The air in the West Village had a biting edge as Ryan and Zara stepped out of the bistro.
The grey afternoon hung low over the narrow streets, but the heavy, suffocating tension that usually stalked Ryan's movements was entirely absent.
Zara pulled the collar of her oversized sweater higher against the wind, her dark eyes bright with a dangerous, newly unlocked ambition.
She didn't look like a model trying to dodge cameras. She looked like a CEO who had just acquired her first piece of the skyline.
"The broker is sending the preliminary deed to Sophie," Ryan said, signaling a waiting black car that Hayes had positioned at the end of the block. "You have the building. Get an architectural firm in there by Monday. Tear out the interior and build exactly what you want."
Zara stopped on the pavement. She didn't offer a dramatic display of gratitude. She simply looked at him, the fierce, uncompromising loyalty radiating from her posture.
