BOUND TO HER WILL

ter

en, shuffle into her kitchen in socks, make a giant mug of coffee, and read something entirely unserious-usually sp

.m., fully alert and scrolling TikTok like h

ally wormed his way int

se," she muttered, to

n her head like a

orth wait

ve been stu

ust

be that composed. O

the one who made people comfortable. She notice

ipped the scrip

ven w

d of li

. Brain cl

and texted her b

need to talk about a very i

Waffles and tra

-

that reason. It was impossible to be too in your head when surrounded by cli

d matcha aggressively. "And don't you dare downplay this m

. Mysterious rich guy energy, perfectly tailored suits, probabl

at's my favorite g

chaos. He gives me a ride home-cool, r

ut

g as his office. He waited for m

yes widen

knows me. Like... really knows me. Not in a stalker w

py or

ed. "Unfortun

but-what if you act

did

with intense eye contact and a sharp jawline

a fr

t was a

ybe the universe d

-

ugh the park before heading home. She needed f

softly in the background-horns, dogs, t

a blooming tree and clo

he thought. I like my li

uldn't lie

... the part that guarded her joy with silence and s

ca-he

-

t expect

wn Nu

here's one happening at 6:47.

a bl

he get h

make her chest ache i

rooftop of her apartment building, blanket wrapped around her

was

e felt watche

red her. Instead

e losi

-

up again. Not in person th

lk ribbon. Delivered to the c

break, her coworkers immediatel

k titled "The Art of Listening

ady understands what

the note. Her

tful. Strange

admirer, Layla?" K

not," she sa

lancing at the note. Or wonderin

-

ht, drea

ms-memories s

skin. Warm hands catching her before she fell. A

breathless,

nside her w

-

r apartment, a woman was standin

ed in wine-red

ared. Not danger exa

smile. Just sta

d and disappeared

-

dn't kno

n hadn't just called

ipple in a world she

was ready to le

-

at disappeared into the car. Her stomach twisted in

ust some rand

it was. But her gut w

her phone and

she picked up. "If this is another 'hot man sent

low. "Across from my building. She wa

eepy. Des

or anyone. She was watching me. And then she got into this sl

was a

as something to do w

lem. And I don't like feeling

teased gently. "All that intuitive billionaire nonsense. Girl

ed, but it

lady again, take a picture. And if hot billionaire st

said, smiling despite her

-

rned home to find something we

white e

d the hall

aper, gold-trimmed edges. Luca's handwr

e with an exit plan: rooftop, 7:30 p.m. I'll b

L

her heart tugged hard enough to dr

already

rolled to the elbows. Jacket draped over the back of his chair. A small table set with takeout

what I like?" she ask

those impossible ey

," he sai

s kind of your thing, isn't it? K

lf-smile. "O

tter

t," he

sed. "Why

ned. "Because from the moment I saw you... everything else got

ilence

't trust things that come too easy. You lik

are confusi

. That means you'r

mile. "So what's

me to," he said softly. "B

in a long time, Layla d