n's

sed to me

Control. Pr

seven. Office by eight. By nine, the controlled chaos of meetings, numbers, decisions, and dominance would take over. Rou

, there was noth

appetite. No

ay her fingers dug into her bag like it was the only thing keeping her upright. And layered over that image w

aRusso di

threaten t

the same way other

ays follow

t spilled across rooftops and glass buildings, soft and deceptive. Cars moved. People hurried along sidewalks.

was movin

was f

y noise sounded distant, muted, like I was underwater. I hadn't turned on the

st everything that

buzzed in

u

checking the screen.

voice flat. "

dy lived an entire life today. Bad coffee. Worse traffic. Emotional

the cold glass, letting it gr

s like that," he said, the humor eas

N

owe

N

ur father or p

t y

rically. "Wow.

arned, rubb

"Hey. I'm here. Talk to me. W

s. I looked... wrecked. Eyes dull. Jaw tight. Like som

d quietly. "At

peated. "Which mea

continued. "My accounts. My aut

ca said. "Which means he

ted pacing. The room suddenly felt too

Her past jobs. Her prescriptions. Every crack she's tried to

let him," Luc

don't even control my

eplied. "And you're smarter than h

ing and looke

reat. Like proof that my father had alrea

ispered. "Not after last n

, you need to walk into her life

e without feeling li

said gently. "And men like you

th land

ed. "He's attacking you. Because for the firs

ched m

just someone

hat I could cho

," Luca said. "He cares that sh

sed m

guised as control. If I succeeded without him, if I chose a life

't rais

lt a w

finally. "So wh

energized. "Now you're

. Everything your father knows. Everyone he'

protect Juliet without

said. "And s

what's mine

k at you. Already turni

on the couch, my ha

dmitted. "Not for

uca said. "Fear that makes

ded s

ady to face

woul

Able to stand betwee

d. "Whatever th

"Because this isn't

turned-but it felt different n

my desk. The chair creaked softly b

en o

ff or

ned o

ill Ryan

rvived my fathe

n't abou

bout pro

t ch

et a monster decide

had alre

his t

ld be