omous hope. Juliana held Cole's gaze, placing a single fi

ing his arms over his chest. His gray eyes

gh, pitching her voice to sound weak and confused.

d. "At home?" Paige's voice sharpened. "Wit

sing her fingertips to her temple as if in pain. "The

d everything-her presence at the

thick, syrupy concern. "Oh, you poor thing! Don't you worr

ive right now. He won't let anyone see me." She painted him

sed a single, sardonic eyebrow. A

essed, a note of frustration in her

all, confused sound.

a wrench into their entire

ong moment, her voice cautious, test

oggy memory had just surfaced. "My m

or coffee, just the two of us. At The Daily Grind, our usual sp

t Juliana wanted. A

barely a whisper. "But don't t

d," Paige said, he

ong, slow breath, the mask of the fragile victim

beside her, laced with a grudging respect t

arched her face, the ghost of a smile gone

ks. "I had to. They need to be

ned slightly. "You'r

reached out and took his hand, her small fingers lacing with his

resolve in her eyes. After a long

a partnership, an alliance. She glanced down at her phone, still in her

riosity piqued, she open

lew across t

the screen

ow read: "My

nees, the man whose face was a permanent mask of cool indifference, looked utterly flustered.