Daria had dressed in civilian clothing tonight, a short black shirt and a filmy gray blouse that complemented her eyes. High, sexy-heeled shoes even encased her feet; she almost never wore them.

She’d arrived in New York shortly after Sante’s death. As soon as Daria had cleared her mother’s threshold, exhausted from the long journey, her mom had known instantly that she’d been Chosen. Her mother had been shocked, but once Daria had explained the circumstances to her, she’d settled down.

Daria was also settling down, adjusting to her new life as a Chosen. It wasn’t easy, but Daria had never shirked from a challenge. That’s why she was here.

There were few people in the bar, so she spotted him immediately. He sat at a table by the large window, framed by darkness and softly falling snowflakes. The building was a temporary residence, condos rented for the short term. The bar was on the top of the two hundred and fifty-six floors. The view was nice.

But that’s not what she’d come for.

Alejandro’s head was bowed, his shoulders hunched. His fingertips rested on the rim of a short crystal glass filled with amber liquid. His other hand cradled his head.

Daria walked to the table. Her insides shook with uncertainty. He’d left her that afternoon back at the dome, with not even a good-bye. She couldn’t be sure how he would react to her appearance.

He raised his gaze to hers. It caught and held.

“Hey there,” she said.

Alejandro blinked, shifted in his chair. “Daria.”

“Can I sit down?”

“Of course.”

She sat down at the table across from him.

He studied her with an expression made of suspicion. “Why are you here?”

She shrugged. “I figured you’d chased me enough. It was time I do the chasing.”

He said nothing; he only pushed his glass at her.

She took a long drink, drained it to the dregs, in fact. She needed the strength for what she was about to do. Then she signaled the tall brunette cocktail waitress for another. How quaint. The wait people were human rather than droid. You didn’t see that much anymore.

“You came all the way here to see me?”

“I’m also here to see my mother.”

“New York City isn’t anywhere near Madrid, Daria.”

“Sure it is.” She grinned. “If you hop an aerotram, it is. Do you not think you’re worth the side trip? Should I leave?” Her throat tightened at the thought even though she’d managed a light tone. She swallowed hard and glanced away.

He leaned back in his chair. “How’d you know where to find me?”

“Just a little investigative work. The GBC gave me your mother’s address. Your brother said you were staying here. I went to your room, and when you weren’t there, I tried the bar.”

The waitress arrived with fresh drinks for both of them. Thank god. He stared at her, his dark eyes piercing and his expression unreadable. “So again, I ask . . . why did you come?”

Damn. He wasn’t going to make this easy for her, was he?

“I can do better than I have been, Alejandro,” she said softly, looking down at the surface of the table that separated them. “If you’ll let me, I want to try.”

He said nothing.

She raised her gaze, found his intense, dark eyes and unreadable face, and blundered on. “Back at the dome Ari said something that made a lot of sense. She said, you have to love like you’ve never been hurt because life won’t be worth much if you don’t. I realized that life isn’t worth much to me if you’re not in it, Alejandro. In fact, I have trouble imagining a future that doesn’t have you in it. I knew it before that last day under the dome, but it took thinking you’d been killed by pulse fire that brought it home.”

“I told you I loved you, and you said nothing.”

She shook her head. “I know. I was just tongue twisted and still shocked by the revelation I’d had.” She paused. “And dumb. I was definitely dumb. I should have said it then, that day.”

His eyes narrowed.

Oh, god. This wasn’t going well. She babbled on. They said confession was good for the soul, at least. “So let me say it now. I love you, Alejandro, and I’m hoping that what you said back at the Shining Way was true . . . that you love me back.”

He said nothing for several long moments, and Daria’s face grew warm. She looked away from his inscrutable gaze and began to regret making the trip. No, that wasn’t true. She didn’t regret coming here and telling him the truth. That was something she’d needed to do, regardless of the outcome.

But maybe there was no hope for them as a couple. Maybe too much lay between them. Maybe she was stupid for ever thinking this would work between them. Maybe Alejandro didn’t want it to work and she’d misread him horribly.

Maybe she’d made too many mistakes.

His hand covered hers.

She looked up into his face and her breath hitched. His expression was inscrutable no longer. Love—pure, undiluted, like nothing she’d ever received from another human being—shone in his eyes. They held her in shining warmth. “I’ve been waiting a long time to hear those words, Daria.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t say them sooner.”

“I think you just need practice.”

She squeezed his hand. “I think I just need you, Alejandro.”

They leaned across the table in the middle of the bar and kissed while laughter rang out around them.