a P
my door when a franti
ai
xiety and determination. Damien instinctively straightened up, his body posi
window. "Damien, it's okay
ghtly. He turned to face Leo, his expression shifting
n Mont
er's grip tighten, a petty, masculine test of strength. He w
d my
nyielding strength. I saw Leo's knuckles turn white, and a brief flash of
t to cover his discomfort. "What e
seat. "He's a full-time Uber driver," I said,
river? Aura, that's not a stable
d looped my arm through Damien's, standing by his side. "
something-amusement? surprise?-in his
Leo," he said, his voice si
rmined expression seemed to silence his p
gars, living i
aned out, her face a mask of contempt. "Don't come crawling
ft a moment ago, turned to chips of ice. He stared at
went pale, and she stumbled back from the window, dis
to notice the silent exchange. "Let's jus
ed back at me. He nodded, getting into the driver's seat. The car pull
breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "I'm sorr
n the road. "I thought the way
watching the familiar suburban houses give way to the taller buildings
the address he gave me. I had never spent much time on this side of Chicago, but I knew enough about i
ndromat buzzed on the corner, its fluorescent sign flickering in the morning light. There was a small grocery with hand-painted sale signs in the
people. People who worked late shifts, carried groceries home in plastic bags, and kept flower
and a clean glass door. It wasn't glamorous. It didn't scream money. If anything, it looked like one
here,"
but clean lobby with old tile floors, polished mailboxes, and the
. Just the top floor. A lucky rent
y was quiet and carpeted, the doors newer than the building itse
right and unlocked it. He pushed it open a
side and my
city skyline. The furniture was minimalist and modern-a sleek leather sofa, a glass coffee table, and a stat
him in disbelief. "How can an Ube
sed to be two apartments before he knocked the wall down. He's overseas for a year, and I help keep an ey
ering luxury tower with a doorman and marble floors. It was an old working-class building with one apartment th
pressed a cool, hea
" he said, his voice
me, I felt like I mi
/1/118798/coverbig.jpg?v=e765d6bfe24080c1e8b2bece9e623b59&imageMogr2/format/webp)