I sat back in my chair, the weight of thoughts pressing down as the city lights twinkled outside my window. The soft hum of my phone felt like a persistent reminder that I wasn’t done. I hadn’t expected to walk into that boutique and meet someone like her. She wasn’t like the others—no, not even close. She was a challenge, and I didn’t back down from challenges.
I grabbed my phone and unlocked it, swiping through the messages. Mark had sent an update. *"All set. Here’s the first message. Let’s see how she reacts."*
I stared at the screen for a moment, the text Mark had sent flashing back to him: *"I’m sure you have questions. I can help with that."*
It felt like the kind of thing anyone could send. Too casual. But that was the point, wasn’t it? Keep it light. Keep it easy. No pressure. Not yet.
My thumb hovered over the screen, but instead of sending anything, I deleted Mark’s message. This wasn’t about some impersonal text; it had to be tailored. She wouldn’t respond to something so generic, not with the way she’d looked at me. No, this needed to be something more... fitting.
I paused for a moment, considering. Then, with a cool smirk tugging at my lips, I typed:
*“I’d say I’m glad you’re intrigued, but I don’t think you are. Not yet, at least. But I’m willing to change that.”*
I stared at the words, feeling a brief flicker of something in my chest. Curiosity, maybe? Or was it the slight thrill of having the upper hand? He wasn’t sure. But there was something about her—something about the way she held herself. She wasn’t easily swayed, and that only made me more interested.
I pressed *Send* and sat back.
Mark had done his job, handing over her number, but I knew the real work was just beginning. I wasn’t in for the easy victories. There was something different about her. The way she hadn’t tried to flatter me or pander to my ego. She had looked at me like she saw straight through me, as if she knew exactly what kind of man I was. She had a kind of control that no one ever seemed to have. And that made me want to see what would happen if I pushed a little.
My phone buzzed a few minutes later, I unlocked it quickly, heart beating just a fraction faster.
It was her.
Her reply was simple, but there was something about it that made me smirk widen.
*“You think you can change my mind? Bold. We’ll see.”*
I leaned back, reading the words over again. There it was. That same guarded amusement. The challenge. She wasn’t playing games with me. She was testing me, almost as if she were daring me to prove myself.
I cracked my knuckles, feeling the weight of the conversation shift. This wasn’t about some fleeting exchange. No, this was something deeper. Something that would push me further than I’d been willing to go before.
I quickly typed back:
*“I don’t need to change your mind. I just need you to see things my way. And I think we both know, that’s only a matter of time.”*
I paused before pressing *Send*, glancing out the window again, the city’s chaos far removed from the quiet tension building between me and this woman.
The reply came quickly this time.
*“Time? You think I’ll give you that long?”*
My lips curled. She was good. Really good. But I didn’t get rattled.
*“You’ll give me as much time as I need. And when you’re ready to see it—see *me*—you’ll come around.”*
This was the part of the game that excited me the most. The part where control slipped from my fingers, and I had to chase. She hadn’t taken the bait yet, but I could feel it. That pull, that slight crack in the armor. I was getting closer.
A few seconds passed, the phone almost silent, and then—*ding*.
*“We’ll see, Zane. But I’m not easy to convince.”*
That was all.
My smile deepened. Of course she wasn’t easy. She wasn’t supposed to be.
I set the phone down, leaning back in my chair. This wasn’t going to be over quickly. It was going to be slow. Methodical. Every move calculated, but with a hint of something wild beneath the surface.
And that was exactly how I liked it.
I wasn’t going to just get her. I was going to make her want to be gotten.
Author's note:
I hope you enjoyed this chapter so far....
Thank you
Happy reading
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Little Flame
Romance*MATURE CONTENT* 18+ She's the most beautiful woman the mafia has ever laid eyes on-an ethereal presence with sharp features and a grace that silences every room she enters. Her eyes are captivating, full of mystery and a quiet strength that no one...
