BURNING EDGES**
**(ISABELLE’S POV)**
The invitation burned a hole in her pocket.
Lily had texted the address three times, followed by increasingly aggressive heart emojis and a final threat: **"If you don't show, I'm telling Ace you're scared of him."**
Isabelle rolled her eyes and slid her phone into her clutch. The black dress she'd chosen was simple—sleeveless, razor-sharp lines, just enough slit to remind Ace she wasn't broken. She'd debated heels versus boots and settled on the latter. A weapon if she needed it.
*Control. Always control.*
The Uber pulled up to a brownstone that looked like it had been ripped from a Gothic romance—all dark brick and ivy, windows glowing gold against the night.
Her stomach twisted.
She hadn't seen Ace since the office. Since *tha
