She did. Immediately. Shoulders tightening, breath caught mid-rise. Catherine Torres did not stop easily. The fact that she did told me everything.
I pocketed my hands, turned slightly, and walked a few steps away from the railing. The terrace stretched out, quiet now, like it was giving us space on purpose.
"Walk with me."
She followed. Heels clicking softly on stone. The sound felt intimate, like punctuation.
I led her to the far corner of the terrace where the view opened widest—the entire city spreading out like a circuit board, millions of lights creating patterns that looked almost intentional. As if someone somewhere believed this chaos was manageable.
"It doesn't matter what I signed up for," I said quietly. "Escort, model, whatever label you want to put on it. The only thing I signed up for—the only thing that actually matters—is you."
I turned, took her hand, and pulled her into my embrace from behind, her back against my chest, both of us facing the city.
