Chapter 3

Olivia

My fist throbbed from connecting with the guy's head, but it hadn't done enough. Emilia whimpered as he yanked her hair harder, forcing her head back at an unnatural angle.

"Let her go, you piece of shit!" I hissed, fear and fury colliding in my chest.

"Or what?" He laughed, his breath reeking of whiskey. "You gonna hit me with your little purse again?"

The other men from the car were climbing out now, their movements predatory as they circled around us. The driver, with his gold tooth catching the dim streetlight, stepped toward me.

"C'mon baby, we just wanna have some fun." His eyes never left my chest. "You're dressed like you want attention. We're just giving you what you want."

"I want you to let my friend go and fuck off back to whatever sewer you crawled out of," I spat, backing away until I felt a tree behind me.

"Ooh, she's got a mouth on her too," said another shorter but broad-shouldered guy wearing a baseball cap. "I like that. Makes it more fun when they fight a little."

The driver reached for me, his fingers grazing my arm. I slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me!"

"Playing hard to get?" He moved closer, pinning me against the tree. "That's cute."

Emilia was still struggling against Tribal Tattoo's grip. "Liv, run! Just run!"

"I'm not leaving you," I said, looking desperately around for anything I could use as a weapon.

The driver pressed his body against mine; one hand braced on the tree beside my head. "Your friend's not going anywhere, and neither are you." His other hand reached for my breast. "Let's see if these feel as good as they look."

I brought my knee up hard, aiming for his groin, but he twisted away at the last second. My knee glanced off his thigh.

"Feisty bitch!" He grabbed my wrist, squeezing until I gasped in pain.

Headlights suddenly illuminated the scene as another car screeched to a halt beside us. The engine cut off, and the driver's door opened.

"Is there a problem here?" A deep voice cut through the night.

A tall figure emerged from the shadows into the spill of a distant streetlight. Broad-shouldered and imposing in what looked like an expensive suit, he moved with a quiet confidence that commanded attention.

"Mind your own business, man," Gold Tooth snarled, but I noticed he'd loosened his grip on my wrist.

The newcomer stepped closer, and I caught my breath. Even in the dim light, I recognized him immediately. Alexander Carter. My boss's boss's boss. The CEO of Carter Enterprises, where I'd been working as a junior marketing executive for the past eight months.

"I believe these ladies were telling you to leave them alone," he said, his voice calm but edged with steel. "I suggest you listen."

Gold Tooth sneered. "What are you gonna do about it? There's four of us and one of you."

Alexander didn't even blink. "True. But I've already called the police, and they're on their way. I'm sure they'd be interested to know about four drunk men assaulting two women on a public street."

Tribal Tattoo finally released Emilia's hair, shoving her forward. "Whatever, man. These bitches ain't worth the trouble."

Emilia stumbled toward me, and I caught her, pulling her close.

"You okay?" I whispered.

She nodded, rubbing her scalp. "Bastard nearly ripped my hair out."

Gold Tooth took a step toward Carter, puffing out his chest. "You think you're some kind of hero? Rich boy in his fancy car?"

Alexander simply stared him down, not moving an inch. "I think I'm someone who doesn't want to see two women harassed by drunken idiots. Now, you can leave on your own, or you can wait for the police. Your choice."

For a tense moment, I thought Gold Tooth might throw a punch. Instead, he spat on the ground near Alexander's polished shoes.

"Let's go," he muttered to his friends. "These sluts aren't worth jail time."

They piled back into their convertible, engine roaring to life. Gold Tooth revved it aggressively before peeling away, tires screeching.

Alexander turned to us. "Are you both all right?"

Up close, he was even more intimidating than he was at company events. Tall, with sharp features and piercing gray eyes, he had the kind of face that belonged in business magazines, where it often appeared. Despite the late hour, his dark hair was neatly styled, not a strand out of place.

"We're okay," I managed, suddenly conscious of my appearance: disheveled hair, makeup probably smeared from crying earlier, and this ridiculous dress that now felt like a terrible mistake. "Thank you for stopping."

"Do you need a ride somewhere?" he asked, his eyes briefly dropping to my chest before snapping back to my face.

"Our cab canceled," Emilia said, still rubbing her scalp. "And my boyfriend's not answering his phone."

Alexander gestured to his car, a sleek black car. "I'm happy to drive you both home."

I hesitated. This was Alexander Carter, the man who signed my paychecks and whose name was on the building where I worked. The man was known for his ruthless business tactics and cold demeanor. The last thing I needed was for him to realize I was one of his employees, especially looking like this.

"That's very kind," I said carefully, "but we don't want to impose."

"It's no imposition," he replied. "I'd rather not leave you out here after what just happened."

Emilia looked at me with raised eyebrows, silently communicating: "Are you crazy? Free ride in a sleek car with a hot, rich guy? Say yes!"

"If you're sure it's not too much trouble," I relented.

"Not at all." He opened the backseat door. "Please."

The car's interior was all black leather and gleaming surfaces. It smelled of expensive cologne and a new car, a heady combination that made my head spin—or maybe that was the adrenaline crash.

"I'm Alexander Carter," he said as he slid behind the wheel.

"Olivia," I replied, deliberately omitting my last name. "And this is Emilia."

"Pleasure to meet you both, despite the circumstances." He started the engine, which purred to life. "Where am I taking you?"

Emilia gave him her address first, and then I gave him mine.

"Rough night?" he asked as we pulled away from the curb.

Emilia snorted. "You could say that. We were at a birthday party where Liv caught her boyfriend banging the birthday girl."

"Emilia!" I hissed, mortified.

Alexander's eyes flicked to me in the rearview mirror. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's fine," I mumbled, wishing I could disappear into the leather seat.

"It's not fine," Emilia insisted. "Ryan is a cheating scumbag who deserves to have his dick fall off."

A small smile tugged at the corner of Alexander's mouth. "I take it Ryan is the ex-boyfriend?"

"As of about a few minutes ago, yes," I confirmed, wondering why I was discussing my love life with my CEO.

"Well, for what it's worth," he said, his eyes meeting mine briefly in the mirror again, "he sounds like an idiot."