Claire Bennett pointed toward the tattooed stranger and laughed. "See? Exactly the kind of man I would never marry."

The man in black lifted his phone and opened the Notes app.

Claire caught one small detail on the screen.

There were already four numbered lines.

This was not the first rule he had written down.

Claire looked away before he could catch her staring.

At least, she thought she looked away in time.

Her best friend, Natalie Brooks, followed her gaze and immediately lowered her glass.

"Oh, no."

Claire frowned. "What?"

"Nothing."

"That was definitely not a nothing."

Natalie leaned across the marble table. Her dark hair fell over one shoulder as she whispered, "Maybe don't point at random men while explaining why they're walking red flags."

"I didn't point."

"You absolutely pointed."

Claire's other friend, Megan, laughed into her drink.

Claire ignored them both.

She had been having a perfectly harmless conversation before the stranger appeared.

Technically, he had been there first.

He occupied the table beside theirs like he owned not only the chair but possibly the entire terrace.

He looked somewhere in his mid-thirties. Dark hair. Short beard. Broad shoulders. Black shirt with enough buttons undone to reveal tattoos running across his chest.

More tattoos covered his forearms.

A heavy watch rested against his wrist.

His phone sat loosely in one hand.

Behind him stood another man in a black suit and sunglasses.

That alone should have made Claire stop talking.

Instead, it had made her curious.

Megan leaned closer.

"So let's clarify your impossible husband requirements."

"They're not impossible."

Natalie counted on her fingers. "No controlling you."

"Correct."

"No telling you what to wear."

"Correct."

"No deciding where you go."

"Obviously."

"No checking your phone."

"Absolutely."

"No jealousy."

"Reasonable jealousy is fine."

Megan laughed. "Ah. An amendment."

Claire rolled her eyes.

"No dangerous lifestyle."

At the neighboring table, the stranger typed something.

Claire noticed.

Natalie noticed Claire noticing.

Megan noticed both of them.

The three women went silent.

The stranger continued looking at his phone.

Claire lowered her voice.

"Is he writing this down?"

"Don't look," Natalie whispered.

Naturally, all three looked.

The stranger raised his eyes.

Directly at Claire.

Claire froze.

His expression was almost unreadable.

Almost.

There was amusement there.

He looked back at his phone and typed again.

Claire stared.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

Megan covered her smile.

"Maybe he's writing a grocery list."

"Exactly when I say 'dangerous lifestyle'?"

Natalie whispered, "Claire."

"What?"

"Stop engaging."

"I'm not engaging."

"You are arguing with a man who hasn't said anything."

Claire turned toward him.

"Excuse me."

His thumb stopped.

He looked up.

His eyes were darker than Claire expected.

"Yes?"

"Are you writing down what I'm saying?"

Natalie closed her eyes.

Megan suddenly became fascinated with the ocean.

The stranger glanced at his phone.

"Some of it."

Claire blinked.

"You admit it?"

"You asked."

"Why?"

He studied her for a moment.

Then he looked at the screen.

"Research."

"For what?"

"A question I'm considering."

Claire waited.

He didn't continue.

She folded her arms.

"Which is?"

"Whether your rules are actually rules."

"What else would they be?"

"Warnings."

Claire stared at him.

He locked the phone and placed it facedown.

Something about the movement annoyed her more than it should have.

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

He leaned back.

"Most people tell you what they want."

"And?"

"You've spent ten minutes telling your friends what you're afraid of."

The laughter disappeared from Claire's face.

That landed too close.

Natalie immediately intervened.

"Okay. This has been fun."

The stranger's gaze remained on Claire.

Claire refused to retreat.

"I'm not afraid of controlling men."

"No?"

"I avoid them."

"Usually people avoid things because they've learned what those things can do."

Claire's fingers tightened around her glass.

He saw it.

His expression changed.

The amusement disappeared.

Claire hated that even more.

"Don't analyze me."

He nodded once.

"Fair."

The answer surprised her.

No argument.

No smug comeback.

He simply accepted the boundary.

Claire turned back to her friends.

Megan mouthed, Wow.

Claire ignored her.

She tried returning to their conversation.

It didn't work.

She remained painfully aware of the man beside her.

Five minutes later, Megan brought the subject back.

"So if controlling is out, what actually matters?"

Claire sighed.

"You two are impossible."

"Answer."

Claire thought about it.

This time she wasn't joking.

"Loyalty."

The stranger's phone remained facedown.

"Someone who doesn't disappear when things get hard," Claire continued. "Someone who protects the people he loves without treating them like possessions."

The stranger's fingers stopped against the table.

Claire noticed.

"Someone who tells the truth when it matters," she added.

For the first time, something complicated passed through his eyes.

Megan smiled.

"That's actually sweet."

"Don't sound so shocked."

"And faithful?"

"Obviously."

Natalie raised her glass.

"Anything else?"

Claire hesitated.

"Someone who makes me feel safe without making me feel trapped."

Silence.

Claire turned.

The stranger was watching her.

Not smiling now.

She held his gaze.

"Did that make your list too?"

"That one," he said quietly, "was already there."

Claire's heartbeat changed.

She hated that.

"What's your name?"

He seemed surprised.

"Why?"

"So I know who to complain about to management."

A slow smile appeared.

"Adrian."

"Adrian what?"

"Vale."

The suited man behind him subtly shifted.

Claire noticed.

So did Adrian.

His eyes moved toward the man.

A silent communication passed between them.

Claire couldn't interpret it.

"Claire Bennett," Adrian said.

She went still.

"I didn't tell you my name."

Natalie stopped smiling.

Megan lowered her glass.

Adrian's expression hardened.

Not at Claire.

At himself.

Claire pushed her chair back.

"How do you know my name?"

"Claire—"

"No."

She stood.

"That's not a difficult question."

Adrian stood too.

He was taller than she had realized.

The security man moved.

Adrian raised one hand without looking at him.

The man immediately stopped.

That bothered Claire.

Actually, everything about Adrian suddenly bothered her.

"How do you know who I am?"

Adrian looked toward the resort entrance.

His jaw tightened.

Claire followed his gaze.

Two men had just entered the terrace.

Neither looked like a tourist.

One scanned the tables.

The other was looking directly at Claire.

Adrian stepped between her and them.

"Sit down."

Claire's eyes flashed.

"That's rule number one."

"I know."

"Then don't order me around."

Adrian looked back at her.

"You're right."

That stopped her.

He changed his words.

"Please sit down."

"Why?"

"Because those men aren't here for lunch."

Claire's anger weakened.

"How do you know?"

Adrian didn't answer.

The suited man approached.

"Mr. Vale."

Adrian's expression became cold.

"What?"

"We have a problem."

Claire heard the shift in his voice when he answered.

Gone was the amused stranger.

"Handle it."

The security man leaned closer.

"It's not ours."

His eyes flicked toward Claire.

"It's hers."

Claire's stomach tightened.

Adrian looked at her.

"What does that mean?" she demanded.

The security man hesitated.

Adrian said, "Tell her."

"We intercepted someone asking hotel staff which room Ms. Bennett is staying in."

Natalie stood.

"What?"

Claire felt the blood drain from her face.

"Who?"

"We don't know yet."

Adrian's phone vibrated.

He looked at the screen.

Whatever he saw erased the last trace of warmth from his expression.

He handed the phone to Claire.

A photograph filled the screen.

Claire leaving her apartment three days earlier.

Another photograph.

Claire at the airport.

Another.

Claire arriving at the resort.

Someone had been following her.

Claire looked up.

"Why do you have these?"

"They were sent to me."

"By who?"

"That's what I'm going to find out."

Claire stepped back.

"You expect me to believe this?"

"No."

Adrian looked toward the two men at the entrance.

One had disappeared.

The other was speaking into his phone.

Adrian's security man touched his earpiece.

Then his face changed.

"Sir."

"What?"

"The second man isn't outside anymore."

Adrian looked toward the hotel.

"Where?"

The guard listened.

Then he looked at Claire.

"Ms. Bennett's floor."

Claire's phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

One message.

DON'T LET VALE TAKE YOU ANYWHERE.

Claire slowly raised her eyes toward Adrian.

Before she could speak, another message appeared.

ASK HIM WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LAST WOMAN HE PROTECTED.

Claire's throat went dry.

Then a third message arrived.

A photograph.

Adrian stood beside a black car.

Blood covered his white shirt.

And in his arms was a woman who looked terrifyingly similar to Claire.

Claire turned the phone toward him.

Adrian saw the photograph.

His face went completely still.

"Who is she?" Claire whispered.

Adrian didn't answer.

The elevator behind them chimed.

Its doors began to open.

The security man reached inside his jacket.

Adrian moved in front of Claire.

And a woman's voice came from inside the elevator.

"Ask him yourself."