Ping.
Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
Kael's phone buzzed on the bedside table, a sharp vibration cutting through the quiet.
He stirred, hazel eyes blinking open, the dim blue light from the window casting faint shadows across the room.
Rhea lay beside him, her crimson hair splayed across the pillow, her scarred body bare save for the crumpled sheets tangled around her hips.
Her breaths were soft, peaceful, a stark contrast to the fire she'd unleashed last night—her lips, her hands, her superhero costume a crimson fantasy that still burned in his mind.
Kael smiled.
He reached for the phone, careful not to wake her, and squinted at the screen.
A message from a guy he'd called hours ago, before the cardio session with Rhea.
Kael read the message, his lips twitched, a nod to himself.
That guy had come through, as expected.
He opened his banking app, transferring a small sum to the account linked in the message.
The deal was set.
