Chapter 2

Summer's POV

The Manhattan Club's crystal chandeliers sparkled overhead, but they felt like a blur through my fifth glass of whiskey. I’d never been a heavy drinker, but after the nightmare at The Plaza, I needed something to dull the bitter taste of betrayal.

"Now that's a crime," a male voice drawled from my left. "A beautiful lady drinking alone?"

I didn't bother turning. "Not interested."

"Playing hard to get?" A second voice joined in. "Come on, sweetheart. Let us show you a good time."

Suddenly, the room seemed to tilt. My head was spinning far more than it should have been. Something's wrong. This wasn't just the alcohol. A creeping dread seeped through the haze—I couldn't think straight, and my limbs felt unnaturally heavy.

"Back off," I managed to slur, but my tongue felt like lead.

The men didn't listen. They stepped closer, their intentions clear in their predatory smiles. "Looks like someone can't handle her liquor," one said with false concern. "We should help her out."

Strong hands gripped my arms, pulling me up. I tried to fight, to scream, but my muscles refused to respond. They half-dragged me toward a private VIP room at the back of the club. Terror clawed at my chest as the door swung shut behind us.

"Please," I whispered, feeling completely vulnerable. "Let me go."

One of the men began to loosen his tie, moving toward me with a sickening grin. Just as I thought I was lost, the door burst open with enough force to splinter the frame.

A tall figure stood in the doorway, his presence alone making the temperature in the room drop. It was the man from the crosswalk—Brandon Stark.

"Get your hands off her," he said, his voice deceptively soft but carrying a terrifying edge of authority.

The men froze. "Mr. Stark? We... we didn't know she was with you."

"Did you touch her?" Brandon stepped forward, his eyes like ice. The two men fumbled, backing away in sheer terror.

As I struggled to stand, my legs gave out. I didn't hit the floor; instead, I collided with something solid and warm. Brandon’s strong arms steadied me, lifting me effortlessly into his embrace. I buried my face in his shoulder, the world finally fading into black as he carried me away from the nightmare.