Chapter 4

The rain tapped against the windows of Adrian's penthouse, creating a soothing rhythm that belied the storm raging inside me. I stood by the window, watching the city lights blur through the water-streaked glass, feeling Adrian's presence behind me before his hands gently touched my shoulders.

"You're tense," he murmured, his fingers kneading the knots in my neck. "It's been a long week."

I leaned back against him, allowing myself to absorb his warmth. In the three weeks since our dinner at Le Petit Coin, our meetings had grown more frequent, more intimate. Each one carefully orchestrated by me, each…