Sophia burst out of Ethan's apartment building, the cool morning air hitting her like a slap in the face. She didn’t know where she was or even what time it was—her phone had died sometime last night, leaving her stranded in more ways than one. All she knew was that she was late, and Luke was going to have her neck for it.
"Half an hour late," she muttered to herself, her mind already racing through excuses she might give him. None of them were good enough. Luke had been on her case lately, saying she was distracted at work. He wasn’t wrong, but she didn’t need him breathing down her neck right now. Not after everything that had happened last night.
Her heart thudded in her chest as she walked quickly down a busy street, the unfamiliar surroundings only adding to her anxiety. She wasn’t even sure which direction she should be going. She scanned the street for a taxi or a bus, anything that could take her to work or, better yet, home so she could change out of her rumpled clothes. The tight black jeans and bar shirt she had worn the night before felt suffocating now, sticky with sweat and grime from the chaos of the park and… Ethan.
Ethan.
Her mind circled back to him, replaying the events in his apartment. His words echoed in her head. You’re not just human. She shook the thought away. Now wasn’t the time to obsess over whatever cryptic nonsense he was talking about. She had bigger problems—like making rent this month and covering her mum’s bills.
The realization hit her like a punch to the gut. “How am I even going to pay for a cab?” she whispered to herself, feeling her stomach twist with the familiar knot of financial stress. Between her school fees, living expenses, and her mother’s medical bills, every cent counted. She didn’t have extra money for unnecessary trips across town. Hell, she didn’t even know if she had time to go home. Luke would already be pissed off. Maybe she could just freshen up at work and get through another long, exhausting shift.
As she crossed the street, her head down, her mind continued to spiral. She was overwhelmed by the weight of everything—her classes, her job, her mum’s debt, and now Ethan and his bizarre warning. It felt like her whole world was crumbling under the pressure, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t hold it together.
Suddenly, the sound of a car pulling up beside her jolted her from her thoughts. Panic surged through her, her body tensing as she prepared to bolt. Her heart pounded in her ears as she imagined the drunk men from the night before—had they found her? Was this how it would end, alone in the street?
The car window rolled down, and she braced herself to run.
“Sophia,” a familiar voice called, and she froze, her heart still racing.
Ethan.
Relief and anger flooded through her at the same time, leaving her disoriented. She took a step back, staring at the sleek black car as if it were some kind of trap. What was he doing here?
“You okay?” Ethan asked, his tone surprisingly gentle, as if sensing her unease.
“What… what are you doing here?” she demanded, taking another step back. “How did you even—”
“I figured you’d need a ride.” He leaned his arm casually on the window, his eyes never leaving her. “You were in a rush when you left, and I thought you might not know where you were.”
Sophia’s frustration flared. “That’s an understatement,” she snapped, her cheeks flushing. “I’m late for work, I don’t even know where I am, and my phone’s dead. So, yeah, I could use a ride, but I don’t—” She trailed off, suddenly aware of how ridiculous she sounded.
Ethan’s lips curled into that infuriating half-smile. “Get in, I’ll take you to work.”
She hesitated. She barely knew him, and after the strangeness of the past few days, she wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone with him. But the reality of her situation—lost, late, and broke—left her with little choice. Besides, running away from him now would only make her seem even more flustered than she already felt.
With a resigned sigh, Sophia pulled open the passenger door and slid into the seat. The interior of Ethan’s car smelled like leather and something else—something that was distinctly him. She tried not to notice, but her body was still tense, on high alert from the fear and confusion that had been simmering inside her all morning.
Ethan didn’t say anything for a few minutes as he pulled into traffic. Sophia could feel his gaze flickering toward her every so often, as if he was waiting for her to say something. She wasn’t sure what to say, or if she even wanted to talk. Her head was still spinning from the way he had looked at her, the way he had spoken to her in his apartment.
After a long silence, Ethan finally spoke. “You look tired.”
“Gee, thanks,” Sophia muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. “That’s exactly what a girl wants to hear.”
Ethan let out a small chuckle, but he didn’t push her. “Rough night, huh?”
Sophia shot him a glare. “You could say that.”
He glanced at her, his face softening slightly. “Look, I didn’t mean to freak you out back there. I just… I don’t want anything happening to you.”
Sophia frowned, turning to face him fully. “What do you mean by that? Why would anything happen to me?”
Ethan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. He seemed to be debating whether or not to answer her, and that only made her more suspicious.
“You’re not like other people, Sophia,” he said finally, his voice low.
She let out a frustrated sigh, the weight of the situation starting to press down on her again. “You keep saying that, but you’re not explaining what it means. If you know something, just tell me.”
Ethan’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, she thought he might ignore her question altogether. But then he sighed, glancing at her briefly before focusing back on the road. “I can’t explain everything right now, but you’re special. There’s something in you—something that’s been hidden. I felt it the moment I met you.”
Sophia’s frustration flared again. “This is insane. You don’t even know me.”
“I know more than you think,” Ethan said, his voice serious. “And I know that those men from the park last night weren’t just drunk. They could sense it too—what you are.”
“What I am?” She shook her head, disbelief flooding her. “I’m just a person, Ethan. I’m just… me.”
He looked at her, his eyes holding something deeper, something almost primal. “You’re more than that.”
Sophia didn’t know how to respond. She wanted to laugh, to tell him that he was crazy, but there was something in the way he said it that made her stop short. Her mind raced with questions she wasn’t sure she wanted the answers to. What was he talking about? What did he mean by “more than human”?
Before she could ask any more questions, Ethan pulled the car to a stop in front of the bar where she worked. The sight of it brought her crashing back to reality—her job, her responsibilities, and Luke waiting inside with his usual scowl.
“I’ll pick you up after your shift,” Ethan said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Sophia opened her mouth to protest, but then she saw the look in his eyes. He wasn’t asking. He was telling her. And despite everything, despite her confusion and her anger, she found herself nodding.
“Fine,” she muttered, opening the car door. “But this conversation isn’t over.”
Ethan smiled, that infuriatingly charming smile that made her heart skip a beat, and she slammed the door behind her, trying to shake off the whirlwind of emotions inside her.
As she walked into the bar, her mind was still reeling from the morning’s events, but one thing was clear: whatever Ethan was talking about, whatever he believed she was—it was only the beginning.