Adrian Parker was leaning back in his chair, his dark suit crisp, his tie loosened just enough to make him look less polished and more dangerous. His profile was sharp, his jaw shadowed with the faintest trace of stubble. He was listening intently to whoever was speaking, one hand curled around a pen he tapped idly against the table.
I thought my heart had stopped.
“Melissa?” The woman glanced at me curiously. “You okay?”
I nodded quickly, though my throat felt like it had closed. “Yes, sorry. Just… first day jitters.”
But this was no jitter. This was an earthquake.
Adrian Parker. The man who had once been more than just a passing mistake. The man who knew me in ways no one else did, who had left scars and fire behind in equal measure.
And now he was here. My colleague.
But how come
