A Stranger in the Night

A Silent Threat

Emma's fingers curled around the edge of the door.

Her body screamed at her to shut it.

To lock it.

To run.

But she couldn't move.

The man in front of her stood perfectly still.

His eyes studied her.

Cold. Calculating.

"Just a friend."

The words echoed in her mind.

Lies.

This man wasn't a friend.

He was a warning.

—

A Battle of Wits

Emma swallowed, forcing her voice to stay steady.

"A friend of who?"

The man tilted his head.

Then—

A slow, amused smile.

"You ask too many questions, Ms. Carter."

Her stomach twisted.

He knew her name.

He knew who she was.

Emma forced her expression to remain neutral.

"And you are?"

The man exhaled, as if mildly entertained.

"Let's just say, I work for someone who's very interested in you."

Emma's chest tightened.

Moretti.

It had to be him.

—

A Dangerous Proposition

She kept her voice even.

"Then tell your boss I have nothing to do with this."

The man chuckled.

"You think that matters?"

Emma's nails dug into her palms.

"What do you want?"

His smile faded.

His next words were soft.

Too soft.

"To deliver a message."

A chill raced down her spine.

She knew what was coming before he even said it.

"If you don't leave Alexander Kingston," he murmured, "you won't live long enough to regret it."

—

A Line Crossed

Emma's breath caught.

The man took a step forward.

Too close.

Too invasive.

His voice dropped to a whisper.

"Moretti doesn't like unfinished business."

Emma's pulse pounded.

Then—

A sudden shift.

A presence behind her.

A shadow moving fast.

Then—

A gun.

Pressed against the stranger's temple.

A deep voice, low and furious.

"You just made the biggest mistake of your life."

Alexander.

—

The Hunter's Fury

Emma barely had time to react.

Alexander was ice-cold.

His expression?

Deadly.

The man didn't flinch.

He simply smirked.

"You must be Alexander Kingston."

Alexander's grip on the gun tightened.

"And you must be a dead man walking."

—

A Show of Power

The air was electric.

Emma could feel it.

The tension.

The violence barely restrained.

Then, without warning—

Alexander grabbed the man by the collar.

Slamming him against the wall.

The man grunted, but didn't resist.

Didn't fight back.

Instead—

He laughed.

"You're angry," he mused.

"Good."

Alexander's jaw clenched.

"You think this is a game?"

The man smiled.

"I think you're already losing."

—

A Warning of His Own

Alexander leaned in.

His voice was lethal.

"Tell Moretti this."

He pressed the gun harder against the man's skull.

"If he touches her—if he even breathes in her direction—"

His finger tightened on the trigger.

"He won't live to see another sunrise."

Emma shivered.

The man just smiled.

"Message received."

Then, just like that—

Alexander released him.

The man straightened his jacket.

Gave Emma one last look.

And walked away.

—

A Fractured Moment

The door slammed shut.

Silence.

Then—

Emma exhaled shakily.

She turned to Alexander.

"What—" Her voice cracked.

"What the hell was that?"

Alexander ran a hand through his hair.

"That was Moretti sending a message."

Emma shook her head.

"He—he threatened me."

Alexander's jaw tightened.

"And I threatened him back."

Emma stared at him.

"You think that's enough?"

His eyes darkened.

"No."

—

A Dangerous Decision

Emma's breath was uneven.

"Then what now?"

Alexander was silent for a long moment.

Then—

A decision settled in his gaze.

A cold, hard finality.

"You're not leaving my side," he said.

Emma swallowed.

"But—"

"No arguments."

His voice was steel.

"You're staying with me. End of discussion."

—

A New Kind of Prison

Minutes later, Alexander's security team arrived.

They swept the penthouse.

Checked every entrance.

Set new protocols.

Emma should have felt safe.

Protected.

But instead—

She felt trapped.

Because deep down, she knew—

This wasn't protection.

This was a cage.

—

A Sleepless Night

Emma lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

She should be exhausted.

She should be asleep.

But her mind wouldn't stop racing.

Moretti wouldn't stop.

Not until he got what he wanted.

And Alexander—

He would burn the world down before he let that happen.

Emma shivered.

Because now?

Now she wasn't sure which scared her more.

Moretti.

Or the man lying beside her.