AUTHORS POV

The office was unusually quiet that morning.

Tessa sat at her desk with her elbows propped on the smooth glass surface, fingers laced beneath her chin, eyes fixed on the empty coffee mug in front of her. Files sat untouched. Her laptop screen was still on the login page. She hadn’t been able to focus since she walked in.

Her mind wasn’t here.

It was back at the Lorenzo mansion.

Back in Dean’s smile as he blew out birthday candles.

Back in Pedro’s voice when he’d said, “Tell me what to do.”

He’s changing, she thought. Or he’s pretending better than before. But which is it?

The knock...