By the time they arrived at Vincent’s penthouse, the night had settled into a soft, comfortable silence. The city lights glittered through the tall windows, painting faint reflections across the marble floors. The air was heavy with exhaustion — not the unpleasant kind, but the kind that came after surviving something unexpectedly good.
Ariana had not expected the dinner to go as well as it did.
Neither of them spoke as they entered. The click of Ariana’s heels echoed lightly down the hall while Vincent loosened his tie, moving in slow, powerful strides. They climbed the stairs together in comfortable silence, not the usual tensed one they always had to deal with.
When they reached the hallway that split into their rooms, Vincent turned toward his. His hand had just brushed the doorknob
