Across the city, far beyond the reach of her eyes, a phone buzzed on a dark wood desk.
Damien didn’t look up right away. The glow of the screen lit the edge of his peripheral vision, but his gaze remained fixed on the skyline beyond the glass. Rain tapped faintly against the windows, soft and steady— like the heart he was trying too damn hard to ignore.
Then he reached for the phone.
Her name was the first thing he saw.
Maya.
He sat forward slowly, shoulders tense beneath the crisp black of his dress shirt. One thumb unlocked the screen, and there it was—her message.
Thank you for the gift. And for everything you don’t say.
The air thickened.
He stared at the words longer than he should have, as if reading them once wasn’t enough. As if he could summon the sound of her voice throug
