Chapter 35 Nia #2
Lochlan followed her as they wove together through the crowd. Nia noticed the way people turned to watch them, their gazes lingering on Lochlan and the way he carried himself—confident but unassuming, like he belonged anywhere, even if he didn’t realize it yet.
After slipping into a secluded corner booth, Nia caught the bartender’s eye with a subtle nod. Mairead, a fox-eyed fae who always seemed to know what you wanted before you said it, offered a wink in return and disappeared.
Lochlan rested his hand on the table, his fingers drifting across the worn wood until they paused on a faintly etched rune. His brows lifted. “So, who’s your next victim?”
“Victim?” Nia scoffed. “You make it sound so sinister.”
The bartender approached, setting their drinks on the table. Nia gave the woman a quick smile and a quiet thank you, her fingers brushing the cocktail napkin as she slid her drink closer. Her gaze caught on the black scrawl on the napkin’s edge:
He has company.
She let her gaze follow the bartender’s retreat, her eyes moving steadily across the bar until they landed on her mark. He sat near the end of the counter, his obnoxious tie practically glowing under the dim lights.
Nia leaned in toward Lochlan, resting her hand on his thigh as if they were just another cozy couple in the crowd. Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered, “See the man at the end of the bar? Terrible tie?”
Lochlan’s body tensed slightly under her hand before he turned his head just enough to catch sight of the man in question. He nodded once, his expression neutral.
“That’s Raymond Bell,” Nia said, keeping her voice low. “He’s a reg from a couple towns over—Dunlowe. He’s helping fund a development that would tear down a stretch of unprotected forest just north of town. If it goes through, the runoff hits the ocean inside a week.”
Lochlan’s brow furrowed, his gaze flicking back to her. “And?”
“And,” Nia said, her lips curving into a wicked smile, “I have proof he’s been cheating on his lovely wife. If I give her the evidence, their prenup is void. He loses half of everything.”
“Why not just give her the evidence?” Lochlan asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
“Oh, I will,” Nia replied. “But I need to stop this transaction first.”
For a moment, Lochlan said nothing, his gaze lingering on her. Then, without warning, he leaned in and kissed her.
The contact was swift and unexpected, but it ignited something hot and electric between them.
Nia’s pulse spiked as his hand slid up to cradle her jaw, his lips firm and warm against hers.
All thoughts of her work and marks dissipated, replaced by a heady rush that left her momentarily breathless.
When they pulled apart, Nia’s heart was still racing, her lips tingling.
Lochlan’s eyes were dark and focused, his smile slow. “I missed you so much.”
“It was just a few days.”
Don’t ever leave like that again, was what she wanted to say.
They watched as Nia’s mark slid into an empty booth.
He leaned back like he owned the place, but the effect was ruined by the way his eyes darted across the room, barely masking his nerves.
His fingers drummed an uneven rhythm against the table’s edge, impatient—like a kid waiting his turn for a game he hadn’t been invited to play.
Nia pulled the envelope from her jacket and whispered a quiet spell. The magic worked instantly. Across the room, the man shifted, startled, his frown deepening as his fingers curled around the envelope that had appeared in them.
Nia and Lochlan watched from their dim corner as the man opened it with trembling hands.
At first, his expression was unreadable.
But as he flipped through the contents, his face grew pale.
Each new photo made his jaw clench tighter, his hands gripping the edges like they might slip away.
His gaze darted around the room, his bravado crumbling under the weight of his own secrets.
Without a word, he stood and rushed out of the club, his steps quick and uneven.
Nia leaned back, exhaling slowly. “I knew this would be boring,” she said, her gaze following the man until he was out of sight.
“What was in the envelope?” Lochlan asked.
She leaned in closer. “Oh, just a collection of photos. And a note explaining that if the same amount he was about to funnel into his little land grab doesn’t show up as three separate donations by tomorrow night, those photos will end up in his wife’s inbox. And her lawyer’s.”
She ticked the causes off on her fingers. “Fifteen to the Children’s Foundation, twenty to the Housing Trust, and fifteen to the Coastal Conservation Fund. All local. All in need. And not a cent left for bulldozers.”
Lochlan raised a brow, clearly impressed. Then, with a suddenness that made her breath catch, he reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her closer, the kiss that followed stealing the air from her lungs.
When he pulled back, his gaze burned into hers. “You’re bold and beautiful and a little bit wicked,” he said, his voice admiring.
Heat rose to her cheeks. “I’ve been told.”
Lochlan looked thoughtful. “How do you know he’ll donate?”
“I’ve been doing this a long time. That was the face of a man who’ll pace around, freak out… but in the end, he’ll do the right thing. They always do, when the stakes are high enough.”
“How many millions have you raised this way?” He shook his head, bemused. “They should build a statue in your honor.”
The blush deepened. “Keep talking like that,” she murmured, leaning closer, “and I might just have to have my way with you.”
Lochlan glanced around the club, then back at her, his smile slight and gaze heated. “Seems like the right venue for that.”
Her lips parted in surprise and the laugh that bubbled out was low and throaty. “Careful,” she said, her hand slipping to rest on his thigh again. “I might take you seriously.”
Lochlan’s smile shifted into something more dangerous.
“I am serious.”