Ximena
I pushed the club doors open and jogged toward the corner of the building, fighting the lump in my throat. That man—his presence was something I couldn’t shake. It was... overwhelming, like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I hadn’t even caught his name. Hell, I hadn’t told him mine! Not that it mattered—I wasn’t using my real name anyway. Right now, I wasn’t Ximena Rivera. I was Valentina Bedoya.
I leaned against the cold brick wall of the alley, struggling to steady my breath. The papers I was clutching felt heavy against my chest, the crumpled edges digging into my skin. I closed my eyes, focusing on pulling air into my lungs, trying to steady my shaking hands. I couldn’t lose control—not now.
Once I managed to calm myself, I straightened, the papers, and left the alley, he
