le shadows on the marble floor. Elara blinked awake slowly,He

room. This was

lay still for a while, unmoving, her eyes open and fixed on

of cedar, Adrian's quiet voice telling her she could return t

n't tried to earn her gratitude. He'

ime in days, someth

one which was plugged on the table b

y, Ju

beside her.Her eyes drifted across the room to the wardrobe. The doors stood slightly ajar, revealing an a

ign to her,luxury brands she'd only seen in magazines. She carried one and spun around.

ote s

outfit, G

pped in while she

own the back felt too fine, too fragile. She'd never worn anything like it, and yet, as it

curve of her lashes, the still-set mouth, the anxious gleam behi

ttention to the sitting a

I com

,su

g a tray with a glass of ora

he said with a slight nod. "B

oth,Mr Wolfe had ordered

imply nodded, murmuring, "Thank you" and yes

enevieve said..."I only ar

h,

where's

g breakfast."Genevieve re

to quickly brush .After cleaning up,She sat in the plush chair by the window and un

interrupted

pen,Co

basket with folded linens. She wore a navy-blue uniform and a

ooked

roperly," Ms.Harris said, setting the basket down on a

ra.Elara hesitated

ne walks into a place like this and feels at home

ed her. "He

Though the man you see now is nothing like the boy who used to sit

ndness in her voice th

know hi

looked u

only said, "She was unlike

ingered. Elar

. "Would you like some other side dishes?"

ou.I'm okay

wn in a fe

ear,take your time.With

-

ee and polished wood led her to the dining area. Adrian was

she entered. "Di

fingers over the hem of h

acting school," she ad

it."How many times do you w

ng maybe Thursday.

. I'll handle

owed. "Th

efly. "You don't have to th

a wasn't used to men who

simply. Cain will drive you. He'll be

brows slightl

d one.I've been doing

his voice was gentl

anted to keep our relationship a secret." and besides what would

are.Let t

ig

let, the conversation

w my clothes s

y ways,H

p of coffee, trying not to think about how strange it felt

-

reets blur past the tinted glass.She looked at Cain who was looking elsewhere apart from her eyes at the rearview mirror . Cain didn

e on the estat

short nod. "In the quart

orked for

whi

dn't come. Cain was loyal-to A

sed.Is he alwa

nt Ad

sed. "Li

ched.

unreadable. "Mr. Wolfe trusts slowly. Speaks even slower. But

lence f

ministrative building, Cain stepp

he street. Take your tim

urmured and walked

her the moment s

t... Elara

ust va

t married. To s

were steady, heels clicking softly on the polished floor. She picked up her updated cla

, the wind hit her face. She b

spered to herself. "Eve

drian sat alone in his

files still open on the des

e city, his mind a

d her th

ch her unless s

e mea

da

held a faint blush, and her lips God, those lips. Sli

kiss

im that wondered what she woul

thought do

re rules

was doing t

t sure how lo

_

e welcomed her back with silence. She slipped through

et, she found Adr

indows, a thick book open in his lap. The light caught in his hair,

turning, he sa

the door gently behind her.

her, eyes unread

And strange

on the desk. "Strange is the only

smiled. "It

r a moment, not awkward,

'll go to class. I'm not sure

ust once. "T

s met-and

ething else

wa

e room beside yours as a personal s

widened.

need the

dn't ha

kno

nothing between them but som

, "You're not w

his head. "D

she replie

faintest s

away, leaving her