~Wendy's POV~
I stepped out of the cab, the humid air of my hometown wrapping around me like an old lover's embrace. The family compound loomed ahead, all manicured lawns and high walls, a testament to my parents success in real estate.
At 28, I was Wendy Hayes, defense lawyer extraordinaire, single and killing it in the courtroom. This out-of-town case had me back here, but instead of blowing the firm's hotel budget, I pocketed the cash and crashed at home.
Smart move, right?
The house was empty, Mom and Dad were off to some gala, leaving me with the distant hum of the security guard at the gate and the staff quarters out back.
I dumped my suitcase in my old room upstairs, the one with the balcony overlooking the gardens. Jet lag from the flight mixed with the thrill of the case fi
