CHAPTER 1.
Ruby adjusted her grip on the old box she was carrying, her fingers sore from lugging it all the way down the street. She’d just moved into her new flat in London, three years after leaving her old life and the worst agency (ever) behind. The last thing she expected was a run-in with anyone from that world.
As she passed by a stately old house, its door swung open, and a figure stepped out. Tall, impeccably dressed, with a slight air of entitlement – even before he looked up, Ruby could tell he wasn’t the type to go unnoticed. She froze, the box almost slipping from her hands.
“Oh! Can I help you with that?” he asked, his voice polished but with a faint trace of a smirk. His dark eyes settled on her, assessing.
She straightened, recovering her grip on the box. “I’m fine, thank you.” She tried to keep her tone polite but firm, unwilling to show any hint of vulnerability.
He tilted his head, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Suit yourself, then.” There was something almost mocking in his tone, as if he found her reluctance intriguing rather than irritating.
Ruby forced herself to look away, feeling the heat of embarrassment mixed with a flicker of irritation. But as she moved to pass him, he didn’t step aside. Instead, he held his ground, watching her with a kind of curiosity she found both unsettling and annoyingly arrogant.
“You’re new here,” he observed, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to state the obvious.
“Yes, just moved in,” she replied, keeping her tone clipped. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
He chuckled, a rich, low sound that only added to her irritation. “No need to be so defensive. I’m only trying to be neighbourly. Name’s Anthony Williams.”
Her heart skipped a beat. Williams? She’d heard that name, whispers of it during her time at the agency. She took a slow breath, reminding herself that she’d left that life behind. “Ruby Lancaster.”
“Well then, Ruby Lancaster, if you ever need anything, I’m just down the street. Though from the looks of things, I’d say you’re rather used to handling things on your own.” He gave a slight bow, a gestur