'd accomplished nothing. Half-finished emails

was eating at

ine two." His assistant's voice

ly regretted his tone. He pressed the button

e this morning. Each showed as delivered, none as read. He'

knock, and Sam Carter strolled in

ute? Need to discuss

es, but because he had one as his best friend, he allowed her work friends to drop

urprised. "Sor

ing papers he hadn't even looked at. "If it

that the

rough his office door, he noticed Megan p

He backed toward the door. "By the way, you seen Lena today?

t!" He

uickly exited. Alex sank back into his

ck, he grabb

t of the day," he told Megan on

-

ing was quiet, most residents probably at work.

ans

er cell again whil

he doorman approached, e

Martinez. I'm her

is morning. She might

dropped. "Did

is head. "Not my bu

laimed to do her best thinking. The barista recognized him; he'd m

en her toda

ressed. The bookstore where she browsed for hours. Th

anish? He'd left more messages, each progressively l

you can't even text back? What did

Upscale enough to keep the college crowd away, casual enough

bartender, a middle-aged ma

across, and Alex downed it in

bartender asked,

t." Alex took a sm

his filter diss

louder than necessary, but who ca

ed an eyebrow but

at? She's ghosting me because I got a little hard? Is that a crim

u should

slammed his glass down. "It's not my fault she looked good in those tiny

artender leaned in, talking lowly. "Sir,

en doing for years! Keeping it down. Kee

g before I c

ed slightly. "Another," he mutt

you've ha

as stunning, with long black hair and glossy dark eyes that seemed to catalog

Alex replied, though his

is forearm. "Whoever she is, sh

n't kno

rs traced small circles on his skin.

business. Instead, he found himself turning toward her.

eaned closer, her perfume enveloping him. It was somethi

own another whiskey

traction?" Alex a

ething more interesting than drownin

ed only briefly before taking it. Maybe he neede

f heading toward the street, she

are we

anced back with a smile tha

w without protest. They navigated through the alley,

proached a nondescript door. "If yo

tone made it sound like an endearment. "I'm not taking yo

ich

finger down his chest. "People looking

angerous territory. He thought about leaving, but curiosity and the

man in black stood guard, expression hard and unwelcoming. She flash

nodded and l

scented faintly with jasmine and something more exotic like his fairy godmother. Music pulsed ahead, low and

d, taking in the plush carpet

d forward. "Why don't