“She’s doing it again,” Jason muttered, glaring at the fresh doodles appearing on his scarred arm. The arm cursed—no, blessed—with this so-called “soulmate connection.”

Soulmates? Jason didn’t buy it. Fairy tale crap like that wasn’t for him. Even if it were real, he sure as hell didn’t deserve one.

But no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, the doodles kept coming. Silly sketches—cats, flowers, even stick figures labeled “ME!” He’d snort or chuckle, only to dig his heels in harder. Whoever she was, she deserved better. Some bright, bubbly girl who laughed at everything. The opposite of him.

So, he never wrote back. Not to “Are you there?” or “Do you hate me?” Not even when the doodles stopped, leaving his arm achingly quiet. It was better this way, or so he told himself.

Until he met her.

It was a bad night, and Jason ducked into a café, craving coffee and peace. His attention snagged on a group of girls nearby, their laughter grating. But one of them stood out.

She was bent over her arm, marker in hand, doodling—a cat with sunglasses. Jason rolled his eyes. “Another soulmate doodler,” he muttered.

Then he felt it.

The same tingle on his arm.

Jason froze, his gaze snapping back to her just as the exact same cat appeared on his skin. His brain short-circuited.

In his shock, his grip on the coffee cup slipped. Hot liquid splashed onto his arm, making him hiss and curse under his breath.

“Shit!” Jason jolted, shaking his arm out. He was too distracted to notice her approach until she was suddenly in front of him, napkins in hand.

Jason stared at her. She was everything he imagined: bright, full of life, and now looking at him with wide, curious eyes that made him feel exposed in a way he wasn’t used to.

He swallowed hard. He’d spent years running from this moment, convinced it would never work. But now, looking into her eyes, he realized he might not have a choice.