Chapter 2 - The Invitation to LaSalleI stood frozen on the concrete curb, my mind spinning into a whirlwind of shock and disbelief.
"He... he sent a car for me?" I whispered, my hazel eyes wide as I looked at the plush, heated interior of the sedan.
"Mr. Vance values discipline and care, Miss Reed," Marcus replied calmly, holding a silver umbrella over my head as a light freezing rain began to fall. "He observed that your shift ended at eight o'clock, and he preferred that you not wait for a rideshare in this weather."
My medical instincts told me to be cautious, but my memory of the man from the night before—the man who had stopped his hand when I stiffened, offered a phone charger without asking for anything in return, and told me to be kinder to myself—overrode my fear.
I stepped into the heated leather cabin.
The car didn't take me to my small apartment in West Chicago.
It glided smoothly downtown, turning into the private underground garage of the Vance Global Tower on LaSalle Street.
The private express elevator rose silently, opening directly into a vast, two-story penthouse executive suite overlooking the glittering lights of the Chicago skyline and the dark expanse of Lake Michigan.
Standing near a floor-to-ceiling glass window, holding a glass of sparkling water, wearing a dark silk shirt with his sleeves rolled back to his forearms, was Gabriel Vance.
At thirty-four, his six-foot-three frame radiated a natural, sovereign power that commanded the entire room. Yet when his storm-gray eyes locked onto mine as I stepped off the elevator, the cold, dangerous edge in his features softened into an unexpected, breathtaking warmth.
"Emma," Gabriel spoke, his deep baritone carrying a rich, velvet resonance that sent a pleasant shiver down my spine.
"Mr. Vance," I managed to say, holding my coat close. "Your driver... he brought me here."
Gabriel walked slowly across the Persian rug, stopping three feet from me. He didn't invade my space. He looked down at my pale face, taking in the dark circles beneath my eyes with a quiet, genuine concern.
"You worked another fourteen hours today," Gabriel noted softly. "And you haven't eaten since noon."
I blinked in utter shock. "How do you know that?"
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Gabriel offered a faint, subtle smirk—a look so handsome it made my heart flutter against my ribs.
"I make it my business to know the health of people who invade my car, Emma," Gabriel replied smoothly. "Chef Antoine prepared a warm dinner in the dining room. Join me?"
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