Ryder:
The city hummed beneath the towering windows of my penthouse, but I barely heard it.
I was seated at my desk, laptop open, spreadsheet glowing in front of me. Numbers, projections, contracts, assets. It was all there—every decimal placed with intention. I should’ve been focused. Hell, I needed to be focused. This deal had been six months in the making. My father was counting on me to close it clean.
But all I could think about was her.
Phoenix.
Last night wasn’t supposed to happen like that. It was supposed to be a drink, conversation, maybe dinner. Civil. Maybe some flirting, a little tension to get her squirming—but nothing I couldn’t rein in.
Then she looked at me. Really looked at me, all mad and infuriating.
And it was over.
She was chaos. Unpredictable, blinding. And I
