POV & Ne

hadn't quite settled since the run-in with Nevaeh Spencer. He'd managed to compartmentalize a thousand other problems before breakfa

wice now: first with her laugh, then with the unexpected humanity that slipp

gh his reverie. "We're nearly at

cleared his throat. "Fine," he lied. But he knew Frank wasn't fooled. The older man had worked for Aiden l

-

built. The glass walls reflected the clouds, a fortress that seemed both untouchable and eerily empty. As h

to keep up with Aiden's long strides. "You have back-to-back

one as cold and crisp as the morning air

sir, they'r

a look that could have frozen lava. "I have mo

furiously over the iPad. Aiden barely noticed. His mind was already a million miles

-

essly vivid. He could still hear the laughter of the crowd, still feel the suffocating heat of the room as he stood at the altar, waiting. Wa

ried, and he had no use for ghosts. But the longer he lived, the more he

-

eh's

ine awe and sarcastic commentary, Nevaeh felt some of the tightness in her chest start to ease. They stopped in

g in like she was sharing a scandalous secr

g that had happened. "Thanks for this," she said, a note of sincerity

me, I know what it's like to feel out of place. Everyone deserves a friend when things get tough." Her ey

easily this time. "Besties, huh? Bol

grin faltered, and she tilted her head slightly. "But seriously, how are you

e was something about Sasha's genuine concern that made her feel safe, at least for a moment. "I'm still pr

" she added, with a wicked glint in her eyes, "you have the perfect opportunity for revenge. Just

e image was ridiculous but oddly e

ye. There, staring back at her from a magazine cover, was Aiden Klein. The headline read: *

e coffee shop-the one who had made her feel so small

, there he is. Mr. Ice King himself. Don't let the smo

the way her heart seemed to pick up s

less, doesn't let anyone close. And let's not forget the broken engagement fiasco that was plastered all over the me

ht she'd seen beneath the mask. But shadows or not, she doubted their paths would cross

-

en'

the city move below him. His assistant, Brad, knocked

d to reschedule the

ay from the window. "I pay you to fol

mething else." He hesitated. "It's about the ba

, though he kept his f

hild, raised by a single father, no scandals, no known connections to people of interest." He paused

d his eyes. "

y. "Should I continue

im off. "No n

as certain of it. And if his instincts were right, she was going to b

irst time in years, he wondered if a new shadow was creeping