Chapter 354

Madison

We rode the elevator in silence, the air between us charged with unspoken tension. In the lobby, Alexander guided me outside with a light touch at the small of my back that sent electricity up my spine.

His Bentley waited at the curb, and his driver, John, was holding the door open.

“Ms. Harper,” John nodded, his expression carefully neutral.

I slid into the plush leather seat, and Alexander joined me, sitting uncomfortably close. The door closed, sealing us in the quiet luxury of the car.

“Did you enjoy the party?” Alexander asked as the car pulled away from the curb.

“It was lovely,” I answered automatically. My fingers curled around the soft leather seat of the Bentley, trying to ground myself. This was a bad idea. But something about Alexander’s presence always clouded my judgment, making me agree to things I knew I shouldn’t.

The drive to his penthouse was mercifully short, the city lights blurring past the tinted windows