Winona froze when Ares’ hand settled on her waist. Her whole body went still. She wanted to shove him away, to call him out right there in front of Gabriel, but she couldn’t move. It was as if her body refused to listen, caught in the gravity of Ares’ presence alone.

“Mr. Montgomery… fancy seeing you here.”

Gabriel greeted him with a polite smile, but there was an edge in his tone—sharp, almost mocking, just enough for Winona to notice.

She glanced between the two men. They used ...