STAYING WITHOUT A REASON
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE The clock passed midnight without either of them acknowledging it. Lena noticed only because the city outside had changed. The financial district across Adrian’s windows no longer carried movement. The endless lines of headlights had thinned into scattered traces of white and red beneath the rain-dark skyline. Even the neighboring towers looked quieter now, their illuminated offices reduced to isolated floors suspended in glass and steel. Late enough to leave. Too late to pretend she still intended to. She remained near the kitchen with a mug she had not touched in several minutes, fingers resting loosely against the ceramic as warmth faded unnoticed. Nothing about tonight had required this amount of time. Dinner had ended over an hour ago. The conversation af
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