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"Interested in having friends, not this!"
He laughs, but it's not a pleasant sound. It's condescending and mean. "You're hot, okay? I know you're into me too."
I can't believe this is happening. My heart is racing so fast that it hurts. He's right there, pressed up against me, and when he tries to kiss me, I turn away.
"Hey, don't be like that," he mutters, his breath stinking of beer.
"Andrew—"
I barely manage to get his name out before he's pulled off me in a blur of motion. One second he's there, and the next, there's a muffled thud, and he's hitting the ground.
I'm frozen, blinking back tears and trying to catch my breath, but another figure is moving, and when he steps into the light, it's the dark-haired stranger from the cafe. Shock flashes through me, followed by a jolt of relief that leaves me swaying on my feet.
"Are you okay?" His voice is a growl.
"Yes," I lie.
He looks at Andrew, who's groaning and climbing to his feet. "What the fuck, man?"
The man in black has him by the collar in a flash of movement, shoving him up against the wall in a violent imitation of what Andrew did to me. "If you ever even speak to her again—hell, if you even THINK about her again—I'll break every one of your fingers until you reconsider, you fucking rat. Understand?"
"Bro, I have no clue what you're even talking about." Andrew's hands are up, and his voice is shaking, but my mysterious savior just bares his teeth and presses him harder into the bricks. "Fuck! Okay, okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"She's under my protection," my dark-haired rescuer snarls, his gaze flickering to me. It's so intense, I swear I can feel it, and I know that look isn't imagined. It's for me.
The man in black lets go, and Andrew runs away, his footsteps echoing through the night.
We're alone. The air is heavy with the sound of my own harsh breathing, and the mysterious man stands there, staring at me. "Did he hurt you?"
"I-I'm okay."
"I shouldn't have left you alone," he mutters, moving closer, but I take a step back.
"Wait, who are you?"
He looks at me, his eyes so dark that they're almost black, and when he speaks, his voice is rough. "You know who I am." He reaches out, knuckles ghosting over my cheekbone before his hand drifts down to take mine. "Come with me. I've got something that will help calm you down."
"How do you know?" The question is dumb, and he smiles, and damn. That smile, with those sharp features, is so sexy.
"Trust me, I know." He turns and tugs on my hand, urging me to follow him. I should go home. I should be smart about this. I should call the cops and tell them everything.
But I don't. Instead, I let him lead me to his car—a sleek, expensive vehicle that looks brand new.
"Get in," he orders, and I do, because I'm not sure I have a choice.
A minute later, we're speeding away from the theater, and the entire ride, he doesn't say a word, although his fingers are clenched tightly around the steering wheel. To my surprise, the route we take is familiar, and before I know it, we're pulling into the parking lot of Sage and Salt. It's almost 1 AM, so of course the cafe is dark, but my stranger gets out and comes to help me out of the car before striding to the door confidently. He presses a long code into the keypad above the doorknob, and a second later, the door swings open.
"You have the code to the cafe?"
He pauses, his back to me. When he turns, the expression on his face is hard to read, but I think I can make out a hint of amusement.
"Yes. Don't ask any more questions, Alina. Let me take care of you."
How does he know my name? I shiver, the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. There's something in the way he says the words, so softly, almost reverently, that sends a flutter of heat to the pit of my belly. He walks to the back, and I follow him. Even though the lights are off, the street lamps outside cast enough light for me to see as I go.
At the back, in the little kitchen, he pulls out a stool from beneath the counter and motions for me to sit.
"I know this place well," he says, reaching into the cupboards and taking out a small teapot. "Do you like tea?"
