his own nature. He had always believed that the path of life was an individual's absolute

it paralyzed him. For two years, he had been happy to let himself be bound by Caroline's gravity-worshiping her from the edges of

onstructed world had been st

ed marriage. The project we are wor

on. Every scenario he had built for their future-th

of Havenport Heights whipping his hair. "I'

-burning fuse. He had spent 17,520 hours-sixty-three million seconds-loving her in the dark. He had been th

en kind, persistent, and had the habit of sending food to the studio

a bored expression. "Do you think we're beggars? If Caroline pays attention to

had arrived in the form of a blue-eyed "alien" from a dimension Daniel couldn't even map. Harrison Marcus didn't p

hile he takes her?" Daniel

yline. She looked fragile, her shoulders shaking with the weight of her choice. In the stories Dani

et tonight. He was a m

cruel," he

her into his chest, his nose inhaling the scent of her hair-the familiar,

ed sharply in his stomach, a physical rem

l groaned, but

, and you're still trying to play

k like I'

orce of his own vulnerability. He realized this was the cri

ine said, backing away until she was cornere

e. "How can you be happy with this? How can you

n't want to joke aroun

Caroline? For once, look at me. Not as the

-the awareness she had been suppressing for years. Daniel wasn't just "Damar th

ime you woke me up," Daniel said,

's drone. He was the "grumpy senior" who slept through every class. But then, a girl with a ponytail had

ull room. He had joined her team because she asked, never realizin

life breaking at once. Her dreams, her autonomy, her very heart-none of it belonged to her anymore. She

bed, covering her face. "Y

gently pulling her hands away from her face. He used his thumb to wipe the

do this to yourse

But I can't give you anything. My life has already been mapped out, and I ha

truck by a mortal wound. "Even when you know he's just using you?

ving my family. Harrison... he's in his own cag

ittle hope, Caroli

marriage will last two years. But even then, I won't gi

! Two years

move on. You're a literary genius; you can make anyone fall in love. You

houlder. "Be the friend I need.

n. "If I agree to be your friend again... if I promise

ha

or the 17,520 hours I've spent loving you. One day where we aren't

r to say no, to cut him off and protect the Marcus im

tly. "And after that, we

fered her a faint, sad smile. "At least

k-glass heart of the Marcus Group h

his blue eyes. He looked like he was analyzing market trends, but the window

food booth with the "Literature guy." He watched them

" Harrison muttered, his voic

lued in millions, and he was spending his evening like a jealous teenager. He rubbed his face,

ker he had hired, he told himself he wouldn't open i

the words, but the body language was unmistakable. He saw Dan

oaned. He saw Daniel's hand on her hair. He saw the intima

sed to the empty room. "I'm the one saving h

wasn't just a "partner" in a transaction anymore. H

e slipped inside with the help of the security guard. He waited

a sentence or the shadow of a metaphor-began to tingle. He sensed a rhythm behind

quickened his pace, turning into a narrow, dimly lit alleyway.

stopped abruptly, flattening h

mask and a dark hoodie rounded

" Daniel

d in the heavy denim. He tackled the stalker to the ground, the

anded, pinning the man's w

lic. Daniel managed to wedge his hand under the man's chest, reaching f

halt. A second man, much larger and more muscular, leaped out. He didn't hesitate

all with a groan, the

ors slamming shut as they sped away, leavi

s heart hammering. They hadn't tried to rob him. They hadn't tried

red, a fresh wave of fury rising i

fixing on the directio