The Fine Print

I place Zahra’s hand back on the table and stand to my full height. Lance has to tilt his head back to stare up at me. 

I button my jacket before saying, “Lance Baker. I’ve heard about you.” 

He stands taller like a peacock. “Mr. Kane. I wanted to stop by and say hello. Zahra and I go way back.” 

My blood turns red hot, pulsing with each breath. Lance extends his hand and I merely stare at it with every ounce of disgust I feel toward him. 

“She told me about your Nebula Land submission.” 

He drops his hand by his side like a rejected stray. “Oh yes. I was shocked my proposal was accepted.” 

My fist itches to familiarize itself with his face. This piece of shit thinks he can get away with stealing Zahra’s idea? It dawns on me that he believes Zahra kept quiet about the whole thing. What a piece of shit. He probably thinks she’s too nice to rat him out, and since he never got caught, there was no reason for him to worry. 

Fuck him. I’ll seek out revenge in Zahra’s name. 

“Oh, Lance. Hi. Weird seeing you here.” Zahra’s voice is wooden.

“I’m celebrating my a

I keep my face blank despite the urge to tell him to fuck off. 

Zahra’s entire body tenses. “Isn’t it considered bad taste to celebrate the time you started an affair?”

Lance’s eyes bulge. His already red cheeks take on a purplish hue. 

Warmth seeps into my chest at Zahra’s straightened spine and steel gaze. It makes me…proud of her. Of the way she can stand up to others like she has to me. 

I pull her into my side. I’m tempted to hide her for the rest of her life, protecting her from idiots like Lance who abused the kind of gift she is. 

The wave of possessiveness hits me out of nowhere. I should be surprised, but I’m not shocked. I’ve always been territorial over everything. Toys. Money. Business ventures. And now…a woman. Although the idea is new, the feeling is not. 

Lance turns his attention on me. 

“Mr. Kane. I’m sorry to interrupt. I didn’t realize you and Zahra were in the middle of a business meeting tonight.” 

“We’re not,” I offer in a dry voice. 

Zahra shivers as I trace her arm with my finger. Lance’s eyes track the movement before ending at my hand pressed against her waist in an intimate gesture. 

“Well, I’m sorry to intrude on this…outing.” 

“Why did you then?” I counter, keeping my voice flat. 

His mouth opens and closes again. I don’t bother waiting for his limited brain cells to make up some pathetic excuse. 

I wave over the hostess. She comes over and places herself between Lance and me. 

“Mr. Kane. Can I help you with something?” She keeps her tone light and professional. 

“I’d like to send this man’s table a bottle of Dom Perignon on my tab.” 

She beams. “Of course. What occasion are we celebrating?” 

“His job promotion.” 

The hostess disappears with a massive grin on her face. 

Zahra’s body goes rigid beside me. I caress her hip, toying with the strap of lace through the fabric of her dress. Her body melts into mine despite Lance staring at us openly. 

“Job promotion?” he squawks. 

“It’s come to my attention that you have been a dedicated Dreamland employee for years.” 

He nods with a grin. His eyes move from me to Zahra, and I’m tempted to shield her from his gaze. The way he looks at her makes me think he believes she talked him up to me. 

He’s such a waste of good oxygen. 

I’m absolutely disgusted by him. “You’re officially being transferred to Dreamland Shanghai to work with the Creators there. Effective immediately.” 

All the blood drains from his face. “Shanghai? China?”

“It appears you have two reasons to celebrate tonight. Congratulations.” 

He sputters some more. His discomfort makes me want to smile, but I hold back. There’s only one person who deserves my limited supply and it’s definitely not this degenerate. 

I look down at Zahra, only to find her already staring up at me. The smallest smile graces her lips, but her eyes tell me everything. She rises on the tips of her toes and places a soft kiss on my cheek. 

Her lips make their way toward my ear. “You’re so getting laid tonight.” Her hot breath makes the back of my neck heat, and suddenly I’m very interested in getting the hell out of here. 

Screw dates at restaurants. They’re grossly overrated and highly restricting. I’m not sure what I was thinking bringing Zahra to one when she’s the kind of person who likes to sit on floors and binge takeout food together. 

I give Zahra’s hip a squeeze in acknowledgment. 

“Congratulations on Shanghai. You should be so proud of your accomplishments, Lance.” She gives Lance one last wave over her shoulder before she returns to her chair. 

A small part of me rejoices in the fact that she doesn’t offer him a smile. Those are all mine, fuck him very much. 

Lance stares at her with his mouth agape. The way he ogles at her makes me want to deck him right in his crooked nose. 

I clap a hand on Lance’s tense shoulder and lean in, the gesture seeming friendly to anyone else. “There’s a reason men like you hurt women like Zahra. It has nothing to do with her and everything to do with what you’re severely lacking.” I take a moment to look down at him, not bothering to hide the disgust in my eyes.  

All the blood drains from his face, and his body shrinks into itself. It brings me a completely different sense of satisfaction to affect him like this. I’m sure it’s only a fraction of the discomfort Zahra probably feels in his presence, but I’m glad to deliver it. 

I give him one last pat on the shoulder before turning away. 

Zahra’s already seated in her chair. Her wide eyes bounce between Lance’s retreating form and me. “Are you really sending him to Shanghai?” 

“That’s up to him.” I pull out my chair and sit. 

“How so?”

“He can either go to Shanghai or hand in his resignation. It doesn’t matter to me as long as he gets the hell off my property.” 

She grasps my hand. “Why would you do that?” 

I shrug. 

“You really do like me.” She bats her long lashes. 

“I already told you this earlier.” I shoot her a soft smile, which only makes her beam like the goddamn sun in return.

She grabs the dessert menu from the center of the table. “Actions speak louder than words.” 

“And what do my actions say?” I lean in and grab the end of her hair, pulling her toward me, so our mouths are only a few inches apart. 

“That you care more than you’re letting on.” 

I close the gap between us and kiss her. “Don’t go wishing for things that can’t happen.”

The corners of her eyes soften, reflecting an emotion I haven’t seen from her yet. “That’s okay. I’ll dream big enough for the two of us.” 

The strange warmth surging through my veins is quickly doused by a chill. That’s my biggest worry in one single sentence.