I sit in the passenger seat of Cupid's Aston Martin as he drives us through the darkness toward Forever Falls. Shadows flicker across his face and his posture is more tense than usual; his knuckles white as they grip the steering wheel.

He hasn't spoken much since we started moving. His thick eyebrows are furrowed somewhat, as though he's deep in thought - about what, I'm unsure: the Valentine's Day card, Mino's note about the missing cupid, or the fact I didn't kiss him in the combat room.

I look up at him, feeling the leather cool against my back. My eyes trace his jawline a moment, moving down to his broad shoulders, and the tension in his arms. I bring my gaze back to his face.

"OK, spill...What is it?" I say over the gentle lull of the engine. He jerks slightly, as though I'm bringing him out of a trance. "It's the Valentine's Day card, isn't it? It's bothering you."

He throws me a sideways glance. Then he grins and shakes his head.

"No...no...it's nothing."

The doubt about him I felt earlier flickers across my mind. It's not nothing – I can tell that. But despite all we've been through he's still hiding something from me.

"The card said the match has been made," I say. "That means a cupid, or a Myth, sent it, doesn't it? I'm the only human that knows anything about matches."

"Hmmm, maybe..." He catches my eye.

The words on the card flicker across my mind.

The match has been made. I'm coming for you...

"If it wasn't sent by you...it sounds threatening..." I say.

A darkness flashes across his eyes momentarily. He looks straight ahead.

"Have you told Cal about it?" he says.

I shake my head.

"Probably best not to mention it."

"Why?"

"It's probably just a prank, but he might over-react. I'll deal with it."

"You'll deal with it? So, you do think it's threatening...?"

He exhales. Then he turns to look at me.

"There are still some cupids out there who aren't particularly happy with me and you – I'm sure it's just one of those trying to scare you." There's a note of untruth behind his eyes – like he still knows more than he's letting on, "I'll deal with it."

"When you read it, you said Valentine..." I say.

"Did I?"

"Yes..."

He turns and grins at me.

"Well – it's a Valentine's day card..." He gestures forward out of the window as the cobbled Forever Falls town centre comes into view. "Look – we're here. Time to get our party on!" he wiggles his eyebrows as he parks the car by the alleyway leading to the Love Shack.

"Cupid..." I say.

He turns to look at me, carefully resting a warm, rough hand on my arm. I feel a tingle below my skin at his touch. His face falls serious.

"I'm sure it's nothing," he says. "But you're right, it's probably from a cupid. And you're right, it is bothering me. I don't like the idea of someone trying to scare you...but I'm going to find out who sent it, and I'm going to make them wish they hadn't..."

A darkness crosses his eyes, and I catch the intensity, and the anger, behind them.

It makes me think of when I came into the Matchmaking Service for the first time, back when Cal told me Cupid was dangerous. I always forget that about him – that Cupid can be dangerous - he's always so sweet around me. But in this moment, I see it – I see it in the hard line of his jaw, in the heavy rise and fall of his chest, in the hurricane within his irises.

Our gazes lock onto each other's for a moment – and the air within the car suddenly feels buzzing, static almost, like the moment before a storm. My pulse quickens.

Then I take a breath and nod. I touch his hand, still resting on my arm. I sigh.

"Don't shut me out, Cupid," I say. "You didn't let me know what was going on when you first came to town – and look how that ended up. If something is going on, I want to know about it."

He smiles, then nods.

"OK, no secrets," he agrees.

I hold his gaze.

Valentine...

That's what he said.

I can't shift the feeling that he is keeping secrets from me as his grin widens.

"Now, shall we go see Charlie," he says – throwing open the car door before I can say anything else. "I want to know what our newest cupid has been getting up to."

Author note:  Hi guys! Lauren here! I wasn't going to post a chapter today but seeing as we're just getting started I thought I'd give you a short one before tomorrow (which will be my usual update day). 

I'm planning on 3 updates a week from now on - Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays! Though sometimes it may deviate from that :)

Audiobook giveaway! [NOW CLOSED]

On another note - to celebrate the launch of the sequel I've managed to get hold of 2 copies of the Cupid's Match Audiobook from my publisher to giveaway! 

If you want to be in with a chance of winning - do either (or both!) of the below: 

Giveaway 1: Wattpad Follow me on Wattpad (LEPalphreyman) if you're not already, and write '+1' in the inline comment here. (I'll pick 1 winner at random from the inline comment section!)

Giveaway 2: Twitter Follow me on Twitter (LEPalphreyman), share your favourite Cupid's Match (or Bad Santa/ The Minotaur / Valentine's Day - basically anything from the series!) quote in a tweet (either as the Wattpad quote art, write it out, or you could make your own graphic!), and use the hashtags #Wattpad & #CupidsMatchAudiobook (I will pick one winner at random from the hashtag!).

Good luck! 

Winners will be announced Friday 11th August at the end of the Valentine's Day chapter I post :)

For anyone who has downloaded the Audiobook already - thank you!! I hope you liked the new version! If you ever want to tweet me a screenshot of Cupid's Match on your phone I'll retweet it :)

Hope you all have a great Sunday!

Lauren xx