Chapter 2 2

Chapter Two

Sophia Martinez

Outside, the storm had gotten worse, matching the hurricane in my heart. I stood under the building's marble entrance, completely lost. I couldn't go to the family mansion in the Hamptons, it was closed while Dad and my twin brother Marcus were still in L.A. closing business deals. The staff wouldn't return until next week, when I was supposed to officially start my new position.

A hotel? Absolutely not. The paparazzi would smell blood in the water. "Martinez Beauty Empire Heiress Checks Into Hotel Alone After Midnight, Soaking Wet and Crying", the headlines would destroy me before sunrise.

There was only one person in all of New York City I could call. One person who had always been there for me, even when my own fiancé wasn't.

With trembling fingers, I dialed the number I knew by heart.

"Sophia?" Alexander Kane's deep voice answered after just one ring, like he'd been waiting.

A broken sob escaped before I could stop it.

"Sophia? What happened? Are you hurt?" His voice went sharp with worry, and I could hear him moving around, probably getting dressed.

"Alex," I whispered, my voice cracking like broken glass. "I'm sorry for calling so late, but I didn't know who else."

"Don't apologize. Ever. Where are you? Aren't you supposed to be in California until Thursday?"

"I came back early to surprise Ethan," I said, laughing bitterly through my tears. "Turns out the surprise was all mine. I found him with Victoria Sterling. In our bed."

The silence on the other end was deadly. Then I heard what sounded like something being thrown against a wall.

"Where are you right now?" His voice was ice-cold fury wrapped in silk.

"Outside Ethan's building. I can't go home, the house is closed, and I can't face a hotel. The photographers..." My voice broke again.

"Ten minutes," Alex cut me off. "I'm already in the car."

Relief flooded through me like warm honey. "Thank you."

The line went dead, and I pressed myself deeper into the shadows, watching rain turn Manhattan into a watercolor painting. Ten minutes. I could survive ten minutes.

I tried not to think about Ethan and Victoria upstairs, probably laughing about the pathetic girl who thought love was real. Tried not to remember all those video calls over the past year when Ethan swore he missed me, that he was faithful, while another woman shared his bed.

Moments later, headlights cut through the rain like swords, and a black Bugatti pulled up to the curb. The door opened, and Alexander Kane stepped out into the storm, six feet four inches of controlled power in a perfectly tailored suit that somehow looked perfect despite the weather.

"Sophia!"

I looked up at my brother's best friend, the man who'd built a tech empire worth billions before turning thirty. The man who'd always treated me like I mattered, not just as Marcus's little sister. The man who was supposedly engaged to Senator Harrison's daughter, though I'd never seen them together.

"Alex," I breathed, fresh tears mixing with the rain on my face.

He didn't hesitate. Strong arms pulled me against his chest, and I didn't care that my soaked dress was ruining his expensive suit. I buried my face in his shoulder, breathing in his scent, cedar wood and something that made me feel safe for the first time all night.

"I've got you," he whispered against my hair. "I've got you, Princess."

Suddenly, his entire body went rigid. Following his gaze, I saw Ethan at the building entrance, half-dressed and panicked, staring at us with desperate eyes.

Alex gently guided me toward the car, opening the passenger door. "Get in," he said softly. "You're freezing."

As soon as I slid into the leather seat, Alex reached behind me and pulled out a thick, warm jacket, not his suit jacket, but a soft fleece-lined one he'd obviously brought just for me. He wrapped it around my shoulders, his hands gentle but efficient.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, his dark eyes searching my face. "Did he touch you? Did he hurt you in any way?"

I shook my head, unable to speak through my chattering teeth.

Alex immediately turned the car's heater to full blast, warm air flooding around me. Then he reached into the back seat and produced a soft towel.

"For your hair," he said quietly, handing it to me. "You'll catch pneumonia."

As I wrapped the towel around my dripping hair, Alex pulled out a silver thermos from somewhere and unscrewed the cap. The smell of chamomile tea filled the car.

"Drink this," he ordered gently, pouring the steaming liquid into the cap that doubled as a cup. "It's still hot."

My hands shook as I took the warm cup, and Alex steadied my fingers with his own. "Easy," he murmured. "Take your time."

"Alex, you don't have to." I started.

"Drink," he interrupted firmly but kindly. "We'll talk after I handle something."

He stepped back toward the building entrance where Ethan was still standing, and I watched from the warm safety of the car as Alex walked toward my ex-fiancé with deadly calm.

"Alex, don't." I started, but he was already walking toward Ethan with the smooth, deadly grace of a predator.

I watched from behind the car as Ethan backed up, his face going white.

Alex's fist connected with Ethan's jaw so hard that I heard the crack from twenty feet away. My ex-fiancé hit the ground like a sack of rocks, blood streaming from his nose.

I couldn't hear what Alex said next, but I saw his lips move with cold fury, and whatever words he spoke made Ethan stumble backward like he'd been slapped. When Alex returned to the car, his expression was ice-cold satisfaction.

"What did you tell him?" I asked as he slid into the driver's seat.

"That he better hope he never shows his face in my presence again," Alex replied quietly, his voice carrying a dangerous edge. "Some lines should never be crossed."

The drive to Alex's penthouse was silent except for the rain drumming against the windows. I sipped the warm tea from his thermos, feeling it chase away some of the cold that had settled deep in my bones. The jacket he'd wrapped around me smelled like him, clean, masculine, safe.

I stole glances at Alex as he navigated the wet streets. At thirty-one, he was one of Manhattan's most successful tech moguls, brilliant and intensely private. He'd always been Marcus's best friend, but over the years, he'd become something like a protective older brother to me, too. While I was in California, our occasional text conversations had become a bright spot in my increasingly lonely days.

The Bugatti pulled into the underground garage of a gleaming tower that reached toward the clouds. As we stepped out of the car, my legs gave way, the shock and exhaustion finally hitting me all at once.

"Whoa, easy there, princess." Alex caught me before I could fall, his strong arms steadying me against his chest. "I've got you."

He noticed immediately how I was still shivering despite the warm jacket. Without a word, he shrugged off another coat from the back seat, a thick wool overcoat, and wrapped it around me over the first jacket.

"Better?" he asked, his hands rubbing my arms through the layers of warmth.

I nodded, leaning into his strength as he kept one arm around my waist, supporting me as we walked to his private elevator.

"Sophia, look at me." His voice was gentle but firm as the elevator carried us upward.

I turned to face him, suddenly aware of how I must look, mascara everywhere, hair still damp despite the towel, shivering in multiple layers of his clothes.

"Are you hurt?" His dark eyes searched my face with genuine concern. "Did he put his hands on you? Did he hurt you in any way?"

I shook my head, fresh tears threatening to spill. "No, just... just my heart."

His penthouse was everything I expected: modern, elegant, and spotless. Floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of the city that sparkled like diamonds against black velvet.

"First things first," Alex said, guiding me gently toward a hallway. "You need to get out of those wet clothes and freshen up. The guest bathroom has everything you need, robes, towels, whatever you want. Take your time."

He disappeared and returned with a soft silk robe and fuzzy slippers. "These should fit. I'll make some fresh tea while you get comfortable."

Twenty minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom feeling more human. The hot shower had washed away the rain and tears, and the silk robe was surprisingly perfect, soft and warm against my skin. My hair was dry and pulled back in a simple ponytail.

Alex was waiting in the living room with a fresh pot of tea and what looked like homemade cookies on a silver tray.

"Better?" he asked, and I could see the relief in his eyes when I nodded.

He gestured to the plush sofa. "Sit. You look exhausted."

As I curled up on the couch, Alex wrapped a cashmere throw around my legs and handed me a steaming cup of chamomile tea.

"Alex?" I called softly as he settled into the chair across from me.

"Yeah, princess?"

"Why did you punch him?" The question had been burning in my mind since it happened.

His jaw tightened. "Because he deserved it. And because someone needed to show him there are consequences for treating you like garbage."

I sipped my tea, letting the warmth spread through me. "Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"What am I going to do? I feel so lost right now."

Alex leaned forward, his expression serious but kind. "Right now, you don't need to do anything except rest. I'm going to call Marcus and your father, let them know you're safe and with me. Everything else can wait until tomorrow."

"You don't have to take care of me," I whispered, though the thought of being alone made my chest tight with panic.

"Yes, I do," he said simply. "You're family, princess. And family looks out for each other."

He stood up, pulling out his phone. "I'm going to make those calls now. Try to get some rest, okay? We'll figure out the rest tomorrow."

As he walked toward his office, I couldn't help but wonder how I'd gotten so lucky to have someone like Alex in my life. Someone who would drop everything to rescue me, who would fight for me, who would take care of me when my whole world fell apart.

But those were thoughts for another time. Tonight, I just needed to let someone else be strong for me.