Leila Dawson is a journalist on the brink of losing everything-her job, her dreams, and the future she's fought to build for her younger brother. When she uncovers a lead on Theo Armitage, a reclusive billionaire who vanished after a devastating scandal, she sees her last chance at redemption. But tracking him down in a sleepy coastal town is only the beginning. Theo Armitage has spent five years hiding from the world, guarding his secrets and nursing his wounds. Betrayed by his business partner and fiancée, he's built a life of solitude where no one can hurt him again. That is, until Leila storms into his world, determined to uncover the truth he's buried so deeply. What starts as a clash of wills quickly becomes something more. Leila sees through Theo's gruff exterior to the broken man beneath, and Theo finds himself drawn to Leila's fierce determination, even as he fights to keep his distance. But with enemies from Theo's past closing in and Leila's career hanging by a thread, their fragile connection is tested at every turn. As passion ignites and secrets unravel, Leila and Theo must decide if they're willing to risk everything for a love neither of them saw coming.
Chapter 1 The Lead
Leila's POV
The fluorescent light above me buzzed, flickering like it was struggling to survive. I felt its pain. My laptop screen stared back, as blank and accusing as my editor's last email.
"One more flop, Dawson, and you're out."
My stomach churned at the memory. I was a decent journalist once. No, scratch that-I was good. But the industry didn't care about how good you used to be. It cared about what you could deliver now.
I glanced at the pile of unopened bills sitting on my desk. A letter from Ollie's college was perched on top, as if mocking me. I didn't have to open it to know what it said. Tuition overdue. Pay now or your little brother's dreams go up in smoke.
I rubbed my temple and groaned. How did I end up here? Twenty-nine years old, broke, and raising my brother because life decided to chew me up and spit me out.
My phone buzzed, jolting me out of my pity party. I snatched it up like it was a lifeline.
"Hey, Mari," I answered.
"Wow, you sound like someone stole your last dollar," Marisol said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Funny you should say that," I muttered.
"Well, good thing I called. I might have just saved your sorry butt."
I sat up straighter, gripping the phone. "Please tell me it's a lead."
"Oh, it's a lead all right," she said, her tone smug. "You remember Theo Armitage?"
"Armitage?" I frowned. "The billionaire who disappeared after his company fell apart?"
"Bingo. Word is, he's hiding out in some tiny coastal town, living the quiet life."
I froze. Theo Armitage. The man who went from tech mogul to corporate pariah in the blink of an eye. The scandal had been huge-embezzlement, betrayal, whispers of sabotage. And then... nothing. He vanished like a ghost.
"You're sure it's him?" I asked.
"My source is solid," Marisol said. "But listen, people like him don't disappear without a reason. If you're going after him, be careful."
Careful? That wasn't in my vocabulary. I needed this story like I needed air.
"Do you have an address?" I asked, grabbing a pen.
"You're welcome," Marisol said with a laugh.
Theo's POV
The waves crashed against the cliffs, the sound soothing in its familiarity. I stood at the edge of the dock, watching the horizon. It was the only place I felt at peace these days.
"Morning, Theo," Abby called from her café window.
I nodded back but didn't stop to chat. I'd learned quickly that in small towns like this, being too friendly led to questions. And I didn't have answers.
The town had given me a second chance-a place to breathe after the world turned its back on me. But I wasn't naive enough to think it would last. Secrets didn't stay buried forever.
I adjusted the strap of my camera bag and started walking back toward my cottage.
"Good morning, Mr. Armitage."
I froze. The voice was sharp, confident, and entirely out of place in this sleepy town.
I turned slowly, and there she was. A woman with a sharp jawline, bright brown eyes, and an air of determination that screamed trouble.
"Wrong person," I said, already turning away.
"I don't think so," she said, stepping closer. "I'm Leila Dawson, a journalist. I'd like to talk to you."
Of course, a journalist. They always found me eventually.
"I don't do interviews," I said flatly.
"This isn't just an interview," she pressed. "It's a chance to tell your side of the story."
I laughed. Not the warm kind of laugh, but the kind that said, you've got to be kidding me.
"There's no story," I said. "Go home."
She didn't move. Her gaze followed me like a hawk, but I kept walking. I'd learned a long time ago how to walk away.
Leila's POV
I stood there, watching him disappear down the street.
Theo Armitage.
He was taller than I expected, broader too, with a sharpness to his features that no photo had ever captured. But the man wasn't just guarded-he was locked up tighter than Fort Knox.
"You're wasting your time, you know."
I turned to see an older man leaning against a post outside the café. He wore a faded baseball cap and had a coffee cup in one hand.
"Excuse me?" I said.
"Theo doesn't talk to strangers," he said. "Especially not reporters."
I crossed my arms. "Well, maybe I'm not like other reporters."
The man chuckled. "That's what they all say. But he's been here five years, and no one's cracked him yet."
I felt a flicker of annoyance. Did I have "give up easily" written on my forehead?
"Well," I said, giving him a tight smile, "there's a first time for everything."
Scene: The Twist
That night, I parked my car a few streets away from Theo's cottage and waited. I wasn't proud of it, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
Around midnight, I saw him. He stepped out onto his porch, a camera slung around his neck. He moved quietly, like someone who didn't want to be seen.
I grabbed my bag and followed him.
He walked to the cliffs, setting up his tripod as the waves crashed below. I crept closer, keeping my distance.
And then I heard it-a crack.
The ground beneath me shifted, and I barely had time to react before the edge of the cliff gave way.
"Shit!" I screamed, grabbing onto a root as my feet dangled over the edge.
Theo was there in an instant, his face twisted with a mix of anger and concern.
"What the hell are you doing?" he snapped, grabbing my arm and pulling me up with surprising strength.
I collapsed onto solid ground, my heart pounding. "Research?"
He glared at me. "You're insane."
"Maybe," I said, breathless. "But you saved me, so I guess we're even."
His lips twitched, almost like he wanted to smile but didn't know how.
"Go home," he said again, but this time his voice was softer.
I watched him walk away, a spark of triumph in my chest. He might be the most guarded man on the planet, but he had a crack in his armor.
And I was going to find it.