While Belle interacted with Eli, Ceres found her mind drifting right back to Nikolai. There was something magnetic about him—an unspoken quality she couldn't quite pin down, yet it pulled at her interest all the same. She couldn't explain the urge, but she needed to find him.
(Do your business tomorrow,) Belle warned her under her breath, maintaining a flawlessly sweet smile as she continued her conversation with Eli. (It's Eli's birthday. Don't make me have to track down another man on his special day.)
[He's not employed by the Rivera family. He might not even be here tomorrow.]
(He works for Cayenne Dumrique, remember? And I work for Luiz,) Belle countered smoothly, her voice barely a whisper. (We can always drop by the office under some excuse to find him. We could even ask Jackson or Tristan directly to set up an appointment. Honestly, your brain cells completely short-circuit whenever it comes to that man. Are you finally over the general and looking for someone new?)
