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I pull into a parking spot, though I don’t get out yet. I want to finish this conversation first.

“Are you serious?” Maya asks this time.

“Dead serious,” I answer without hesitation. “We’ve been together since we started working on the project.”

“You’ve been in a relationship for a month and you didn’t think to tell us?” Her voice rises another octave.

“Jesus,” I mutter with a quiet laugh. “I didn’t think it was such an important detail.”

“Zayn Thomas,” Mom starts in that unmistakable parental tone, “you’d better not joke about things like this.”

“What kind of things?” I tease.

“Serious things,” Maya answers.

“My personal life is a serious matter to you?” I continue in the same amused tone.

Sighing, Mom goes quiet for a long moment, probably choosing her next words carefully. I can hear them whispering to each other, but I can’t make out a single word.

“If you two want to keep whispering, I’m hanging up. I just got to a meeting, and I need to get out of the car.”

I switch off the engine and step outside, the heat hitting me the second I open the door.

Apparently, this building doesn’t have underground parking, so I have to leave the car directly beneath the blazing sun, annoyingly far from the entrance.

Exactly what I needed.

“We’re extremely happy for you, honey,” Maya says.

“Good luck at your meeting, love,” Mom adds sweetly again. “But don’t think this conversation is over.”

The last part comes out in the same parental voice, making me laugh.

“We love you,” they say at the same time.

I shake my head, a smile appearing at the corner of my mouth. “Love you too.”

Then I end the call and slide the phone into my pocket.

At reception, I don’t even have to introduce myself. I’m escorted straight to the elevator, and a security guard presses the button for the top floor.

Once the doors close, I take a moment to prepare myself for what I already know is coming.

Dynasty is a company we’ve worked with for years. They moved their headquarters to London shortly after we did, and Lorelay—our partner’s daughter—now runs the business from here.

That’s the problem.

Lorelay.

She wants something with me, and she keeps trying to get it.

The other problem is… I made the mistake of sleeping with her one night. Ever since then, it’s gone from her wanting something with me to trying every possible way to convince me to give her more.

I never considered that a good enough reason to end our collaboration. Especially because we’ve never had any actual problems, and our business together benefits both sides enormously.

Her father is a good man. I didn’t want him to lose the opportunity to expand his company because of a mistake I made.

Because I know this is my fault. I never should’ve let that night happen. I made that choice fully aware of what I was doing.