Cassie hesitated only a heartbeat before quickening her pace and catching up to him. Her heels echoed softly against the marble floor as she reached for his arm. "Let me come with you."
Franklin stopped abruptly and turned to face her. His expression was calm, but his voice carried a warning edge, low, controlled, unmistakably serious. "Unless you're ready to tell everyone about our relationship, I'd rather you didn't."
The words hit harder than she expected. Cassie sucked in a breath, steadying herself as they stepped into the elevator together. The doors slid shut with a muted thud, enclosing them in a silence that felt heavier than it should have.
Her pulse thrummed in her ears as the elevator ascended. When the digital display crept closer to her floor, she found herself deb
