clattering against tabletops. Aira sat quietly at the far end, her salad barely touched. The words fr

ime she thought of it, hammeri

But she had to keep her guard. She was an employee. A single mother with secrets t

ght made her

a voice whispered

d, her fork p

new woman in marketing," the other replied, not bothering

uch a lu

t the attention of the

caught. Heat c

. "He doesn't mix business with

farm event last weekend. My cousin was

gasped.

so hard to keep her life private, to blend into the

tood abruptly, and walked ou

is phone buzzed with messages, but his mind wasn't on contracts or profit margins. H

of an invisible burden. He didn't know what she was hiding, but he could

han she let on. And he w

n-this time a call. C

Jason a

sir, but... rumors are s

knit. "What ki

Aira. That you'

n his chair, unfaze

yes of course that is norm

hese things can be what people help th

ctor some people will obviou

aid rel

ore than you. She's vulnerable. People will

t that way. Aira didn't have the shields he d

Jason said firml

tight, her hands clammy as she unlocked their apartment

so

too well by now. He wouldn't stop until he

was low, steady.

ple at work are whispering about me about us. Do yo

know. I heard. But

lem. I don't want to be some project you sw

th quiet conviction. "You already do. But

. But she shook her head, even though he cou

nderstand," he

laughed with and carried on his shoulders was his own nephew? That she had once

tter. His loyalty to family. His tr

," she w

ir

ff, her voice trembling. "Ple

Finally, Jason spoke. "I'll give you space

call before s

r bed, staring at Liro sleeping peacefully b

lly. And she was terrified that when those walls crumbled

t, the deeper he seeme

dangerous her

ht wind whipping against his face. Below him, the c

that Aira was scared. She was

a man who quit when answers

, the mystery he wanted most to

woman who didn'

intended to