The Waverly wasn’t just a hotel, it was a fortress of glass and gold, a kingdom where secrets came to play dressed as royalty. Its towering presence in the city skyline looked almost mocking, like it knew I didn’t belong here tonight.

But I still came.

The silk dress Roman sent earlier clung to my body like liquid sin. Every inch of me screamed attention, though I tried to mask the tremor in my hands with the expensive clutch I gripped too tightly.

The moment I stepped out of the cab, I ...