med under my feet, moved into my chest, and sat there like an unspoken dare. The city line glinted like jagged edges and hu

ut even as I leaned back against the seat, eyes fluttering shut for half a second, I knew rest wasn't on the agenda

arp angles, and clean lines. A place where rich bachelors lure bimbo heads

with a nod like he already knew my name. His gloved hands took my suitcase, h

out and say, "Just kidding, we've

o one

the doorman had taken my luggage ahead of me. The faint instrumental music playing ove

simply bre

iling windows spilt sunlight across the living room, bouncing off clean countertops and a marble kitchen island that looked barely touched. The furni

home, V

ag by the front door and just standing

was

o this lifestyle, a heavy contrast from my cosy two-bedroom back home, filled with mismatched m

ami

real. The bedroom was just as beautiful-a queen-sized bed with crisp white sheets and a

elf, and finding the Wi-Fi password scribbled on paper inside a drawer, night had rolled

raffic and people hustle beneath the night lights. The hum of it was di

the buzzing notifications I'd ignored all day

when you land! I

iss your face. And your

when something tugged at the edge of

ca

hoed louder now, pressing against my mind

en him

bar. Not

His face stared up at me from the folder

pressing down on my spine. I didn't know what his portion of the file had m

d like a slow leak from a place I'd sealed shut. My chest tightened. I hadn't even thou

ew why he fe

visited frequently? I had never seen him there before. Someone was keeping tab

I couldn't

e to Kate would mean putting her alongsi

y aren't even anything yet. Just two people caugh

rom happening if it ever

y stomac

letting the coolness flow down my parched throat. I wouldn't say

d a dis

gside pictures of my space to Kate. Work would help. I had projects to catch up on anyway. Emails, deadli

the buzz of productivity did its job-my fingers tapping steadily agains

hen-a

knocks and rings the bell

But I wasn't typing anymo

bell ran

n't expecting anyone. I didn't e

ith each step I took toward the door. The apartment, which had fel

that be at

peephole, but all I could see was the fa

vered near

d, every instinct in me

I