Ava Martinez doesn’t do dependence. Not on people, not on money, not on promises that feel too good to be real. So when a night out with her friends turns into a game of leaving anonymous notes on strangers’ cars, she doesn’t think twice before writing a joke on a sticky note and slipping it under a windshield: “I like your car. Wish I had a matching purse.” —with her real number attached. It’s supposed to mean nothing. Then someone texts her back. Ethan Cole is not supposed to be the kind of man who replies to things like that. Billionaire, business owner, controlled to the point of detachment—he doesn’t chase strangers from bars. Except he does. What starts as teasing messages turns into something neither of them knows how to define: late-night conversations, stubborn arguments, and a connection that refuses to stay casual. Ava doesn’t accept money from anyone. Ethan doesn’t understand why she won’t let him take care of her. And both of them are far too stubborn to back down first. But when joking turns into real attachment, and distance turns into wanting, they realize the hardest part isn’t meeting each other. It’s deciding what it means when they can’t walk away anymore. Because Ethan doesn’t just want her attention. And Ava doesn’t just want his words. She wants control. And he’s starting to want her anyway.