Masuk“Okay.” She leaned into his side, his arm draped around her shoulders, both of them quiet and content after the long, perfect day. The park had emptied out around them, leaving only the gentle lap of the lake and the distant city hum.“Ready to go home?” Henry asked, pulling her from his chest to see her face.Andrea smiled up at him. “Home sounds perfect.”They drove back to the penthouse with the windows down, cool evening air brushing their faces. Andrea’s hand rested on Henry’s thigh the whole way, a small, steady anchor after everything they had survived. When the elevator doors opened straight into the living room, the space felt warmer than it ever had before. This was no longer just Henry’s penthouse. It was theirs.Andrea kicked off her shoes by the door and paused. A soft clatter of pots, a spoon against a bowl and the low hum of someone humming an old song came from the kitchen. She crane her head, eyes lighting up. “Is that… Miss Carrie?”Henry smirked, slipping his arms a
Henry’s fingers danced along Andrea’s sides, tickling her without mercy while her arms stayed wrapped tightly around his neck. She squirmed and burst into giggles, trying to twist away from him.“Come on, Henry…stop… stop!” she pleaded between laughs. Then her voice sharpened, suddenly turning stern. “I said STOP!”The entire room went dead silent.Henry froze instantly, his hands dropping away from her like he’d been electrocuted. His face turned pale as he searched her eyes, confusion and worry flooding his expression.“What’s wrong, baby?” he asked, voice laced with uncertainty and something like regret. “Don’t you like to be tickled? Did I… did I do something wrong?”For half a second, Andrea kept a straight face, staring at him with mock seriousness.Then she cracked.A loud, triumphant laugh exploded out of her as she threw her head back. “Oh my God, you look so scared!” she howled, pointing at him. “Did you see your face, Henry?!”Henry blinked, the realization hitting him that
She stayed curled against Henry’s chest long after her confession had spilled out. The penthouse was quiet except for the soft hum of the air-conditioner that was set at the corner of the room. Her tears had slowed, but her body still trembled with the aftershocks of everything she had said finally let him see. Henry held her tighter, one hand stroking slowly up and down her back. When he finally spoke, his voice was dangerously sexy, the kind of voice that wrapped around her like armor. “You are not boring,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “At least not to me. You are the best woman I have ever been with, Andrea. I was never the relationship type, I never really wanted to settle down. I built my whole life around control, work and distance because it was safer that way. "But you… when you walked into my building on your first day and crashed into me like a storm I couldn’t ignore, I knew you weren't like everyone else. You're different....special. You make me wan
The living room slowly started to feel like home again. Grandma Grace helped treat Andrea’s head injury just in time so it doesn’t get infected. Henry grunted as he flipped the heavy couch back onto its legs, while Mindy crouched nearby, carefully sweeping shards of the broken lamp into a dustpan. Andrea folded the thrown cushions and placed them neatly on the sofa, and Grandma Grace directed traffic from her armchair like a general who had just survived a war.“Careful with that glass, Mindy dear,” Grandma Grace said, pointing with her cane. “I don’t need any of you slicing your fingers open after everything we’ve been through tonight.”“I’ve got it, Grandma,” Mindy replied, smiling as she swept the last pieces into the pan. “You just sit there and supervise. You’ve earned it.”Henry straightened up, dusting his hands on his jeans, and let out a low chuckle. “Looks like this place is gradually getting back into place. I’m glad I could help, Grandma Grace.”Grandma Grace laughed, “Oh,
Lindsay sat stone-faced in the back of one cruiser, wrists cuffed behind her, staring straight ahead looking a lot like she was disappointed instead of regretting what she’d just done. Caleb was already loaded into another, head bowed, looking a lot more regretful than he ever had in his life. The three armed men were split between two more vehicles, their weapons long since confiscated and bagged as evidence.Henry didn’t watch them leave. His arms were still locked around Andrea, holding her like she might vanish if he let go even for a second.Slowly, they broke apart. Andrea’s hands trembled as she stepped back just enough to look up at him. Tears were flowing freely through her lashes, but her voice was raw and steady. And the side of her head was still bleeding. “Andrea, you’re still bleeding we need to get you to the hospital right away.” the words stumbled out of Henry’s mouth a little shaky.But Andrea wasn’t interested in that yet. “Henry… I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “For
Mindy’s sneakers slapped against the asphalt as she sprinted around the corner of the clinic, heart slamming against her ribs. She had waited in the car as long as she could, but the second she heard Henry shout Andrea’s name, something inside her snapped, she couldn't wait in here any longer.“Andrea!” she yelled, voice cracking with fear. “Andrea, where are you?!”She found herself wandering through the dimly lit alcove when she spotted them.The scene hit her like a slap. Lindsay was standing behind Andrea with a gun pressed to her best friend’s temple. Caleb off to the side looking twitchy and guilty. Three large men with their own weapons drawn. And Henry, ten feet away, hands raised, every muscle locked in place.Mindy’s stomach dropped. “Oh my God…”One of the armed men swung his gun toward her instantly. “Don’t move!”Another followed, the barrel aimed straight at her chest. Mindy threw her hands up, eyes wide with horror. She had expected trouble but she had not expected this
The penthouse lights were dimmed low, the only glow coming from the massive television screen and the soft city lights filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Andrea had changed into one of Henry’s oversized beige T-shirts that fell to her mid-thigh and a pair of soft cotton shorts. Her h
Andrea walked towards her desk opposite Henry’s office, her heart hammering so hard she was sure the entire floor could hear it. Her cheeks were still warm, lips tingling from Henry’s kiss, and the memory of Lindsay’s shocked face burned behind her eyes. She kept her head high and walked straight to
Andrea smoothed the front of her dress with trembling hands, trying to erase the wrinkles Henry’s grip had left behind. Her cheeks were still flushed, lips slightly swollen from the kiss. She shot Lindsay a sharp, dangerous glare — the kind that said I know what you saw, and if you open your mouth,
The four of them stood at the edge of the rooftop, the city sprawling below in a glittering sea of diamonds. The night air was cool against Andrea’s skin, carrying the faint hum of traffic and the distant echo of laughter from the party inside. For the first time all evening, the tension had thinne







