The city lights glimmered like a thousand tiny stars through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Lucas Sterling’s penthouse. The space was immaculately sleek, every surface polished, every light strategically placed, yet despite its cold perfection, there was an undeniable warmth emanating from the man standing before her.

Ava’s heart pounded, each beat echoing in her chest like a drum, her breath coming in uneven bursts. She hadn’t expected this—hadn’t anticipated the magnetism, the way ...