en Adrian whispered in my ear

layed, champagne still flowed, and the sharks in suits circled

le and a slow blink as I wal

he

itting it almost made me laugh. Long, sleek, and gleaming under moonl

as the staff disappeared below deck, le

ed me up to the upper deck. The city lights were a blur

ss. "This feel

leamed. "M

re you

"And maybe a piec

You're fishing in

epth," he

d, not forced. Heavy with ten

His fingers brushed my bare shoulder, warm and

her d

u inter

"Because you don't k

ause you make me fo

urpris

t let i

g a dangerous

are

ser. The breeze caught my hair. His eye

t, Ava," he said. "I

tly. "You bar

nough to

his was exploration. This was discovery. A slower burn. A

amed at me t

etrayed me with

h of us. Slowly sip

my mind, I knew: this mission

asure was a

invited me into his most