Reese stared at her phone long after Christian's message disappeared from the screen. The weight of his words—I told you I wouldn't play fair—hung heavily in the quiet of her condo, wrapping around her. She paced the length of her living room, her bare feet gliding silently against the cool hardwood floors.

She hated how effortlessly he could unravel her, how a single, simple text could pull her back into the dangerous orbit she escaped months ago. Exhaling sharply, Reese closed her eyes, pressing her fingertips to her temples, trying to will him out of her thoughts.

A sharp knock at the door jolted her from her thoughts. For a moment she hoped it was Collin circling back—his presence, at least, could steady her. But when she opened the door, Naomi stood there, one brow arched in silent question, holding up two cups of coffee.

"I come bearing caffeine," Naomi said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation, "and to beg for a favor."

Reese sighed and shut the door. "A favor? Should I be worried?"

Naomi set the coffee cups on the counter and turned to face her with a sheepish grin. "Maybe. You know how my parents were supposed to come here for Christmas because they missed Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah," Reese said, crossing her arms.

"Well, they won't be able to make it again, so Scott and I decided to go to them instead." Naomi leaned against the counter, watching Reese's reaction.

Reese nodded, sipping the coffee Naomi handed her. "That sounds nice. When's the last time you went home?"

Naomi waved her hand dismissively,"It's been years. I'm not exactly a fan of the East Coast anymore."

Reese smirked. "Duly noted. But what does this have to do with me?"

Naomi smiled sweetly. "I have a few showings of commercial properties lined up while I'm gone, and I was hoping—more like praying you could cover for me. And before you say no, I already mentioned it to Vincent and Victor, and they're totally fine with it."

Reese narrowed her eyes, taking another sip of her coffee. "So basically, I didn't have a choice."

"Not really," Naomi admitted with a soft laugh. "But I love you for it and owe you big time." Naomi's gaze drifted toward Collin's jacket draped over the back of the couch.

"So…" Naomi drawled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Did Collin stay over last night?"

Reese followed Naomi's line of sight and felt her face warm. "Yes, he did. Actually," she said, grabbing the coat and folding it neatly, "if you must know, he stays here quite a bit now."

Naomi's eyes widened with interest as she plopped onto the couch. "Oh? And when did that happen?"

Reese hesitated, smoothing a hand over her sweater. "I don't know… it just kind of happened."

Naomi smirked knowingly. "Mmm, I bet you had a good night then."

Reese rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the small smile. "Yeah, we did. We went to his office Christmas party."

Naomi perked up, sensing something beneath Reese's casual tone. "What is it?"

"It's nothing. He told me short notice, but I was happy to accompany him."

"You sure?"

Reese opened her mouth to downplay it, but Naomi's expectant stare told her it was pointless. Sighing, she sank onto the couch. "Christian Grey showed up at the party."

Naomi nearly choked on her coffee. "Wait, what?! What was he doing there?"

"Apparently, he's expanding his business, and Goldman Sachs is handling his investments," Reese explained, swirling her coffee absentmindedly.

Naomi leaned forward. "Oh wow. Well, that's good for Collin's career, right?"

"Yeah, it is," Reese said, her voice carefully measured. "And Collin's going to be part of his advisory group, so I'm happy for him."

Naomi's brow furrowed. "But?"

Reese looked away, tucking her hair behind her ear. "You have to promise not to say anything, okay?"

Naomi set her coffee down, sensing the shift in Reese's tone. "Okay, what is it?"

Reese chewed her bottom lip before speaking, her voice quieter. "After the Melrose sale... Christian and I slept together."

Naomi's eyes widened, and she shot to her feet. "I knew it" she exclaimed. "You were too distraught for it to have just been about his ex showing up disrupting the signing."

Reese groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Was it that obvious?"

Naomi grinned. "To me? Yes. I mean, the tension between you two was off the charts that night."

Reese sighed, leaning back against the couch. "The worst part is… he kissed me last night."

Naomi's jaw dropped. "What?! Reese! What did you do?"

"I pushed him away," Reese said quickly. "But it... it made me think about what could have happened if things had been different." She rubbed her temples. "And now he's working with Collin. And Collin keeps saying how I could help Christian find properties."

Naomi shook her head in disbelief. "Does Collin know anything about what happened between you two?"

Reese shook her head, a pang of guilt settling deep in her chest. "No. And I intend to keep it that way."

Naomi's expression softened as she sat back down beside Reese. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Collin seems really invested this time."

Reese stared blankly, her thoughts swirling. "I know. I thought I was over Christian, but being around him, it's like he pulls me into this... vortex."

Naomi reached for Reese's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "What do you want?"

"Collin," her voice was shaky and unsure.

"Then fight for what you want. If Collin is it, don't let Christian mess with your head."

Reese nodded slowly. "You're right."

"I know," Naomi said with a playful wink. "Now, what's on the agenda today?"

Reese sighed, shaking off the lingering tension. "I guess I'm heading to Redwood to get caught up on these properties I have to show."

Naomi grinned. "Well, let me buy you lunch first. It's the least I can do for hijacking your schedule."

Reese smiled, feeling a small weight lift from her chest. "Deal."