-

TER

an in t

ing between the hedgerows like secrets. The villa felt suspended in time, l

taste of chamomile settling on her tongue. Her sketchbook lay open acr

s afra

charcoal felt like pos

ing then, thinking love was a switch you could flick off. But now? With every glance, every

dn't know

r creak

en

be, her face bare, hair slightly t

sturbing you," she

" Mia replie

ing with the cloudy glass. She didn't look at Mia

her head. "

r to do the one thing she

t her hands tightened around

isn't weakness.

but I'm not brave. I'm bitter. I'm afraid. And I'm a

ween them like sto

"I'm not trying to t

cracked for the first ti

ce, the rawness set

room and sat across fro

ll you about t

ook he

along. A boy." Elena's eyes clouded. "We named

nctively moved t

we lost each other, too. Damian built walls. I built

said gently. "I

. "This tension. This mess. Damian's sil

times... I think I s

ked at he

quickly. "But because I wonder if

d. "You're insightfu

t mean

away for a few days. Paris. There's a fo

d. "Safe

ever happens, Mia... don't lose yourself in thi

-

t N

t without Elena's late-night piano or the

ght, she

rs whose eyes seemed to follow her. She ended up at the indoor pool-d

led her was no

as D

mming. Alo

t and scarred in a way that suggested not accidents-

the edge

w

ck. "I'm sorry

," he

she

breath steady but thick with something unspoken. He reached for a tow

sleep eithe

N

eam

mor

er. "Yours or

led. "Ma

ng onto the marble floor. "This... th

t wa

self. "The way it's starting to feel l

Are you afraid o

hers. "I'm afraid of wha

harged-lightning just under skin, just behi

step back

fro

supposed to happen. Le

ike every muscle in his

mething that was

at," Mia said softly

efore she could do so

hing she

-

ext M

the balcony with

ey bribed the chef at

his how billionaires apolo

usually a wire transfer. T

oken through the fog at last, gild

him last night,

ch. "Did he almos

es

mutual. Whi

"Elena lef

d a brow. "

ly above a whisper. "I'm starting to think I

away. But when he did

u w

-