Until You Say Stop

The cold had long since settled into my bones. Milan in October doesn't pretend to be kind-not to girls

rper, heavier. That's how the card felt when I found it, slipped into my locker at the gal

eady for som

ly. But desperation is a

unknown number, a simple message: Your

Black. Polished. Completely out of place in my neighborh

ot

assed. Maybe thirty. I lost count somewhere between guilt and adrenaline. Finally, we turned d

e driver opened my

of me looked like a

two towering oak doors th

something darker-leather, maybe. The lighting was

out of a high-end fashion editorial-tailored black suit, slicked-bac

" she said. "This meeting will last exactl

ce sounded small wh

h her eyes. "He prefers to

vealing a single crea

eft me the

t hammering in my chest. My

Cava

national. Luxury, fashion, real estate, tech. Old money made new. Ruthless, brillia

, the kind of man w

dn't

ing me, breathing in sync with the clock I co

eels wet from the rain, my thoughts l

ou doing h

osed to be be

on her cleanest thrift-store blouse and sits quietly in a luxury car like it's not all ridicu

I

actly th

out of ways to b

wly, like mold behind walls. First it's the overdue rent. Then it's the gallery slashing hours. Then i

n a room like this, trying to p

ainst the plush rug beneath me. The folder was perfectly a

n't o

I looke

ing-but the furniture was sharp, modern, cold. Gold accents. Black marble. Deep leather

ill, I

could survive it again. But this-this felt like some

ained closed. The sile

an sends a car

just a whisper of an opportunity and a room desig

li wasn't of

ffering

knew-I was the thing

I did

ispered to me in that moment-somethin

what it feels l

's by a ma

hear the

in the air. The silence rearrang

ned s

like he belon

led just for him. He was tall-maybe six-two-but it wasn't the height that made you straighten your spine. It w

out the gaudy logos men of his wealth usually flaunted. His jacket had a matte finish. H

ed effort. Not a single strand out of place. His face... sharp. Unsmili

smoke that could either warm or choke

looked at me like I was a painting he'd s

Valez,"

ut it didn't need volume to command. I

u c

d. "You se

every day. You d

ecision to his movements, like everything about him

said, bracing myself for

tead, h

thing that wasn't warmth, but wasn't quite

And honesty," he said, circling toward

chair across from

u still haven't to

you're st

e a compliment

vered behind me at first, then rounded the table slowly, like a li

ed the

ages. Neatly

top of the

& PERSONAL CONT

n Cavalli and

red a

te," I said before

inch. Didn't

's what I wanted, I wouldn't

he corner o

not abo

ly, his voice softe

about c

eath

not

e said. "One where you belong to me, in every

in his gaze-just certainty. Like he didn't need to

t coerce you. But I will expect

I get?" I ask

y bill paid. Every need

at sounds like a very elega

me as the man h

tood. Should ha

whispered

er came

belong to anyone.

per but it's not th

lection in the gl

there isn't some

look

ds don'

ne is s

ng in her e

be jus

ves p

tall black cabi

pen with a

e is

y a

ed velvet lik

u doesn't offer it

never lea

ppear selena this

on't

he's n

sappearing in

s just

closes aro

hing but your name moves

ilt like they belo

wat

h satis

cer

s always goi

t the

't

look

ds it carefully slides it

shes yours i

y acc

tarts

link

t st

le is n

cr

here you be

on't

ur hea

n

a

oor opens it like

it i

take you to the

posted on the mir

follo

out what happen

u

bmission it

alk p

look

follows you

mem

sai