Chapter 16

Olivia POV

His eyes narrowed. “You think you know me based on what? One rescue and a dinner?”

“I know that someone who truly believed love was meaningless wouldn’t care so much about protecting himself from it.”

Alexander’s jaw tightened. For a moment, I thought I’d pushed too far.

“You’re an interesting woman, Olivia Morgan,” he said finally.

“Is that a compliment?”

“An observation.” His lips curved in an infuriating half-smile.

I gripped the railing tighter, feeling the cool metal ground me. The city lights twinkled below us like a mirror image of the night sky, but all I could focus on was the heat radiating from Alexander’s body.

“I want to ask you two things,” I said, turning to face him fully.

His eyebrows rose slightly. “I’m all ears.”

“First, back at the presentation, you said ‘it’s been a long time.’ Why? We’d literally met less than a week before.”

Alexander leaned against the railing, his shoulder br