When Alessia stepped back into the penthouse, something was immediately off. The air felt different charged, as if it were holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. She paused for a heartbeat, feeling her pulse quicken the moment the door clicked softly behind her. Then, breaking the silence, Rafael’s voice cut through the stillness. Low, steady, and carrying a dangerous edge, it made her freeze briefly.
“I was wondering how long it would take,” he said from near the expansive windows. His back was partly turned to her, with the city stretching endlessly behind him in the fading light. But it wasn’t the view that caught her attention it was him. He stood there, still and unmoving, like he had been waiting for exactly this moment. Alessia’s grip tightened around her bag.
“You k
