e

choed off the great walls of the penthouse, glided o

sed since Aria dep

o

taken away with

bsence. Her perfume lingered on the sheets. Her books no longer cluttered the n

r she had left behind-the div

t signe

oul

rs spasmed. My chest constricted. My heart mutte

ri

ounded har

hend what she meant to

regret leading to each step. Ava, the maid, gazed at me

s she packed, tears flowing down her face, but loyalty to me

per had accused me of what

ou were the goddamn sun, Leon," he'd said days

as r

ed me in silence. She asked for nothi

lipping through the securit

e sh

ling mouth. She kept stopping-as if she was waiting f

idn

airs. Drin

e door, looked b

she dis

d the la

to fin

oked up Raymond's number as

arked as soon a

her down, Leon. She shut down her digital trail. No p

m the world, Raymond.

e. "Why does tha

not re

it sho

deserved h

g," I growle

, and let the memories wash over me. They

-

k - Two

ed. One of my shirts. Moonlight glowed on her

how I spent the da

her from my s

e home, eat supper, have a drink, and

contract and enrolled for

ipped aroun

was si

she told me. "But you chose me. And why? So I can be your

. "It's a busine

than that to me, Leon. But you

n't a

have spoken something wron

-

sen

eadaches were now a daily

the

seen the broken pieces of me, held

't know ho

days

my office pulled me out

h an envelope. "Yo

d it an

ot

A

l town I didn't recognize. Her hair was pulled back int

e was

turned i

e man standin

axed. Too

ted towards him.

the photo so t

ved on already?" Ja

nything. My bl

ed

couldn't

from

et the jet prepared. Tra

eo

ow

ed back,

own again, m

Apologize. Beg if necessary. I wasn

d she wouldn'

rugged in acceptance of a contr

man who had

hing

ever let me get

-

That

elud

ity lights, clutching the only thing left that stil

never felt

truth was st

lose ju

rsion of myself th

no

pursui

re wa

re si

have lef

this

oing to

it meant

sed my eyes,

from

ng to like what

mach d

the att

es wi

picture of

riage licens

two da

na

d

o

dn't be h

phone, thumpin

was indeed

al thi

"no longer min