FAZER LOGINZOE’S POV Shopping was supposed to be therapeutic. At least, that was what I had told myself when I left my apartment that evening with the intention of buying a few new outfits for work. After spending the better part of the last few days hiding from the world, I figured it was time to start acting like a functioning adult again. Besides, I was returning to Hart & Rowe tomorrow, and I felt like I deserved a fresh start and some part of me also wanted to see Julian’s reaction when he saw me in my new outfits. By the time I finished shopping, I had accumulated four bags, a lighter bank balance, and the distinct feeling that I had somehow managed to spend twice as much as I intended. But did I regret it? Not even a little. My credit card might hate me, but we would work through our differences. I was just going to have to make sure I didn’t open my banking app for the next forty-eight hours. With my shopping bags safely tucked into the boot of my car, I headed to my f
ZOE’S POV The most dangerous thing about Julian Hart was that he didn’t have to touch me to make me feel him everywhere. He was simply driving and that was enough to leave me hot and bothered. One hand rested on the steering wheel, the other occasionally shifting gears as we moved through Manhattan’s evening traffic. The lights from passing cars swept across his face, catching the sharp line of his jaw, the straight bridge of his nose, and the faint stubble I had spent the better part of dinner trying not to stare at. Trying, and failing. God, I had missed him. My gaze dropped to his fingers wrapped around the steering wheel, and a memory flashed through my mind. Of those same hands holding me down while his mouth and body drove me out of my mind. I swallowed. It had been more than a week since we had been intimate and although I enjoyed dinner, being close to him just made the ache much worse. I tore my gaze from him and looked out the window and my reflection stare
JULIAN By the time we arrived at the restaurant, the city had begun to glitter beneath the evening sky, the streets alive with headlights and the glow of towering buildings. I handed the keys of my Porsche Panamera to the valet and walked around to Zoe’s side of the car. She accepted my offered hand as she stepped out and her gaze lifted toward the hotel. “Julian.” I knew that tone. It was the ‘this is too much tone.’ “What?” I smiled in amusement. She looked at the entrance, then back at me.“Please tell me you haven’t booked the entire restaurant.” I laughed because that was exactly what I had done but I wasn't going to tell her that. I decided to settle for a half-truth.“Not the entire restaurant.” She narrowed her eyes. “That pause before you answered was suspicious.” “I booked a private dining room.” A smile tugged at her lips and my heart skipped at how beautiful she looked. “Of course you did. Why am I not surprised?” “Would you have preferred to eat in t
JULIAN’S POV The smile wouldn't leave my face as I stared at my message thread with Zoe. She just agreed to have dinner with me. I scrolled through my phone and immediately called the manager at The Modern, one of Manhattan’s most exclusive restaurants.“I need a private dining room for two tonight. Seven PM.” There was a brief pause.“Of course, Mr. Hart. Would you prefer the chef’s tasting menu or the à la carte experience?” “À la carte. And I want the room completely private.” “Certainly, sir.” “No other guests. I don’t want anyone walking in unless I authorize it.” “Understood. Would you like us to arrange anything special?” I thought about it for a second. “No. Just make sure everything is perfect.” When I ended the call, I leaned back in my chair and s
JULIAN’S POV I’d spent most of the weekend dealing with the mess surrounding my campaign, trying to contain the damage before it spread any further. But no matter how many calls I made or how many meetings I scheduled, my mind kept returning to Zoe. I’d called, texted, and even considered driving to her apartment before reminding myself that she’d explicitly asked for space. It was the only reason I hadn’t gone. I wasn’t proud of how often I’d checked my phone over the weekend, either. Patrick was navigating the Monday morning Manhattan traffic when my phone rang. It was Raymond. I answered immediately.“Tell me you have something.” “Good morning to you too, Mr. Hart.” “Raymond.” He chuckled. “I’ve got something you should see. Check your email.” I pulled my laptop closer and opened the email application on my phone. A new message sat at the top of my inbox, containing several attachments.“What am I looking at?” “Richard Forrester. Yesterday evening. He met with a w
ZOE’S POV I knew what I had done was a coward's way out but I really hadn’t been thinking when I called Maureen on Sunday night and requested to take three days off my yearly leave. So here I was on a Tuesday morning walking down the shopping aisle, absentmindedly adding items to my shopping cart. The weekend had gone by in a blur, with me being tucked in bed and occasionally responding to messages and video calls from the messy Express group chat. Lani and Ella were worried about me so they had constantly kept checking in. Julian had called at least two dozen times in the last seventy-two hours but I hadn't picked up. I still needed time; I wasn't ready to be sucked in by his intoxicating presence just yet. At least, that was what I kept telling myself. But apparently, Julian Hart had decided that if I wouldn’t answer his calls, he would simply find other ways to get my attention. It started on Saturday. A dozen bouquets of white roses had arrived at my apartment with
Zoe’s POV I stared at him, waiting for him to laugh — to tell me he was joking. But Julian didn’t move. He just leaned back against the seat, watching me with those dark, unflinching eyes that stripped away every last layer of composure I had left. “Don’t look so alarmed,” he m
JULIAN’S POVI watched as Zoe scrambled out of my office like she’d just seen a ghost.Seeing her flustered always amused me. The way she tried so damn hard to keep her composure, to act like my presence didn’t affect her, when her eyes and body said otherwise—it was addictive. Nothing turned me on
JULIAN’S POV “Cassandra, that doesn’t work.” I pinched the bridge of my nose, leaning back in my chair. “No, listen to me—if Burke wants a meeting, fine, but tell him I’m not interested in getting into politics myself. Not now, not this year. I already told him this.” Cassandra’s calm clipped
ZOELLA I have done a lot of things in my life but stalking has never been one of them. But right now as I sat across from Julian, it sure felt like I was stalking him. Come to think of it, he had called me a stalker when I slipped into the backseat of his car. Life really knew how







