My throat tightens. Blood rushes to my ears like a tidal wave.
“He did?” I manage, my voice barely above a whisper.
She waves her hand, brushing it off casually. “Probably because you’re the best at what you do. You know how thesebig shots are, ego and all that. They want the most high-profile journalist in the city writing their story.”
I nod, trying to force a neutral expression. “Right. Makes sense.”
But I can feel the air leave my lungs. If Landon specifically asked for me, it has nothing to do with the fact that I’m the best at what I do. It has to be something else. But what the hell does he want after all these years? After all that silence? After walking away without a word? After tearing my heart and feelings apart?
Sabrina doesn’t seem to notice the sudden war going on behind my eyes. She’s already rising from her chair, distracted by her phone again. “Anyway, I’ll let you know once his assistant confirms the time.”
I swallow hard and nod again.
When she steps out of the room, closing the door behind her, my eyes drop back to the folder on my desk.
There’s always a thin line between hate and love—far too thin, far too dangerous. But I never believed that until I met Landon.
I hated him the moment we first crossed paths. Hell, I even made it a point to steer clear of him, ignoring all his flirty remarks and walking past him without so much as a glance, making it clear he had no place in my life. Back in college, I’d seen enough girls fall for his playboy charm, only to be discarded once he’d had his fun. I wasn’t going to be one of them.
But Landon didn’t back down. If anything, my resistance only fueled his persistence. He had this relentless way of chasing after me, like I was the only girl that ever mattered.
And somewhere along the way, the line between keeping him out and letting him in began to blur. I started to feel that magnetic pull, the kind you try to ignore but can’t. I started noticing him. His cocky charm and infuriating confidence made a mess of the walls I’d so carefully built.
Leaning back in the chair with my head tipped toward the ceiling and eyes closed, my mind drifts back to the past.
I had barely walked a few minutes from campus and was heading home when I heard a low whistle behind me, followed by a crude voice.
“Hey, sweetheart. Where are you rushing off to?”
I glanced over my shoulder and saw a tall, older guy, clearly not from our college, leaning against the alley wall with a cigarette between his fingers, smoking.
Ignoring him, I kept walking, pretending I hadn’t heard a thing. But a moments later, I heard footsteps behind me. My heart kicked up, and I quickened my pace.
“Come on, baby, don’t be shy. Just one taste,” he said, grabbing my arm and yanking me toward him.
I jerked away, my heart hammering in my chest. “Don’t touch me!”
He let out a low, mocking laugh, one that carried just enough threat to freeze the blood in my veins.
“Feisty. I like that.”
I was ready to scream, drive my knee into his stomach, or run… anything to get away, when a deep, familiar voice cut through the air.
“Back the hell off if you don’t want to land in the hospital.”
I whipped around and saw Landon storming toward us. His jaw was set, his fists clenched, and his eyes blazed with something fierce and primal.
The guy didn’t even get a chance to react. Landon’s fist crashed into his jaw, followed by a knee to the gut that sent him stumbling back with a groan.
Landon stepped forward and towered over him. “Touch her again, and I swear I’ll bury you six feet under. Now get the hell out of here before I really lose my patience.”
The man nodded frantically and bolted, tripping over his own feet as he ran. Landon stood there, breathing hard, his eyes locked on the guy’s retreating back like he was still debating whether to chase him and thrash him down.
I stood frozen, fear still pulsing through my veins. Then my gaze fell to his knuckles, which were bleeding.
“You’ve hurt yourself,” I whispered, taking his hand in mine.
He didn’t answer. Instead, his eyes searched mine. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you?”
