Chapter 83. Slow Burn

Vanessa’s POV

I stood in front of the towering building, staring up at the glass spire that sliced into the clouds. My heart pounded, butterflies erupting wildly in my stomach. This was Mr. Garcia’s new place—a penthouse. Not the last one. A brand-new space.

Fingers trembling, I clutched the straps of my bag and pressed the elevator button. Each passing floor made my pulse louder. By the time it dinged at the top, I was practically shaking. The doors slid open.

And there he was.

Mr. Garcia.

Dressed in a navy sweater that hugged his frame and tailored black slacks, he looked like a storm—controlled, refined, quietly dangerous. His eyes met mine—warm, unreadable. His jaw tightened, like he, too, was fighting something inside him. A war maybe. One that mirrored mine.

“Hey,” he said, voice low and deep.

“Hi,” I breathed.

He stepped aside to let me in. The moment I crossed the threshold, soft lighting caught the polished fl