I couldn't take my eyes off her. Mia stood there, windswept and breathless, a vision so different from the awkward teenager I knew. The years had been more than good to her; they'd changed her into a woman who demanded attention without even trying.
"Dylan?" Her voice snapped me back to reality. "Are you okay?"
I realized I'd been staring. Clearing my throat, I managed a nod. "Yeah, I'm OK. Thanks to you." The leftovers of our tight escape from the paparazzi still kept my heart racing. Or was that just Mia's presence?
We were in my private garage, having barely made it back to my building following the chase. The elegant sports car we'd rented on our holiday now showed a few new scuffs, battle wounds from our excursion.
Mia brushed a hand through her tousled hair, a motion so familiar it shot a stab of nostalgia through me. "That was... intense," she remarked, a hint of a smile flickering on her lips.
"Welcome back to New York," I replied, unable to hold back a grin of mine own. "Where even a simple coffee run can turn into a high-speed chase."
She chuckled suddenly, a sound that aroused something deep within me. It was a sound I hadn't known I'd missed until that moment.
"Some things never change, huh?" Mia remarked, her eyes flashing with malice. "You're still a magnet for trouble, Dylan Blackwood."
I feigned outrage. "Me? I'll have you know I've become a paragon of duty and civility."
Mia lifted an eyebrow, apparently unconvinced. "Says the man who just outran half the city's paparazzi in a car that costs more than most people's houses."
"Touché," I conceded, chuckling. The anxiety from our tumultuous trip was evaporating, replaced by an easy friendship that seemed both new and comfortingly familiar.
As we made our way to the private elevator, I couldn't help but steal peeks at Mia. She'd always been Jake's little sister, off-limits and lurking on the edge of my wild lifestyle. But now...
The elevator doors closed, and suddenly the place felt considerably smaller than it ever had before. Mia's perfume, a gentle combination of jasmine and something entirely her, permeated the air. I found myself hyper-aware of her presence, of the way she stood with quiet assurance, of the curve of her neck as she tilted her head to stare at the floor numbers ticking by.
"So," I began, anxious to break the building tension, "how long are you back for?"
Mia turned to me, her look unreadable. "I'm not sure yet. I have some projects lined up here, but nothing's fixed in stone."
The elevator dinged, landing at my penthouse floor. As we stepped out, I felt an inexplicable wave of hope. "Well, you should stick around. New York's missed you." I stopped, then continued softly, "I've missed you."
Something flared in Mia's eyes, an emotion I couldn't quite place. She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, my phone buzzed insistently in my pocket.
I pulled it out, frowning at the screen. It was Jake.
"Hey, Jake," I said, attempting to keep my tone light. "What's up?" "Dylan." Jake's voice sounded strained, urgent. "Where's Mia? Is she with you?"
I glanced at Mia, who was watching me curiously. "Yeah, she's right here. We just got back from—"
"Put me on speaker," Jake interrupted.
Confused, I complied. "You're on speaker, Jake. What's going on?"
"Mia," Jake's voice filled the hallway. "Are you okay? Did he try anything?"
Mia's brow wrinkled. "What? Jake, I'm fine. Dylan and I just went for coffee. What's this about?"
There was a pause, then Jake began again, his words sending a chill down my spine. "Mia, stay away from him. Now. He's not who you believe he is."
Mia's eyes widened, darting between me and the phone. I felt my chest tighten, a mix of perplexity and dread sweeping over me.
"Jake, what the hell are you talking about?" I demanded, straining to keep my voice steady.
"I know about the will, Dylan," Jake spat. "I know about the marriage clause. And I know you've been intending to use Mia to keep your cherished inheritance."
The globe seemed to twist on its axis. How did Jake know? And why now, precisely as Mia had come back into my life?
Mia took a step back from me, her expression a mixture of hurt and disbelief. "Dylan? What is he talking about?"
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. How could I explain? How could I tell her that yes, the thought had entered my mind, but seeing her again had altered everything?
"Mia, listen to me," Jake said, his voice harsh. "He's desperate. He'll lose everything if he doesn't get married by his next birthday. He's using you."
"That's not—" I started, but Mia held up a hand, silencing me.
"Is it true?" she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper. "About the will?"
I gulped hard, knowing that my next words may change everything. "Yes, but—"
Mia's face slumped, a mix of emotions flowing across her features. Hurt, rage, and something else – disappointment?
"I can't believe this," she said, shaking her head. "I thought... I thought maybe..."
She drifted off, leaving the incomplete thought hanging between us like a palpable thing.
"Mia, please," I murmured, grabbing for her. "Let me explain. It's not what you think."
But Mia was already backing away, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I need to go," she replied, her voice thick with passion. "I can't do this right now."
She turned and fled down the hallway towards the stairs, leaving me standing there, Jake's accusatory voice still emanating from my phone.
As I saw Mia depart, my mind raced. How had everything gone so bad so quickly? The memory of our laughter in the garage just minutes ago suddenly felt like a distant dream.
I knew I should go after her, explain everything. But Jake's words echoed in my thoughts. Had I truly been planning to use Mia? The thought had occurred to me, yeah, but seeing her again, being with her - it had awoken sensations I'd long repressed.
My phone buzzed again, a text this time. I looked down, my heart sinking as I read the message from an unknown number: "Time's running out, Blackwood. Tick tock."
I glanced at the TV, a cold running down my spine. First Jake's charges, now this mysterious threat. What the hell was going on?
As I stood there, caught between going after Mia and understanding this new mystery, one thing became crystal clear: my carefully crafted world was disintegrating, and I was powerless to stop it.
The elevator dinged behind me, its doors sliding open with a foreboding finality. I turned, half-expecting to see Mia, giving me an opportunity to explain. Instead, I found myself face to face with the last person I anticipated — or wanted – to encounter.
"Hello, Dylan," she purred, a predatory smile flickering on her lips. "Miss me?"
My blood ran cold as I glanced at my ex-girlfriend, the woman who had nearly ruined me once before. Her appearance could only imply one thing: my issues were about to get a lot worse.