(Sophie)
The door clicked behind me as Alexander walked in. I smelled the faint scent of the restaurant on him before I even saw the bag in his hands. My stomach twisted into a small smile. He always did these little things, showing up when I needed him, even if I didn’t say it aloud.
“Hey,” he said, setting the bag down on the counter. “I got food.”
I didn’t look up immediately. My eyes stayed on the screen in front of me, where my lists and notes about Marcus sprawled across the document. I had mapped out every tactic, every likely ally, and every hole in his schemes. I wanted him to see that I wasn’t helpless. That I wasn’t panicking. That I had a plan.
“I’ve been working,” I said, finally looking up. “Making sure I know exactly what we’re dealing with. Every move he’s tried, every
