ne and fear mixed in the air - but none of it compared to the chaos b

n, and the memory refused to fade: the way he'd slipped his hand ov

self it was pa

just

e hadn't got

-

hurried footsteps. Leah was halfway through a double

ed it - until sh

d to tal

s, typing back bet

ly saving liv

later, an

nch. Consider

ist wheeled in a catered tray with her name on it - complete with pasta, salad, and a small

d Nurse Bella, raisi

ed. "Just... a m

ropped a syrin

ote away. "Let's just say it involves city hal

nding you gourmet food, that's n

Adrian Blake doesn't do interest. He

in her chest be

-

ospital when she saw him - leaning against a sle

, startled. "What a

y wife," he s

"You could

ignored ha

Some of us work twelve-

or. "Then you deserv

. "Is this...

too quickly. "Am

" hung in the air,

-

, with soft jazz playing and candles flickering on ev

hanged, you k

an replied, not even

d. "That's not ex

aze steady. "You look...

y in bullet points and legal jargon, th

his latest client scandal, and somewhere between laughter

-

ck, watching her. "You handled my gran

She's wonderful. Terri

the gala seating chart a

oaned. "We're be

sound that made her chest ti

softly, though the number sud

ated. "U

ess

ss it takes longer to

. "You mean dela

n't sound convinced. "The gala's next week. The me

mirking. "Convenience. Sure. Not

e," he said,

-

ed for her glass, trying to steady her thoughts. "You reall

I'll have explained. Or... maybe she'l

ked on her drin

ly. "Relax, Lea

smiling like

d her more than s

-

to the door. She fumbled with her k

ner," she said,

. "You're

hat buzzed in the air, full of

d, "You don't have

ng w

uying food. Pl

tudying her. "Maybe I

caught. "You'r

stepping closer, "but yo

he could see the flecks of gray in his eyes, t

ous second, sh

ed - loud, sharp, r

ck quickly. "I

slipping back into place. "

m leave, heart

-

. What was happening to her? This wasn't supposed to feel

out Adrian Bla

ed again, she didn't ha

our cardigan

ing it

before she coul

don't

kn

hat simple reply making her

we

posed to b

wasn't sure either of them co

-

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