10:42


    <b>Chapter </b><b>133 </b>


    Rowan’s train of thought always seemed to catch Elissa off guard.


    She felt her cheeks flush with heat and quickly averted her gaze, avoiding his inexplicable look. “I–I’ll just tell the clerk your height and weight. They’re experienced with this kind of thing…”


    “Oh?”


    Suddenly, Rowan stood up and walked over, stopping right in front of her. He gave a teasing smile. “You know my height and weight?”


    “…”


    That old sense of unfamiliarity swept over Elissa once again.


    Of course. For so many years now, they’d been nothing but strangers–eight years, a full third of their lives,pletely disconnected. She hadn’t bought him a gift or picked out clothes for him in years.


    How on earth was she supposed to know his measurements?


    Eight years was a long time. If Max were still alive, he’d have grown into a teenager by now.


    And Rowan–just his shoulders alone were broader than they’d been eight


    years ago.


    Elissa braced herself and tried, “If you tell me, Mr. Murphy, I’ll know.”


    “No.”


    Rowan’s expression was cool. “You need to try the clothes on. Just picking a size based on height and weight won’t fit right.”


    He was right.


    She’d forgotten that for him, tailored suits were as natural as breathing–custom–made, perfectly fitted, the norm for a man in his


    position.


    <b>10.12 </b>


    The fact that he’d even let her buy something off the rack was already a


    concession.


    Elissa couldn’t quite figure out what he meant by all this.


    If he expected her to have a bespoke suit made, that would be way out of her budget.


    The suits he wore on a regr basis easily started in the five–figure range. The one he’d lent her that night was even more outrageous.


    Still, it was because of her that he’d wasted a suit.


    “So what do you want to do, then?”


    She didn’t want to take advantage, so after a moment’s hesitation, she bit the bullet. “Or…where do you usually get your suits made? I can—”


    Rowan cut her off with a t voice. “When are you going to the store?”


    “Huh?”


    She realized then he wasn’t expecting her to spend a fortune. Quickly, she answered, “I’m not sure yet. I need to check the clinic’s schedule first.”


    “Let me know when you’ve decided.”


    “What?”


    “I’ll go try them on myself.”


    He shot her a chilly nce, his tone as detached as always. Impossible to


    read.


    It wasn’t just about getting the size right–he didn’t trust her taste, either.


    Well, it was just a suit. How long could it take? She nodded. “Okay.”


    She hesitated, longshes lifting as she peeked up at Rowan, unable to hide her unease.


    “About what happened at the hotel–thank you.”


    Even though she’d managed to knock te out herself, if Rowan hadn’t


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    10.42 BONE


    shown up when he did, there was no telling what Marcia might have had up her sleeve.


    Besides, she’d been drugged. She might not have made it out on her own. He had saved her, though she’d cost him a suit. She could only imagine how he’d mock her for it.


    Rowan leaned against his desk, silently watching her.


    The girl in front of him had a delicate, heart–shaped face–probably not even as big as his hand–and striking, innocent features. Yet the slight upward tilt of her eyes gave her an air of mischief.


    Still, her gaze was clear and bright. As long as she kept up the act, no one would ever notice that hint of trouble.


    Rowan rested his hand casually on the desk, his long fingers tapping idly on the polished surface. “So you’re only thanking me for what happened at the hotel?”


    Elissa had been unsure, but now she knew: it really had been Rowan who dealt with te.


    She smiled faintly, pointing to her still–healing forehead. “Mr. Murphy, next time you decide to y hero on my behalf, could you leave me out of the crossfire?”


    When titans sh, it’s always the little people who get hurt.


    And she was definitely the little person.


    Rowan couldn’t help butugh–a half–scoff, half–smile as he looked at her. “You think I did it on a whim?”


    Elissa’s voice was calm and cool. “Didn’t you?”


    All those years–no matter how much she’d begged, no matter that te had forced his way into her room again and again, Rowan had never spared her even a nce.


    Then, out of nowhere, he’d decided to settle the score for her.


    <b>3/4 </b>


    10:43


    Sure, te got what wasing to him, and it was satisfying–but she’d almost paid with her life.


    She’d had time to think these past days. The old woman had changed her mind at thest minute and let her go. That was probably Rowan’s doing, too.


    Matriarch Paige Murphy couldn’t do anything to her for now, but if Rowan ever turned his back on her, the old woman would collect every debt, with interest.


    Rowan pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek, looking for a moment like he might explode, then tamped it down and leaned closer, his eyes level with hers.