16 **I SHOWED UP 27 MINUTES LATE TO A BLIND DATE BAREFOOT WITH MY SLEEPING NEPHEW—THE MAN WAITING WAS CHICAGO’S MOST FEARED BOSS. I EXPECTED HIM TO WALK OUT. INSTEAD, HE FELL FOR BOTH OF US—THEN HID THE ONE DECISION THAT COULD BREAK US.**

I didn't take a cab. I walked twelve blocks straight through the Chicago rain, fueled entirely by heartbreak, fury, and confusion.

I arrived at the headquarters of Russo Holdings—a towering glass-and-steel skyscraper in the heart of the Financial District. I swept past the security turnstiles, ignoring the receptionist calling out to me, and walked directly into the executive elevator. I pressed the button for the top floor.

When the doors opened on the 40th floor, I stepped out onto plush dark carpeting.

Marco was standing near a massive marble reception desk. When he saw me—soaked, breathless, and furious—he didn't reach for a radio or try to stop me. He simply pressed a button under his desk, gave me a quiet, respectful nod, and pointed toward the double oak doors at the end of the hall.

I shoved the doors open with both hands. "I told you not to buy my building!"

Adrien was standing by a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the rainy skyline. He turned around slowly.

The breath knocked completely out of my lungs.

Adrien looked exhausted. The sharp, terrifying aura that had always surrounded him was shattered. Dark shadows sat beneath his eyes, his crisp tie was loosened, and he looked like a man who hadn't slept a full hour in a month.

"I didn't buy your building, Maya," Adrien said, his voice quiet and rough. "A legitimate, untouchable trust in Leo's name bought the building. You own the property now. Nobody can ever raise your rent or evict you again."

"Why would you do that?!" I cried, stepping into the room. "I told you to leave us alone! You can't just throw money at us to make yourself feel better about who you are!"

"You told me I couldn't bring my world to your doorstep," Adrien said, taking a slow step toward me. "You were right. The life I was born into wasn't safe for you. It wasn't safe for Leo."