CHAPTER SEVENTY-NINE - AN OFFER REFUSED

  Leon's unexpected call came just as Nia was settling in for a quiet Saturday evening at home. She had changed into her comfortable loungewear, a glass of wine in hand, when her phone buzzed insistently. "Nia," Leon's voice was warm and slightly mischievous. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything important. Could you step outside your apartment building for a moment? I have a small surprise for you." Curiosity piqued, Nia quickly slipped on a pair of flats and grabbed a light jacket. "Leon, what are you up to?" she asked, unable to keep the smile from her voice. "You'll see," he replied cryptically. "Just come downstairs." As Nia stepped out of her building, her eyes widened in surprise. A sleek black limousine was parked at the curb, its polished surface gleaming under the streetlights. And there, leaning against the car with a boyish grin, was Leon. He was dressed in a perfectly tailored charcoal suit, a crisp white shirt open at the collar. In his hand, he held a single red ro