Killian stopped his car next to the curb beyond the small Spanish-style Airbnb Chloe had sent him. The neighborhood was calm; a silence that weighed the night more than it ought. His mouth tightened, and his hands held the steering wheel as he switched off the engine and remained still for a moment.
The evening with Aria had been perfect. Nearly perfect. They were finally getting somewhere - unspoken words, clarity, that familiar pull that had nothing to do with lust and everything to do with something real. And now, thanks to Chloe’s dramatic call, he was here.
He came out, ran a hand through his hair, and ascended the stairs. The door opened before he could knock.
Chloe stood there, eyes red-rimmed and gleaming. Her cheeks were crimson as though she had been weeping for several hou
