Ethan’s black Range Rover slid into the valet line outside the Meridian rooftop lounge just after ten. The place was alive...low bass pulsing through the glass doors, laughter spilling onto the street, string lights draped like constellations overhead.
Aria stepped out first in a deep emerald dress that clung without trying too hard, slit high on one thigh, hair loose and still slightly damp from the shower. Ethan followed in a charcoal suit, no tie, top button undone. They looked like every other polished couple arriving for cocktails, except for the way his hand settled low on her back... possessively.
Inside, the rooftop was crowded but not packed. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the city skyline; a DJ spun smooth house in the corner. They claimed a high-top table near the railing, or
