Chapter 36. Undoing

It was well past midnight when they finally crossed the threshold into her hidden refuge—the small, discreet walk-up she called home. Outside, the city’s restless energy had faded to a distant murmur; inside, every sound was swallowed by the hush of expectation. The hallway light flickered beneath their feet as they ascended the narrow stairs, and when Max’s hand turned the brass knob, the door clicked so softly it might have been a ghost’s sigh.

Alyssa didn’t need to illuminate the entire room. She moved with a measured grace, her heels pinching the rug as she crossed to the corner table and flipped on the single lamp. Its burnt-amber glow spilled across the hardwood floor, setting every surface alight with molten gold. Shadows curled into the corners, creating hidden alcoves that seemed to breathe with desire. The world outside—the distant honk of a taxi, the faint hum of a rooftop air-conditioning unit—ceased to exist here.

She faced him, fingertips still grazing the