an

y life; I stayed still, my eyes closed, and my arm stre

ew but whose presence had burned itself into me, I turned t

hed out of the fog at the realizatio

she had left really early. I sat up at once,

too, moving on as if nothing unu

be sure, "Amara," but

rp, sexy eyes. The way she had looked at me, like she wasn't impressed by money

on the mirror. No trace of her except a folded towel and the faint

a strange way. She h

m. Her shoes were gone, her dress missing, but a single hairpin lay ab

ke further proof that she had been real an

t," I m

t from me, Ethan Cole. Not without a word, a number, a p

, she w

y. "I need you to find someone," I said calmly, even as irritation bubbled in me. "A w

s,

d been a one-night stand. That was the unspoken ag

lost something before I ev

d into my office later that morning, I had buried the feeling under

red routine, but every few

nd by noon, I gave up pre

y head of security, leaning back in

on me. "No feedback yet, we only h

tation flaring. "She didn

at'll make it.

"Check the club. The cameras, t

ded an

p down, I knew that wasn't the truth. Something about her

ed silent. By evening, my frustration w

n my ph

he number, but I ans

her voice strained. "It'

ng else

abou

serious. He's been transferred to

ther, my brain trying

port. Your parents are already enroute." My g

t. "I'll be on the next fligh

hat, the wo

lt an empire with grit and instinct. The man who taught me that wealth

usted, hollowe

. Machines beeped softly as I stood by his bedside,

oked smal

en he saw me, a faint s

kly, taking his hand. "

d lie beautifully." I swallowed th

ther. I spent every hour I could spa

d some meetings and delegated tasks that I could not

ys, he drifted in and out, leaving me alone with

tered through the curtains, he

estless,"

ed. "I'

"You've never been go

lowly. "I m

t with inte

ed," I continued. "

he pr

king about her," I

h surprising strength.

im. "It was j

ons of my life," he said gently. "Time doe

yed s

ething," he sai

yth

aid. "Love openly, live fr

d. "You always mak

decisions so we can live simply," h

le spoke of him in polished words and rehearsed reverence, but I heard

d and the condolences faded, I found mysel

nged, sharper in some ways

tless pace, but someth

me spent away from New York turned her trail cold.

penthouse, gazing at the stars

night, my voice rough with emotion th

-night