oth and practiced. *He's busy, alright,* she thought w

ed over her. She was profoundly grateful that she had never truly placed any hope in Blake Schwartz.

Outside the reinforced windows of the VIP suite, the storm raged

ding lamp, turning the pages of her book. The hospital was eerily silent, save for the relentless drumming of the rain. It was well past midnight, yet slee

against the wooden nightstand, the scre

art skipping a beat. Terrified that the noise would wake her father, she snatched the pho

lake's mistress calling to escalate her petty provocation

stood up, quietly slipped out of the suite, and pul

a male v

ied, keeping her voice low in the empty

att. We've met

andsome, rogue-like man she had seen around Barron during her i

u? I'm coming

Brandy entirely bewildered. "Excuse

ard to Barron's Tribeca penthouse, right? The one he gave you when you were dropping off those files?

er pulse suddenly accelera

told me he was going to crash at the penthouse for a bit beforehand. And now... nothing.

knot of worry Brandy had tried to bury all evening

" Brandy said, her professional calm fra

at this hour anyway," Adrien said quickly. "I'm already in my car

ed, old-money chivalry. There was no way he was letting her naviga

that had been simmering beneath the surface all night finally boiled over. She spun around, rushed back into the suite, and

r trench coat

main entrance, peering into the curtain of rain. Though she onl

downpour, pulling up to the curb with a low roar. Adrien pushed his door open, p

noring the water soaking her shoes,

coming to get you," Adrien s

eycard onto the center console and immediat

ing the sheer panic in her eyes, before shifting t