Chapter 1: The Accidental Meeting
The bell above the café door jingled as Amelia Sanchez balanced a tray of steaming coffee cups. She was in her third hour of the morning rush, the familiar smell of roasted beans clinging to her apron. Her life had been predictable for years—wake up, send Noah to school, work long shifts, go home.
It wasn’t glamorous, but it was safe.
Until he walked in.
The man was impossible to miss—tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a charcoal suit that looked like it had been stitched by the gods of fashion themselves. His eyes, steel-grey, scanned the café like he owned it. Deryc Ross. Lia didn’t know his name yet, but she could feel the weight of his presence before he even reached the counter.
She plastered on her work smile. “Good morning, sir. What can I get you?”
“Black coffee. No sugar.” His voice was low, deep, and carried a certain authority that made her straighten her back.
As she turned to prepare his drink, a teenager bumped into her shoulder. The cup wobbled, hot coffee splashing onto the immaculate fabric of his sleeve. Lia froze.
“Oh my God—sir, I’m so sorry!” She grabbed napkins, blotting at the stain, though her hands trembled.
His gaze locked on her, sharp enough to cut glass. For a moment she braced for an explosion. But then… something flickered in his expression. His eyes shifted past her, toward the small figure peeking from behind the counter.
Noah, with his messy hair and wide grin, waved cheerfully. “Hi, mister!”
Deryc’s jaw unclenched. “It’s fine,” he said, taking the napkin from her. “Accidents happen.”
Lia blinked. Men like him didn’t just let things slide.
When he left, she caught him glancing at Noah again, as if trying to solve a puzzle he didn’t yet understand.
