Triumph Over Fate (The Curse of Bearclaw Castle #5) - Emilia Hartley

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Stormi Blackford knew that her best friend had gotten involved with some strange individuals, but she never expected to find herself sucked into the same situation. The men were beautiful, with sharp jawlines and eyes that promised conflict resolution rather than the tension she’d endured in her last marriage.

She absentmindedly touched her naked ring finger. The bareness of it made her stomach dip. Or, maybe the beautiful stranger had caused that. Every so often, their eyes would meet across the party that seemed determined to happen without them. He had long, black hair pulled back at the base of his skull. The wind toyed with it like a lover who couldn’t keep their hands off him.

Oh, but his eyes burned with an intensity that scared Stormi. Those dark orbs should have felt cold, but they warmed her skin. She tore her gaze away to stare at the ground. Why did he make her heart stammer this way? Why did his presence make her so aware of her own skin and the way it rubbed against her crop top?

Mimi, a usually quiet woman, sidled up to Stormi’s side. Stormi cocked her head and tracked Mimi’s narrow-eyed glare back to the stranger.

From what Stormi had gathered, the man was Mimi’s brother. Mimi had been hiding out with Morgan and her new friends so that this man wouldn’t be able to find her. Despite his intimidating presence, Stormi wasn’t sure why Mimi felt the need to hide from him. He couldn’t have done anything truly horrible. Stormi refused to believe it.

She fought the urge to smack herself in the forehead. How could she let herself be charmed by a pretty face? Just because he had long hair and a smoldering body did not mean that he was a good man. Stormi was just lonely and in need of a man to distract her from the last one.

But she’d sworn off men.

Stormi wouldn’t let another useless lover break her heart the way her ex-husband did. Back then, she’d believed in the line for better or worse. She’d thought that they could work through anything so long as they had each other.

But the moment she asked for something, he’d recoiled and ran away. The very thought of giving had angered him. How dare she want something from him? How dare she want something he didn’t want?

In the end, he’d served her with divorce papers. And not long after that, Morgan had met Mr. Perfect in the form of Roderick. Stormi wanted to be happy for her best friend. She really did, but watching all these happy couples only reminded Stormi of what she couldn’t have.

Out of the corner of her eye, a glimmer of white drifted past the party. The familiar chill of undeath made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She clenched her jaw and tried not to look up. As much as Stormi loved Morgan, she did not understand why her best friend had chosen to settle down in a haunted castle.

The resident ghost gave Stormi the creeps.

With a sigh, she rose from her seat and turned toward the castle. Stormi figured she could hide from the party while trying out the numerous salads set out on the kitchen counter. Anything to get her away from this. And if the ghost tried bothering her, Stormi wouldn’t have to worry about anyone watching her tell a ghost to fuck off.

Unfortunately, the hot stranger must have wanted to escape everyone, too. Lost in her thoughts, Stormi ran face first into what felt like a brick wall. She staggered back, confused. Thinking that she’d missed the doorway while distracted, her jaw dropped to find Mr. Smoky and Sultry glowering at her.

“Oh, I—” Stormi began.

His upper lip curled. “Apparently, I haven’t frightened you enough.”

She blinked. “Excuse me?”

He leaned in so that his breath warmed her skin. Her knees trembled in response. She waited for him to do something, to shove her aside, to snarl like an animal, to teach her a lesson. Despite her fear, a tingle of anticipation rocketed up her spine.

“If you knew what was good for you, then you’d stay far, far away from me,” he said from between clenched teeth.

She lifted her chin. Men are so damn stupid!

Pressing a finger into his firm chest, she said, “And if you had two braincells to rub together you’d realize that you’re not frightening in the least!”

A snarl rippled through the room. Her stomach cinched tight. She got the sense that she’d just made a