When love defies power

small apartment that evening, the weight of her reality hit her like a brick wall. Her mother was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at an unpaid me

nd a way to make ends meet. There was no room for distractions-especially ones that

iverse had

pron and getting ready for another exhausting shift,

someone here a

rowned.

llowed her gaze, her breath caught in her throat. Sitting ther

s he do

it and piercing gaze stood in stark contrast to the cozy but worn-

adn't seen him. But something in the way he was watching her-cal

her arms. "Did you get lost on your

t might have been amusement. "Good

harply. "What

propositio

rrowed. "Pr

ers against the table. "You intrigue

s he could have said, that wa

time for gam

nde

ha

call me

s. "Fine. Xander.

ong moment before spea

tiffened. "

struggling. Your mother has medical bills piling up. Your brother is in sch

nded. How did he

p back. "Are y

refer the term '

w what kind of twisted amusement you get

e said smoothly. "

her paus

ed. "Come w

augh. "Doing what? Bein

who isn't afraid to challenge me, someone who doesn't fawn over my w

didn't like the way h

ve a job," sh

ive times what

er her mother's medical bills within months. I

rking

as arrogant, insufferable, and the kind of m

N

discouraged. "Think about it," he said, sliding a card

his cufflinks as if he hadn't

g Elena staring at the busines

hate

w he got und

rst of

she was actuall