I Stole the Alpha's Car (18+)|✔️

Chapter 11

Stepping out of the car, I closed the door and thanked my driver.

"You're gonna knock 'em dead."

I chuckled, "I'm gonna try. Have a good night!"

"You too!" he called out before driving off down the block.

Pivoting on my toes, I craned my neck up trying to get a feel for the sheer size of the building before me. Stonework outside the first few floors, beyond that it must have been over twenty stories of glass clad modern architecture.

I might have been a small-town girl, but I had considered myself to be reasonably worldly.

Had.

Part of me wanted to pull my shoes off and run, to scurry up to Canada and hope that somehow, I could finagle myself a passport. Something told me that that crossing this threshold would change me – permanently.

Quit being a coward and get on with it.

Sucking in a steadying breath, I put on my best I-belong-here face and walked toward the entrance. A staff member greeted me and held the door.

I flashed the man a smile, "Thanks! I'm meeting someone at Bygone?"

He pointed inside, "You'll find the elevators through the lobby, on your left, miss. It's on the twenty-ninth floor."

"Thank you so much!"

Striding through the lobby, I did my best to exude confidence and grace, internally girding myself for a face-to-face encounter with a man who'd consistently reduced my nerves to jelly.

Inside the elevator, I ran my fingers over the loose half of my hair and checked my teeth with my phone. Satisfied, I watched as the elevator climbed, gaining, and losing the occasional passenger on the way to the top.

Alone in the tiny cage as it passed the twenty-second floor, I closed my eyes and whispered, "I can do this. I can get through tonight."

Moments later, the elevator dinged, and I felt the doors glide open.

I can smell him.

Opening my eyes, I walked into the subtle golden glow of low wattage chandeliers and scattered tea lights. The rear of the restaurant opened to a balcony set with tables overlooking the harbor, and the glittering lights of the city gave the scene an otherworldly ambiance.

The décor evoked gilded age opulence, and as I scanned the room, I felt my lips part in awe.

Then I saw him.

He'd been walking up to meet me when he'd stopped, caught in the act of raking his eyes over my body.

Much like I was doing to him.

Goddess, he was finely made...

His deep blue suit fit far too well. Shoulders that broad didn't belong in an impeccably tailored jacket. Those pants shouldn't hug the curves of his thighs so perfectly.

Stop before you drool.

I brought my eyes back up to his face in time to watch him finish staring at my legs.

Then his gaze caught mine.

MATE

The same thought I'd heard two nights ago, catching his eye from his position on Caroline's porch. I'd detoured past the Alpha's house on my nightly run, curious about the visiting leader from upstate New York.

I hadn't expected him to be outside.

I hadn't expected his attention to snap to me.

I hadn't expected him to set his drink down and come out to me, looking at me like the Big Bad Wolf eyeing Little Red.