Page 151 of Dream Chaser

Silence and the vanilla scent of my apartment felt soothing—the calm amidst the chaos.

I kicked off my shoes and padded to the kitchen, my heart still hammering with each step. The shrill ring of the intercom stopped me in my tracks midway.

It couldn’t be Preston—he didn’t have my Emerport address. The other possibility stole my breath.

Ale could’ve rushed to wrap up work so he could get here sooner. One glance at the intercom’s screen, and my heart dropped to my stomach.

There he was, holding a bag of groceries, looking at the camera like he knew I’d see him.

I let him in, praying he wouldn’t notice. Praying I could act normal and cheerful, even though my hands still shook, and my cheek pulsed with each heartbeat.

The elevator came to a halt on my floor, then the achingly familiar footsteps approached.

I opened the front door but stayed in my dark foyer. “You’re fast, boss.”

The joke landed flat. Unconvincing. But Ale smiled as he leaned down. His lips brushed my forehead. “Couldn’t focus after you left. Thought I’d finish work later.”

I swallowed, locking the door. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Good to know you missed me.” Ale set the bag on the floor, then light flooded the foyer. Shit. I froze, still facing the entrance.

A warm hand curled around my shoulder. “Nova?”

I turned around. His green eyes widened, the smile slipping off his face. “What the…” He brought his hand to my cheek, fingers hovering without touching. “What the fuck is this? Who did this to you?”

Words got stuck in my throat. I cleared it, but it didn’t make saying what happened any easier. “Preston,” I finally said. “He was waiting for me. We argued and he…”

Alejandro’s jaw worked. His posture turned rigid. “He hit you?”

I nodded, hugging myself.

“That son of a bitch.” The words were quiet, but his eyes grew a few shades darker. “We’ll go to the police later.” He pulled his phone from his pocket, frowning. “I hate doing this,” he whispered, “but we need proof. I’m going to take a photo of your face, okay?”

I nodded, holding back tears. I wouldn’t let Preston get away with this. I’d go to the police station as soon as I’d calmed down.

Alejandro snapped a few pictures, his hand shaking. Then he forwarded me the photos and pulled me into his arms, his chest rising and falling with agitated breaths. I pressed my forehead to his neck, letting his hug and scent calm me.

“Does it hurt a lot?” he asked. “Fuck, you must’ve been scared. I should’ve left with you.”

“No. No, you didn’t know, Ale. Don’t blame yourself. I’m okay.”

He expelled a long sigh. “Come on. We need to ice your cheek.”

He headed for the kitchen, and I trailed after him, shaking.

He pulled a bag of peas from the freezer, wrapped it in a kitchen towel, and pressed it to my cheek. Then his other arm closed around my shoulders, pulling me into his warmth. On the surface, he was calm, but I had no clue what was going through his head, and it scared me.

After a beat, he spoke. “Call Scarlett and ask her to come over. I don’t want you to be alone.”

“Where are you—” Dread surged. I stepped back, freeing myself from his arms. “Ale. No. Don’t even think about it. He’s not worth the trouble you might get into.”

He gripped my shoulders, looking me in the eyes. “He laid his filthy hands on the woman I love. I don’t give a fuck about trouble.”

The woman I love? My breath caught. I swallowed, trying to clear the knot of emotion, but it refused to budge.

Warm lips pressed against my forehead. “Tell your friend to come. I’ll see you later, and we’ll report him. Don’t worry about anything.”

He let go of me and turned, rushing to the foyer.