The first light of dawn was just beginning to silver the Parisian skyline when Killian’s phone vibrated on the marble side table. The low hum was like a thunderclap in the quiet of the terrace. He reacted instantly, his hand darting out to silence the device before the noise could pull Raya from her sleep.
Beside him, she stirred slightly, a soft, sleepy sigh escaping her lips as she instinctively reached for the heat of his body. Killian froze, holding his breath until her breathing deepened back into the steady rhythm of rest. Slowly, with the precision of a man used to moving in the dark, he disentangled himself from her limbs and the silk sheets.
He stepped into the penthouse suite, sliding the glass door shut with a nearly silent click. Only then did he answer the call.
"This had b
