Alexa up, she fumbled for her p

She managed to type in her Brooklyn address and requested a c

n his window. "Alexa?" he asked, his eyes roaming over her in a wa

pen the back door and slid onto the cracked vinyl seat. The car sme

She opened her eyes. They weren't on the main road to the bridge any

" she said, her voice shar

pt his eyes on the road, but she could see him watching h

d it. A soft, almost

replaced by a terrifying clarity. She lunged for the

nded, her voice rising.

. He pressed his foot on the accelerator,

was on their tail, closing the distance with terrifying speed. It swerved into the oncoming lan

ing in protest before crashing into the back of the SUV with a sickening crunch of metal. The i

e looked up just in time to see the drive

door open and hauled Mike Kowalski out

the driver sputtered

e held him there with one hand, his eyes burning with a rage so intense it was frightening. He pulled out his

his voice a low, lethal growl. The driver st

or open with a single, sharp tug. He saw Alexa huddled in the corner, shaking, a dark bruise already

ice rough, but gentle. "Ge

passenger door and carefully helping her inside. The interior smelled o

ody, and draped it over her shoulders. The weight of it was c

nce in the car was absolute, broken only by the soft sound of her own ragged b

ddenly, her voice rough. "This isn't...

ook at her. "I was in the area handling some business," he said, his

e, moving into her personal space. She flinc

strap brushing against her chest,

from his body. He didn't move back right away. He

e, "is what happens when you're alone and

to tell him she could take care

g to a persuasive murmur, "your safety becomes my responsibi

b. He parked the car, got out, and walked her all the way to the elevator in the

urned and slipped his jacket off he

whispered, the wo

e looked at her for a long moment, his expression unread