Page 137 of The Silver Fox Brother

"You too."

Jake walks off down the street and I pull out my phone, my hands still shaking slightly.

I don't look back at the restaurant. Don't check to see if Knox is still inside watching through the window.

But I know he is.

I can feel it in the way my skin is still buzzing, in the way my heart hasn't stopped racing since the moment he walked through that door.

I get into the first taxi that stops and give the driver my address.

As we pull away from the curb, I finally allow myself one glance back. Through the restaurant window, I can just barely make out Knox's silhouette still seated at his table.

Still watching.

***

The next morning, the car picks me up at 6am sharp. I watch the city blur past the window as we drive through Manhattan and out toward Teterboro. The sun is already fully risen, bright and clear in the morning sky. Traffic is light this early, and we make good time.

Forty minutes later, we pull onto the tarmac at the private airport. The driver opens my door and a staff member in a crisp uniform appears immediately, taking my carry on bag from the trunk.

"Right this way, Ms. Hayes."

He escorts me across the tarmac toward a sleek white jet with the Sterling Luxury logo discreetly positioned near the tail. The stairs are already down, waiting. I climb up and step inside. The flight attendant greets me at the entrance with a warm smile.

"Good morning, Ms. Hayes. Welcome aboard."

"Good morning."

"I'm Claire, and this is Captain Richardson and First Officer Martinez." She gestures toward the cockpit where both pilots nod in acknowledgment.

"Nice to meet you."

I've flown private before with Rowan's family, but this plane is different. More pristine. More spacious. The cabin is outfitted with cream leather seats, polished wood accents, and enough room that it doesn't feel cramped despite the luxury.

As I move further into the cabin, I see Knox. He's standing near the rear of the plane, phone to his ear, his back partially turned as he finishes a call. His voice is low, professional, discussing something about contract terms and closing dates.

Claire appears beside me.

"Can I get you coffee, tea, or another beverage? We'll also be serving breakfast shortly—croissants, scrambled eggs, fresh fruit."

"Coffee would be great. And yes, I'll take whatever you're serving. Thank you."

"Of course. Make yourself comfortable."

I move toward the seating area and choose a seat near the window. As I'm settling in, I hear Knox wrapping up his call.

"That's fine. Send me the revised proposal by end of day." He pauses.

"Yes. We'll discuss it when I'm back in New York."

He ends the call and I feel him approaching. I take a deep breath as Knox sits down in the seat directly across from me. There's a folded Wall Street Journal on the armrest beside him, clearly where he was sitting before I arrived. He looks at me and our eyes meet.

"Winter," he says, his tone neutral.

"Good morning."

He nods once, his expression unreadable. There's something in his gaze that looks like disdain, though it's mixed with his usual stoic control.