing for his sword. With one clean swipe, he could sever her ties to this man. Better yet, he could strangle the life from him with his bare hands.
    “You know each other?” Serenity asked in a fragile voice that cracked.
    “He’s the new client I’ve been raving about,” Evan said, grinning.
    Serenity’s gaze whipped to Cyrus. She stared at him with pure disgust as though he was some vile creature that had crawled out of a swamp.
    “Evan, now I can see why you barely told me anything about her. She’s definitely a secret I’d keep all to myself as well.” Cyrus took a business card with his cell number from his pocket and offered it to her. “Please, take my card.”
    Stiffening, she gave a pinched smile, gripping Evan’s arm. “I’m sure Evan has plenty.”
    His chest constricted. He was losing her. For the first time in his life, he was failing.
    He’d been patient, done proper recon, observing first to better understand her before making contact. He even made it his business to know the man she lived with. He’d done everything right. Surely she had felt the undeniable bond, the connection between them.
    Still, his mate clung to this unworthy human.
     
    Serenity flashed a grin at Evan. “What exactly did you say about me? Did you mention what I do?”
    All that sweet talk about a connection. If Cyrus turned out to be one of those twisted individuals who only wanted what someone else had, she’d be sick. She prayed this second meeting was only a lovely act of chance.
    Tightening his grip on her waist, Evan gave a forced chuckle. “You know I don’t advertise your shop.”
    That was code for “I’m ashamed of what you do and never volunteer the information”.
    She glanced at Cyrus while Evan continued to speak.
    Cyrus’s jaw clenched and his brow furrowed. He shoved the card back in his pocket and chugged his drink in a single swallow. His eyes darkened. His gaze traveled up her body and lingered just a second too long on her waist. His upper lip twitched and the bridge of his nose wrinkled. She checked to see what was wrong with her dress, besides the hideous color, but there was only Evan’s arm hooked around her.
    “You only came up because he asked if I was married,” Evan added. “I said I was engaged to a brilliant, beautiful woman I couldn’t live without.”
    “He even neglected to mention your name.” Cyrus extended his hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you properly.”
    She stared at his thick palm and a frisson of excitement rippled through her, moistening her panties. Evan cleared his throat and nudged her elbow. She couldn’t risk touching Cyrus again. What if she couldn’t let him go?
    As Cyrus dropped his hand, his eyes locked on hers, piercing her soul with the undeniable intensity of lightning striking steel. Her heart slowed with an erratic pulse, as if it had forgotten how to beat. A soft sigh slipped from her mouth. Everything around her crumbled into dust: the party, the terrace…Evan. Only Cyrus remained.
    “Sweets, you’re shaking. Are you cold?” Evan rubbed her arm.
    Cyrus turned away and the world moved once more.
    “Evan, do you remember the deal I’m working on in London?” Cyrus asked.
    “The acquisition of a small biometrics company. I remember quite well.”
    “The deal is not going the way I’d like.”
    “I’m yours now,” Evan said. “Do you want me to go over the contract?”
    “I want you in London on Monday to oversee