Chapter Six | Alexander

I wipe down the bar counter for a third time, mindlessly eyeing the Saturday night crowd. The music is joyous, and everybody seems to be having a good time. I’ve gotten used to some of the faces here since starting a month ago.

Suddenly, my stare drifts to one person in particular. I can’t help the slight smile that pulls at my lips as the familiar girl approaches the bar.

“Miss Avalon, what a nice surprise,” I greet, reaching for the Bourbon. She shakes her head immediately, letting out a pleasant chuckle. I don’t know why, but excitement washes over me.

“I didn’t have a Bourbon worthy day this time. I’ll settle for a nice white wine,” Avalon replies, taking a seat on the barstool. I nod and reach for the best white wine we have. I pour the liquid routinely, sliding the glass across to the gorgeous woman. Tonight, her eyes are coated with a dark shadow that makes their emerald color pop.

“So, what brings you here tonight, then?” I quiz.

She has a mischievous grin on her face, and I cock my head to view her. What are you hiding?

Avalon leans in, gesturing for me to do the same. If I had a heartbeat, I’m certain it would be racing by now. I give in and move closer to the woman until her lips almost touch my ear.

“I’m meeting someone,” she says in a hushed tone. My eyebrows furrow together as I pull away.

“You’re meeting someone? Like a date?” I quiz, the confusion evident on my face. Avalon studies me for a moment before her plump lips pull into a sweet smile. I notice the way her cheeks concave into perfect dimples when she grins.

“Yes… A date. Is that crazy?”

Avalon wears a giddy expression as she takes a sip of the wine. Clearly, she’s enjoying this more than I am. I can’t quite describe the feeling that occurs in my gut, but it closely relates to jealousy. I barely know this girl… Why do I care so much?

I mask my emotions with a smile and shake my head.

“Just the right amount of crazy,” I manage, earning a hearty laugh from Ava. She throws her head back in a joyous manner, the chuckle filling the bar in an infectious way. This girl is something else.

“My mother convinced me to create a dating profile. I have no clue what I’m doing,” Avalon admits now, the hint of a smile still present on her lips. Still, her eyes give away a certain sadness you wouldn’t catch if you didn’t look close enough.

“That’s the point. If we knew what we were doing, life would be bland,” I encourage the woman. Her gaze never drifts from mine. She clears her throat before speaking again.

“I wanted to thank you for the other night. You were quite literally my knight in shining armor,” Avalon says with a twinkle in her eye. I shrug off the gratitude.

“It was no problem. I had fun,” I reply. We maintain eye contact and I study the way that golden specks line Avalon’s irises. Everything about her draws me in, but I know I could never be with a mortal. It’s practically impossible.

My mind wanders to a risky place, as I imagine pushing Avalon against my apartment wall and trailing hot kisses down her neck - holding her close and testing every single temptation… f*ck. My member grows hard from the thought.

“Alexander?”

“Huh?” I tune back into reality. Avalon wears a quizzical expression on her face and I kick myself for daydreaming.

“I asked if you walk every drunk girl home at 2 AM,” she repeats herself, a playful tone making its way out of the depths. I bite back a smirk and offer a nonchalant shrug.

“Very rarely. You should feel special.”

“Should I? How special exactly?” Avalon continues, leaning in for the second time tonight. The smell of her lavender perfume wraps me in a warm embrace, the first warm thing I’ve felt in a long time. If I didn’t know any better, I would say Avalon Stone was flirting with me.

I manage a smirk and follow suit, our faces merely inches apart now.

“Let’s just say that our apartments are on completely opposite ends of the city, and I would walk you home again in a heartbeat.”

Ava’s playful smile falls, and the woman studies me closely for the first time. Our eyes meet at just the right moment, and my gaze falls to those plump red lips without my permission. God how I would kiss those lips.

“You must charm a lot of women with that line,” Ava says finally, pulling away all at once. I watch as she buries a part of herself deep down, maybe in fear of getting hurt again- something we both have in common.

“So you think I’m a player?” I entertain the idea. Ava looks me up and down, before taking another sip of wine.

“I’m not sure, but I do think you have secrets,” she replies, keeping her stare aligned with mine the entire time. The statement doesn’t come off as a challenge, but rather an educated guess.

“We all have secrets,” I conclude, reaching across the bar and filling up her glass. Ava eyes the liquid as it fills the cup.

“Some darker than others,” she points out.

Avalon’s words play on repeat in my head, the idea of her knowing my secret sending my mind into a frenzy. I mask the emotion and offer a chuckle.

“What’s your dark secret then?” I quiz.

An unfamiliar expression flashes across Avalon’s face, but she works quickly to hide it. She opens her mouth to speak when a man approaches and interrupts. I eye the character critically, picking apart his curly brown hair and dark eyes.

“Avalon?” he asks uncertainly, placing a hand on the lower part of Ava’s back. I keep my gaze on his hand, never letting my sights shift.

“Max, hi!” Avalon greets sweetly, pulling the man in for a hug. I fight the urge to roll my eyes.

“Should we grab a table?” Max asks, guiding Avalon away before she even answers. My stare drifts from the retreating couple to the wine glass left on the bar counter. I allow a sigh to escape and grab the glass. Throughout the night, I can’t help myself from gazing over and watching Avalon.

What spell did this woman put on me?