When love defies power

idewalks, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee drifting from street ve

s ago, and thanks to the packed morning traffic and a broken-down b

er breath, dodging pedestrians and g

he kept racking up late arrivals, she could lose her job altogether, and that was

spotted Magnolia Café a few blocks away. She sighed

omething.

d, but before she could hit the pavement,

capable of walking lik

authoritative, and unmi

tailored charcoal-gray suit was Xander Wolfe. The billionaire. The s

t he was devastatingly handsome because, damn it, it was the

cognition flickered across his face. "You,

"Oh, fantastic. Of all the rich, entitled busi

rushing off imaginary dust from her sleeve

ressed. "You seem to have a

nsufferable. " She stopped herself, inhaled sharply, and exhale

café before she got fired on the spot. But she on

ai

When she turned back, she expected to see that same smugness from their first encounter. Ins

owned.

a moment before smirkin

some of us actually

nd yet you're standing

that smug look off his face. But she had no tim

e, Mr.

ed off toward the café, igno

Magno

coffee beans and fresh pastries greeted her. The place was already b

woman in her fifties, shot Elena

late,

now, I know. Traff

efore shoving a notepad into her hands.

. She quickly adjusted her apron and made her way to the assig

ere th

polite smile as she approached the ta

died in

ith his fingers tapping against the ceramic

blinked again. "Ar

eaned back against his chair, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Althou

round the notepad. "Or i

ed. "You don't seem t

ve made it pretty clear

ad. "And yet you're

t this was her job. She wasn't about to let some r

her pen against the note

rled into a smir

itched. "Su

omeone as... outspoken

er jaw. Was he m

d on her best fake smile. "Alright

ward the counter, already

a drink for the most aggr

tes

t of Xander and crossed her ar

aking a sip. His gaze remained lo

mm

d her eyes.

savoring the taste. "I exp

"Tempting, but

shaking his head. "Imp

before she could say anything, his phone buzzed. He glanced

crisp hundred-dollar bill ont

ander said smoothly, already heading toward

ike that,

after him, he

s wouldn't be the last t

no intention of letting their

r? Or was Xander Wolfe starting to take an interes