il she stepped out into the night. The cold air hi

her heart still beating in an erratic rhythm. She could still feel Damian's touch-his

d have be

temptation that had haunted her for years. But the moment she had w

asn't just a on

ing of something s

before climbing inside. The moment the door shut, she exha

hanges

he way he had touched her, the way he had made her feel a

im, it wa

anothe

she sat back, gripping t

ld hate h

hat he could walk away

she w

wn, she had know

mis

eautiful, intox

he already

-

w of her apartment lights felt distant, unfamiliar, as if she had st

d it were

her purse onto the couch and ran a h

ine. That's w

ing to make her forget the way Damian had looked at he

of red wine she kept for nights like this. But just as

ulse j

she thought-h

the screen, disappointm

sn't D

r best fri

ve, right? Or did work

ng Lila's calls the past few days, using work as an excuse, but

d overthink it,

Alive.

came almost

no excuse. Brunch t

n't take no for an answer, and ho

rag me to that overpriced

a: D

down and took a slow sip of wine, lett

ould pretend eve

ould forget abou

f it ki

-

nutes late, unsurprised to find Lila already there,

ed, raising an eyebrow as Isla sl

tered, reaching for the menu even th

h suspicion. "You disappeared for days, ignored my

hesi

If there was one person who would

h work," Isla said, f

offed. "

ing her temples. "

d back, crossing he

choked on her

nly get like this whe

. "Not everything in

you've been emotionally wrecked overnight, I

mouth to argue, b

Lila wa

ired of preten

ng down at the tabl

widened. "Dam

. "Keep your

leaning forward. "The Damian Sincl

in, her voice t

moment, as if trying to decid

he sighe

" Isla

r head. "Tell

Isla

ay Damian had looked at her, touched her.

Lila looked torn between sl

walking red flag

s laugh. "Tell me som

her fingers against t

tated. "I

s, she wasn't sure if

he already

Damian would never

-

Isla tried to

wered emails, and did everything sh

idn't

she tried, his voice, his

d his name flashed across t

, she debated

ould ig

moved before sh

ressed

nd before his voice came thro

too quickly

ed. "I thought y

le. "I never

. "Then what a

pau

oice dropped

ot done with

ran down

hould

ould wa

she d

neither