Chapter 2

Noah’s pov

“I’m fine, Mum!” I tugged at the collar of my shirt, trying to stop her fussing while she fussed anyway.

She squinted at me, her hands on my chest as if she could measure my heartbeat with her palms. “Are you sure you had enough to eat? I can pack you those pancakes.” She turned to my father, who was standing at the door’s entrance. “Louis, get me those containers I packed, quick!”

“Mum, listen—I ate enough! I’m fine!” I kissed her cheek, soft and quick, hoping it would quiet her down. “I’ll be late for work if you don’t let me go.”

I love my parents. Always have. But Sandra… she was getting ridiculous. Babying me at twenty four? Really? I’m a grown man.

“Let the boy go, Sandra. You’re spoiling him too much,” Dad said gently, tugging her along.

“Will you come for dinner?”

“Mum, I just slept over!”

She waved me off, giving me that knowing little smirk that always made me laugh. “Hmph. I’m making my special potluck stew—your favorite. See you at dinner baby.” She tapped my cheeks with her warm hands. “C’mon, Louis.”

I sighed and jogged down the stairs to my Uber, cursing myself for being almost late.

I arrived at our office building just in time. As the temporary low-level manager at Harrison & Morrow Financial, I lived for these mornings—well, mornings and coffee. Dreams of working becoming the permanent manager position danced just beyond the horizon. No way could I be late.

“Morning, Noah!” a coworker whistled as I passed.

“Hey, Noah,” said a smiley woman from another desk.

“Hi, handsome.”

I grinned, my cheeks heating and my shoes clicked toward my one mission: Mara’s desk.

Mara was the most beautiful lady I have ever seen……..so yeah, she was so out of my league. Porcelain skin, sleek black hair falling to her shoulders, big blue eyes that made the office fluorescent lights seem softer. I carried coffee and a muffin to her every morning like a ritual, hoping for one smile. I live for it.

“Ohhh, you’re a freaking savior, Noah!” Mara almost moaned as she took the muffin from me and bit into it, closing her eyes.

I shrugged with a grin, my cheeks hot. “I’m just… helping.”

A hand tapped me at the back, I turned. “Boss wants to see you,” one of my colleagues says, nodding toward a glass office across the hall. I signed heading towards the office.

Back at my desk, there were files scattered across it, emails pinging with urgent requests, and somewhere buried under all that was me trying to make sense of it. Apparently, my team had been slacking and leaving me to pick up the slack. I needed to be more firm, but I hesitated most times because I was one of the youngest and most of them were way older than me.

Still….

I sank into my desk, my eyes scanning the endless rows of numbers, and I started working.

By 6’oclock which was closing time, I had already made headway. Some of my colleagues started saying their goodbyes.

“Uhh, Mara?” I leaned over the pile. “Do you have those Maroon files ready?”

“Ohh. Noah, I totally forgot, I didn’t do them yet,” she admitted, her eyes wide.

I groaned. I needed to submit those files before leaving today. Boss’s warning still stung and everything had to be perfect.

“I’m heading to dinner with my friends. Do you want me to stay back and do them?” Her voice was soft, and those big blue eyes—innocent, pleading, almost sparkling—made me hesitate.

How could I say yes?

“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. Go to your dinner.”

“You’re the best, Noah. The best.” She grabbed her bag, walking towards me for a quick peck on my cheek before heading off with her friends. Blushing, I rubbed the spot she kissed.

Some might say she was manipulating me. I’d like to think not.

Time disappeared as I got lost in files. By the time I glanced at my watch. It was 2:17AM.

Shit.

I gathered the finished files, dropping them in my boss’s office. Grabbed my bag and bolted for the elevator. I tried to order an uber as the elevator moves down but they keep cancelling.

Outside, Manhattan was late-night quiet. No taxi was around and only the distant hum of traffic and the occasional siren.

Thirty minutes to my apartment……I can make it if I use the shortcut instead of just waiting. I cut through the rear alley shortcut behind the building, and then my skin prickled and I felt a presence. Two figures leaned against a graffiti-stained wall, cigarette smoke curling lazily around them.

Please, not muggers. Please…

“Hey, pretty boy!” one shouted as I passed.

My heart skipped, I hugged my bag tightly and tried walking faster.

“Come on, peaches,” the other sneered, pushing off the wall, heading for me. “Why are you in such a hurry?”

Suddenly he was infront of me blocking my path. “I was talking to you.” His voice sounded hard now.

I swallowed. “I… I’m just heading home.”

A knife glinted in the low light, suddenly pressed near my side. “Phone and wallet. Don’t try anything funny and make me hurt that pretty face.”

“Okay, okay! Take my phone, take my wallet! It’s in my pocket!” I fumbled, my hands shaking.

One of them opened my wallet, peering inside. “What the fuck is this? Sixty bucks? You kidding me, boy? That’s it? We should take it out of you ourselves. I am kind of hungry!”

My stomach twisted as he threw the wallet on the floor and they advanced closer and I started to move backward.

This can’t be happening……this can’t be happening.

Just when my back hit the wall, one snarled, his lips pushing back and I could have swore I saw his teeth elongate. A blinding light suddenly came on and they both looked to the left as lights from a black car bathed the alley in red. The engine purred like a predator itself as the car slid to a stop beside us, the window rolling down.

“Did you call for a cab?” A voice, deep and. dangerous growled.