Nixus Salvatore sat in his sprawling office, a glass of whiskey untouched on the desk before him. The view from the towering windows offered a sweeping panorama of the city—bright, bustling, and chaotic. But tonight, the lights seemed dimmer, the energy muted, as if reflecting his mood.
He couldn't focus. Not on the reports scattered across his desk or the dozens of emails awaiting replies. His mind was elsewhere, circling back to Malia. It had been weeks since her return, and yet she occupied his thoughts with a ferocity he hadn't anticipated. She was supposed to have been an afterthought, a mistake he could move on from, but seeing her again—confident, radiant, and utterly untouchable—had shaken something loose inside him.
