LOGINDaisy's POVMy heart was pounding. My hands were shaking. Every part of me was screaming at me to step back, to push him away, to protect myself.But I couldn't.Because I wanted him to kiss me.I wanted it more than I'd wanted anything in years. I wanted to feel something—anything—that wasn't grief or rage or exhaustion. I wanted to feel alive.And he made me feel alive.He was so close now. Close enough that I could count the flecks of gold in his eyes. Close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath on my lips. Close enough that if I just leaned forward—just a little—just an inch—"Brad?"Vera's voice sliced through the moment like a blade.I jolted back. My eyes flew open. My heart slammed against my ribs so hard I thought it might crack.Oh God. Oh God. What am I doing?Bradley didn't move.He stayed exactly where he was—leaning against the fabric bolts, his eyes still on me, his expression completely, utterly calm. Like he hadn't just his grandmother call his name while
Daisy's POVHis eyes searched mine for a moment and I couldn’t stand it. I finally pulled back.At the same time his hand withdrew, the warmth of his fingers leaving my cheek in a slow, deliberate retreat. The loss of his touch left a cool spot on my skin. I turned toward the window, heart still beating too hard, and stared at the passing hills without really seeing them.What’s wrong with me?Five years of careful walls, of keeping every feeling locked down where it couldn’t hurt anyone, and one quiet drive was enough to make me lean toward a man I barely knew. A man who was about to be my boss. The thought landed sharp and necessary.He’s your boss, I told myself. Nothing more.The silence that followed felt different—thicker, edged with everything we hadn’t done. I kept my eyes on the glass. In the reflection I could still see the line of his shoulder, the way he hadn’t fully settled back into his seat.Bradley cleared his throat softly. When he spoke, his voice was lower than befo
Daisy's POVMy heart stopped. I felt it stutter in my chest and then go still, and for one long, terrible moment, I couldn't breathe.He was here.Bradley Moretti was sitting in the back seat of the car he'd sent for me, looking at me like he'd been waiting his whole life for this exact moment. His dark hair was slightly dishevelled, like he'd run his fingers through it. His suit was black—immaculate, perfectly cut. And his eyes—His eyes were on me.What is he doing here?The question slammed into my chest, urgent and panicked. I'd agreed to a car. A driver. Not him. I wasn't prepared for him. I wasn't ready for this.And yet.And yet I couldn't move.He just watched me from the back seat, a slow smile spreading across his face. Then he lifted his hand—just a small wave, almost boyish—and raised one eyebrow."Are you going to stand there all morning?" His voice carried through the open door, low and warm and teasing. "Or are you going to get in?"I wanted to run. I wanted to turn aro
Daisy's POV"Miss Donovan."Bradley’s voice came through low and a little rough, warm enough to feel deliberate. There was a quiet smile tucked inside it, the kind that made the simple sound of my name feel like it had been chosen carefully.“Mr. Moretti,” I managed.A soft pause.“Hope I didn’t wake you.”“No,” I said. “I was still up.”“Good.” The word carried a low, pleased hum. “I’ve been thinking about that collection of yours. The way it moved. The way you stood there when the words wouldn’t come. Most people force something empty in moments like that. You didn’t. That’s rare.”Heat climbed the back of my neck. I sat down on the edge of the bed, free hand pressing into the mattress.“Thank you,” I said. “That means a lot coming from you.”I hesitated, then asked the question that had been sitting at the front of my mind since the moment the unknown number appeared.“How did you get my number?”There was a soft, almost lazy smile in his voice when he answered.“I’m very resourcef
Daisy's POV "Who is he?" I asked. "What's his name?" My father paused. "You'll find out when you meet him." Another pause. "Trust me, Daisy. I've chosen well." You'll know when you see him. I almost laughed. Because I did know exactly what my father was doing. He'd found someone suitable. Someone with a good name, a good family, a good future. Someone who wasn't Cooper Hutchinson. Someone who would make me forget. But I didn't want to forget. The words came out before I could stop them. "Dad—" My voice caught. I pressed the phone harder to my ear. "I can't go on the date." "Why not?" "Because—" I closed my eyes, pressing the onesie against my chest. "Because I'm seeing someone." Silence. "You're what?" "I'm seeing someone." The lie grew teeth. "I have been for a while. I just—I didn't want to say anything until I was sure." "Sure of what?" "Sure that it was serious." I don't know why I said that. That's not true. I knew exactly why. My father was about to hand me over to
Daisy's POVThe apartment was quiet when I let myself in.I kicked off my heels at the door and padded barefoot across the hardwood, the cold seeping through my feet. My legs ached. My back ached. My face ached from smiling at strangers who'd wanted to congratulate me, photograph me, tell me how wonderful I was.I wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for a week.But first, I needed to breathe.I poured myself a glass of wine and sank onto the couch. The window looked out over the city, and I watched the lights flicker in the distance. Milan at night. Beautiful. Lonely.Bradley’s voice still lingered in my head—"Come with me"—low and warm enough to feel like a hand at the small of my back. Natalie had been nearly vibrating, insisting he was flirting, that a man like that didn’t look at a woman the way he had looked at me unless he wanted more than conversation. I told myself it wasn’t true. I didn’t want it to be true. I'd spent five years building walls, and I wasn't about to let a man







