I unlock the door.
She steps inside.
Then turns toward me.
And everything in me pulls tight.
Tonight.
Finally.
EVAN
He shouldn’t be here.
He knows that.
Standing across the street from Cole’s building is pathetic, irrational, and borderline unhinged.
But he needed to see it with his own eyes.
He needed to know if she was really going.
He sees her.
Red dress. Hair down. Looking nervous but… happy.
He sees Cole open the doors for her.
Sees her disappear inside.
His heart drops straight into his stomach.
He whispers:
“…Ruby…”
And knows he’s too late.
RUBY
The penthouse is warm. Quiet. Lit in soft gold.
I take one step inside.
Then another.
Jaxon follows and closes the door.
The click echoes through me.
When I turn around, he’s already watching me, slowly, hungrily, like he’s been waiting for this moment all day.
He walks toward me.
My breath catches.
He stops right in front of me, his voice low and warm:
