ice early the next morni

e, settling into her desk with a cup of peppermint tea and spreadsheets she didn't really need to

f comfort now, that sub

rtbeat. A truth s

Linda offered her a sideways glance but d

inutes of peace before she saw the cale

Alignment – Adrian B

tomac

tly. No assistant. No s

ould

go back to Chicago, t

he di

-

B – Thirty

the window with his jacket off, sleeves rolled, the mor

turned, eyes immedi

e the

e

stretched

t. "Why didn'

ht. Not if. Not

f. "Because I didn'

s enough. "You don't know me

k. "You vanished. No last name, no numb

t to complicate something th

she said tightly. "Becau

aina's breath hitched. "

"That's not y

't say

now, weighted with som

nc

, Adrian? You're not exactly a family man. I've read your file. Ten years buildin

id, "because it

hit her l

ou

i

instead of

ck, folding her ar

parent. Or whatever version of control

t offering any of that. But I won't walk

ifted then. No longer def

in, nothing between them but a shar

ething that caug

ake you t

linked.

ork. No pressure. Just..

she whi

t her for a

child's life, I need to understand t

closing the door behind him

-