antly. The gala had ended hours ago yet Reynolds' voice still echoed in her mind. She hated it. Hated the way her heart had raced when he looked

muttered under her breath,

to her investigation, but to her sanity. One look into those dark, calculati

collection of articles, confidential documents, and whispered rumors. She clicked t

w tigh

y like a noose. Yet none of it could be directly tied to chase. It was always his father, his uncles, family law

r. Chase wasn't just some

s smarter and more dangerous t

at made her wonder if chase might not be the enemy she had painted him to b

snapping her out

e. Tomorrow. 7pm. D'An

it could be a trap,

could

econd before typing a

ght. Maya stepped inside, the smell of fresh coffee and pastries wrapping a

she s

nding, his dark suit replaced by a simple black shirt

lickered across his face - relief? Amusemen

simply, as if he had

r and approached cautiously. "You're l

r across from him. "Sit

terly, before shoving the dangero

ther speaking. The café buzzed quietly around them, obl

e silence. "You're not

ned. "Neith

lightly, his eyes intense. "You're digging into my family, you think yo

r throat. "How do you kn

's been keeping them off

balance. That wasn't what

er with a look that made her feel as if he

e said. "Maybe I think you're the only one

Yet... his voice rang with a kind exhau

trying to manipulate

Probably. But that do

m him felt dangerously easy. How the pull between them was almost tangi

from me, Chase?" S

ing raw and vulnerable flashed in his

replied quie

ong gone cold. Across the table, Chase's expression was u

m, from the dangers and the lies. But something kept her

Chase stood too, blocking her p

aid, his voice low. "Yo

ispered back, Her ey

out another word, she slipped past him and out into the cold n

were playing, it

them was going