s's

y sprawled below like a map someone had forgotten to fold. Polished black marble table long enough to seat twenty, though only six

at someon

an in, "the Zanzibar resort acquisition closes in forty-eigh

ead. Not in agreement or dissent. Just calculation. He'd been gunning for a piece of the Connell Group's hospitality portfo

roat. "All due diligence is complete. Environmental reports

ou'll handle the final signatures in Dar

ent, Rhys. One might almost think you

who expects me home for the holiday

hter from the others, b

lights flicker on below. Dusk came early this time of the year. The skyline looked colder t

were no new messages from Mir

e but I'm surviving. Miss you.

home soon. I'll have the

and a photo of her dorm room-books everyw

the screen. I typed, d

baby, you'll

e

tick of the wall clock. I hated this part of the day-the transition from Rhys Connell, CEO, to Rhys Conn

nkled at the corners. Mirabel had inherited that smile, that exact way of tilting her head when

in hotel rooms with women whose names I barely remembered. They were polite, beautiful but empt

e feel like I was drowning a

pt o

wanted to attend. Too many people, too many condolences disguised as

'd see

ttered stars, pouty lips that parted when our eyes met. She'd been young-too you

she'd begged without shame, the way her body had clenched around me like it was made for mine. I'd fucked

oke, she

me wondering if all that happened was a dream. Just the scent of her on the shee

hotel staff, pulled security footage. Bu

y brain playing a tricky game on me. But the memory was too sharp-the taste of her skin, the soun

one b

eone. My best friend Alicia. You'll love her-she reads even m

reen, then typed b

o get the rooms ready. You guys should pack warm please, the

d the se

city glittered below, indifferent.

illed the house with noise and laughter and the smell of cinnamon

, locked the door, and

k at me-gray at the temples now, lines deeper around the eyes, shoulders still broad but carr

ushed in as I stepped outside. My driver

e, s

es

nted windows. I leaned my he