Twice Burned, Twice Desired

our skin, it buries itself in your bones a

in Cosmas Mor

I get to retu

-

a Moretti ballroom, wearing a gown he pai

and stitched with power. It glitters gold beneath the chand

rums as I enter the Grand Sapphire Hotel, the stage

my tongue eve

pagne flows, laughter echoes in curated elegance, and camer

ress will be

o

alked away shattered, now returne

m see

with a nervous smile. "Your table is ready.

I pass faces I once served coffee to when I was just h

o

them

who dared to marry the billionaire prince is gone. She die

Rita Hale

't come to

shift in the room, an invisible

ook

here

s Mor

tating. Sti

air, meticulously styled. Strong jaw, slightly more hardened now. And thos

he's the on

sees me, as if I've punche

o

d thing and raise my

aw cl

ctly how I h

rious. Slig

urse he does. Billionaires

mance I've seen too many times. But I don't rise.

s, his voice a

g the gold liquid in my glass. "Lov

ce," he replies, his eyes scanning me t

s down, my smile sharpening. "Though I wo

es of guilt or irri

hanged,"

ent of my perfume. "No, Cosmas. I just stopped

catches.

y I plan t

e charity?" he asks

I'm here for t

bli

use

r from my clutch and sl

negotiating to acquire them. But

tiff

avo

em?" His voice

And I offered a seat on my board.

sharp now. "What g

a

ck and si

tand and walk past him, brushing aga

an accident, I think bu

ever come back here. Never let myself be near you again. B

me, gray ey

"You shouldn't have

I wal

not

l my presence. Remember everything

ony. I pose effortlessly. The New Yor

ance back ins

l st

l bu

-

e of champagne when I spot the wom

lle M

tepmo

ake in

I vaguely recognize fr

mach t

Devlin deal was airtight. I dott

ess

on the inside l

still a trait

one b

wn Nu

ate to

voice

keep your company, you need to ask Cosm

til

ha

e click

-

already watching me

tonight, I don't fe

l lik

at that voice

as Moretti didn't

meone