CHAPTER 54

RENEE

I have been doing everything possible to avoid Miles. Yes, even though we live under the same roof, I've made it my mission to never cross paths with him. The memory of his last words, spoken after he kissed me, still lingers in my mind. It haunts me, reminding me that I might not be able to trust myself to keep my emotions in check if I'm around him.

As I crept up the stairs, I moved with extra caution, determined not to make a sound that might give away my presence. My heart pounded as I slipped my key into the lock, quietly turned it, and pushed open the door. Without thinking, I reached for the light switch, flipping it on out of sheer habit—and then froze.

There he was, the one person I had been trying so hard to avoid, casually sitting on my sofa, his dark eyes fixed on me. He held a glass of scotch loosely in his hand, and I could almost see the amber liquid threatening to spill with just the slightest movement.