ot slee

words stopped looking like words. Ask Adrian why he really made you his assistant. He

ht. It rang once and went to a dead

me to come to him first. I had promised. And whatever else he was, I

ly pressed the wrong button, and found him already at his desk, jacket off, s

front of him. Black, no s

red in his eyes at the sight of

dwich." I took a breath. "And

out m

from the forehead down. When he looked up, he did not look angry. He

id this

ght. In

came to m

sked m

break. For a long time, he said nothing. Outside t

at last, so quietly I had to lean in. "I did no

heavy, strange

ide the main entrance, late for a board meeting. There was a woman in the staff entrance, one of the cleaners, an old lady with too many

Okoye, the cleaner on the third fl

saw t

did not follow you. I did not investigate you. I just... knew who you were, after that. I watched your w

u w

e turning red. "I went home and read it three times. And then I made you my assistant, because if you were going to w

was ver

you call lyin

I should have

ude to me f

I just had more reasons

error of the boardroom, standing there with red ears because a girl

oftly. "Is that really e

f something there, something complicated and old an

ing I can say

was not the whole truth e

. Instead, I picked up the phon

aid. "Then

ame out rough. "E

single thing from th

should have been writing. Instead, I was watching the way he rolled one sleeve higher when he got impatient, the way his voice dropped when he sai

ination, that tr

e faded into a distant hum, like a radio in another room, and then there was only sil

could smell him, cedarwood and rain and something warm underneath, something tha

anything else. His breath brushed my cheek, warm and unsteady, and I heard it, t

s voice was low and rough, almost a whisper agai

wer. My lips ha

g like a trapped bird. His forehead touched mine. Our noses brushed. For one long, trembling heartbeat,

o stop," h

idn

o remember every second of it. My fingers curled into his shirt. My knees, even sitting down, turned to water. I felt his heartbeat under my

s Mo

t. My pen flew

e eyebrow, and his mouth did that tiny almost-smile a

nutes?"

Haven launch.

. I was going to melt

place around the corner and listened with her

ay your umbrella,"

es

YEARS

es

o say so, so he's been acting like a grumpy gremlin." She slammed both pal

ay he's in l

t. I came in hating that man. But he picked up your cupcake bag and wrote

es

ie. Not everyone who's nice to you is safe, and not everyone wh

d stared in

trouble. I di

le found

drop off a package when a

bunch of supermarket roses in one hand. He looked like he h

you can't

t my wrist. "I made a mistake. A huge one. Bella means n

go of

, ple

id le

htened, and a sharp little

adow fell

the lobby drop, and then a large, warm hand closed gently, but absolutely firmly, arou

nds to leave my building,"

e drained. "

ne

d to talk to

ill as a wall. I could not see his face. I did not need to. The security guards had g

e you work. I know the name of your landlord. I have excellent lawy

door, he stopped, and for one brief moment,

Chloe Blackwood why she called me on Friday. Ask her why she offered me

ors swung sh

ulders rising and falling, once, twice,

his face was the one I had seen

d hoarsely. "I

signer sunglasses stood against the glass railing, watching us with a smile that d