Tangled Hearts

Part 2: The Mysterious Stranger

Sophia's car hummed steadily beneath them, the road a blur as she sped through the quiet night. The silence between them was thick, charged with unspoken thoughts, but it didn't bother her. She wasn't the type to get uncomfortable in the face of uncertainty. Her hands gripped the wheel with the same confidence she always had, her eyes never straying from the road. But she could feel Asher's tension beside her, like he was waiting for something-maybe an attack, maybe some sudden betrayal. His muscles were tight, his fists clenched in his lap. She didn't blame him. He'd been dragged into this mess by someone he didn't know, someone who didn't owe him anything.

But she wasn't the type to leave anyone to fend for themselves, even if she didn't owe him anything either. She had made a choice, and she wasn't backing down from it.

The question burned at her mind: Was she doing the right thing?

Sure, she had taken an oath as a doctor to help people. But taking a man-someone she barely knew, someone who couldn't even remember his name-into her life? Into her space? That was a whole other level of risky. But screw it. If she didn't make this move, who would? He had no one else, and she wasn't the kind of person who walked away from a fight, no matter how messy.

She glanced at him again, and, damn, he looked good in that disheveled, "I've been through hell" kind of way. His hair was a little too messy, his jaw too sharp, his eyes dark and haunted, like a man who had seen more than his fair share of ugly. And yet, there was something magnetic about him, like some pull she couldn't explain. But she wasn't about to let it distract her-not now. Not when his safety was on the line.

"Focus, Sophia" she muttered under her breath. "He's your patient, not some pretty distraction."

But the thing was, she wasn't sure she could stop herself from looking at him. Every time her gaze landed on him, something tightened in her chest, but she pushed the feeling down. It didn't matter. She wasn't in the business of feelings. She was in the business of surviving.

As she turned onto the street that led to her apartment building, she noticed Asher's eyes scanning the sleek, high-rise. He looked like he was trying to figure out what world he'd just stepped into. Hell, she could relate. This was a world he probably never thought he'd see, but here he was.

"What's the matter?" she asked, her tone sharp, but not unkind. She didn't expect an answer, but it wasn't like her to leave things unsaid.

His voice was low, barely above a whisper. "How do you afford all this? You're a doctor, right?"

Sophia's eyebrow arched at the question, but she didn't flinch. "Yeah, I'm a doctor. But my family isn't exactly what you'd call normal."

The words came out a little too flat, but she wasn't about to go into the family drama with him. Her old man was a billionaire who treated her like a pawn in his business empire. She didn't need to explain that to him-or anyone else. She wasn't about to make herself a pity project. Not today, not ever.

Asher didn't look entirely convinced, but she could see the question still lingering in his eyes. He didn't press her for more, though. And for that, she was thankful.

"Anyway," she added with a shrug, "it's just where I live. Nothing too crazy."

It was a lie. A big one. But she wasn't in the mood to explain herself. She parked the car in the garage and led him through the building's lobby. She moved quickly, the steady click of her heels echoing in the quiet. She wasn't afraid, even if she had every reason to be. No one was going to touch her or let her down. Not now. Not ever.

When the elevator doors opened to the top floor, she could feel his disbelief. The apartment, all sleek lines and glossy surfaces, must have felt like a different universe to him. He took it all in, like he was trying to make sense of it, but Sophia wasn't in the mood to explain. She didn't owe him answers. Not yet.

"Come in," she said, her tone cool but not unwelcoming. She was still trying to get a handle on this situation herself. She didn't need to act all soft and friendly for his sake. She was a grown woman who could take care of herself.

She handed him a glass of water, watching as his hands shook slightly when he took it. Her eyes narrowed, but she didn't comment on it. She had no intention of babysitting him. But it did make her wonder what kind of mess he was caught up in.

"Feeling okay?" she asked, her voice clipped. She didn't do pity, but she was curious if he was really as okay as he said.

"Yeah," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "Just... disoriented."

She nodded and glanced at the clock. "You need rest. I'll get you some meds and a room."

Asher hesitated, then met her eyes. "What's your name?"

The question caught her off guard, and she almost froze. She had forgotten that he didn't even know her name yet.

"Sophia," she said softly. "Sophia Anderson."

When she left him to settle into the guest room, Sophia retreated to the living room, but she couldn't shake the unease that crawled up her spine. This whole situation reeked of trouble, and she wasn't sure what the hell she was getting herself into.

She grabbed her phone and quickly typed "Asher Blackwood" into the search bar. Nothing. Not a damn thing.

Her eyes narrowed. The men who had attacked him at the hospital were bad news, but there was something else. Asher was hiding something. A man like him didn't just show up out of nowhere. And she was about to get tangled in whatever dangerous web he was wrapped up in.

She leaned back, letting out a slow breath. She couldn't back out now. She was in this.

And if anyone was going to get to the bottom of it, it was going to be her.