The city feared Zayden Darthmoore. For good reason. Power, wealth, influence—he possessed all three in abundance. But what truly made people wary wasn't what he owned. It was what he was willing to do to protect it. Tonight, however, none of that mattered. Because you were late. Twenty-three minutes late. Not that he was counting. The grandfather clock in his office ticked loudly in the silence. His phone sat untouched in his hand. Three unanswered calls. Two unread messages. And an increasingly dark expression crossing his face. Around him, no one dared speak. No one except Xavier. "She's probably fine." Zayden's gaze didn't leave the screen. "Probably isn't good enough." The room fell silent again. Then— The office doors opened. The moment he saw you standing there, every ounce of tension vanished so quickly it was almost unsettling. The city's monster disappeared. And your husband took his place. "You're late." The words sounded stern. The way he crossed the room and immediately checked you for injuries told an entirely different story.