× The loud noises of rainfall tapping on the tinted windows surprised her, but not as much as the uncanny way the man was able to predict exactly what would happen just moments before rain disrupted the nice weather. Quite amazing. And really strange. Did he also have a hypersensitive nose like Jenson? The rainfall was just so sudden and unexpected. Good thing a wide tent was installed hours ago for the service and the guests. Sitting on the other end of the backseat, Magnus regarded her with another attentive gaze. His crow's feet would show every time he smiled or squinted, but the wrinkles on his small, angular face looked minimal. His parents must be good-looking as well. The man's bone structure was almost hypnotizing. "Jenson mentioned over the phone a while ago that you got sick, and he had to bring you to the hospital." Uh-oh. Did he think she could still be contagious? "Yes. But, it's been more than two months ago," Jessi replied before glancing away. She hadn't r

× "What?" Jessi put on a straight face and stared back at her boss. With her phone in her pocket, she glanced around to check for prying eyes. Thankfully, they were safe. The hallway remained dim and empty, and the temptation to turn on the audio recorder turned into nothing more than a fleeting impulse. "Why're you here?" His jaw clenched. A flush crept up his face as he stood right outside her apartment unit, pouting and looking like he'd had much better days. "Why aren't you answering my texts? And calls?" Jenson took a step closer. His wrinkled pants looked darker than his plain shirt, and his steely gaze wouldn't leave her face. Where was he before he drove all the way here? His cheeks stayed pinkish. Had he been drinking all evening? So he'd been driving while intoxicated? Shit. With her mouth snapped shut, the guy made a face and looked away. "I'm not allowed to check up on you?" "I'm busy packing." Jessi backed off and turned away from him, her heart beating erratically

× WARNING! GRAPHIC CONTENT BELOW INTENDED FOR MATURE READERS ONLY! × × READ AT YOUR OWN RISK × × One last kiss. Nothing more. Just one last kiss and he would stop. Gritting his teeth, Jenson covered her hand with his, the other touching the delicate skin of her neck. Just one last goodnight kiss... Then he'd leave her alone for good if it's what she really wanted. No matter how painful that would be. No matter how he felt. As she stared into his eyes, a dull heat spread from his chest down to his core, down to his legs and feet. Jessi leaned in, her breathing a notch faster, straddling him now as he sat on her bed. With her dainty hands stroking his chest, they nuzzled against each other to keep warm. She didn't stop touching him. Perhaps she actually wanted him to stay the night. But that didn't mean he should let himself get carried away. He'd kiss her and stop. Then he would walk out the door. No arguments. No regrets. Self-control wouldn't be an issue. He just had to keep a

× "Chino. Right?" "Yeah. Chino," Jenson replied to the person on the other line. "That kid you put in that new facility?" "Yeah." He sat still in the driver's seat, recognizing the hint of surprise in his uncle's gruff voice. Surprise mixed with confusion. As if the last thing Magnus expected to hear today was that poor kid's name. "So you're asking me to keep paying for the bills until he gets better." Magnus chuckled. "Yes." "What makes you so sure he will?" "I'm not." Jenson sat back. "But, he's got no one else left." Helplessly sick. Alone. Penniless and unquestionably traumatized beyond words. To be blunt, he didn't expect his uncle to foot all of the treatment expenses. He just wanted to make sure that the orphaned teen would be taken care of, until the medical staff deemed his mental illness more manageable. That could mean another few months in that expensive facility. A year. Or even a decade. Still, the kid should have proper medical attention—not chucked into pris

× New York × Busy streets. Loud noises. Headache-inducing traffic. Dark skies. Smog all over. People everywhere. Some didn't even bother to wear face coverings. Just going about their day like nothing happened. The rush hour crowd already teemed the streets this early in the morning, reminding him of why he never liked New York. Los Angeles was also populated but at least he could breathe better there. Jenson scowled and kept his mask on as he walked into the empty restaurant. High ceiling. Covered windows. Gilded furniture. In the public dining area, wooden chairs remained upside down on the tables. The place didn't open until nine. But since he'd called in advance to book a reservation, the guard welcomed him in with a quick bow after checking his ID. "Good morning, Mr. Ross. Welcome." "Morning. Thanks." Jenson walked straight into the private dining room, where he would be waiting for someone who may or may not show up today. He had no more time to waste playing hide-and-seek. H