The morning light hit the penthouse floor with a clinical precision that felt entirely alien to the chaotic rhythm of my usual life. I lay in the oversized bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the steady, rhythmic breathing of the man beside me. Julian was asleep. In the daylight, his face lost the sharp, predatory edge he wore like armor when dealing with boardrooms or studio heads. He looked younger, almost peaceful, but I knew the darkness that lived behind his eyes. It was a darkness he reserved for those who threatened his interests, and lately, it seemed that I was his primary interest.
