Twenty minutes had passed.
Dylan was still seated, legs, hand over the arm of the chair. His expression remained unreadable, but the subtle flicker in his eyes betrayed his growing impatience.
Laura hadn't shown up.
Her father hadn't returned either.
Dylan's gaze swept the room once more, then flicked his fingers. "Julio."
He stepped forward with a slight bow, leaning in respectfully.
"Why is Laura taking so long to show up?" Dylan asked, voice low and calm.
Julio's brow furrowed slightly. "I'm sorry, sir. I wouldn't know that."
Dylan let out a short, humorless chuckle. "Of course not. That was a stupid question." He paused, then corrected himself, smirking. "Well, not stupid. Just... directed at the wrong person."
Just then, the soft, deliberate click of high heels echoed down the stairs. Dylan's head turned sharply, and there she was.
Laura, descending with deliberate steps to prove she owned the place.
