Chapter 2：An Alpha Male

Brittany’s POV

"Thank you for making this easy. For showing me exactly who you are before I wasted any more time." I grabbed my suitcase from the closet, my movements sharp and efficient. "I'm done."

"Brittany, wait—"

"No." I turned to face him, and for the first time in months, I felt... free. Hurt, angry, but free. "We're done. This toxic, exhausting bullshit is over."

I started throwing my clothes into the suitcase, not caring if they wrinkled. Lorenzo watched, his anger deflating into something that looked almost like panic.

"Where are you going to go? You don't have anywhere—"

"That's not your problem anymore." I zipped up the suitcase and headed for the door. "Don't call me. Don't text me. Don't show up at my apartment. We're finished."

As I reached the door, I paused and looked back at him one last time. He looked smaller somehow, pathetic in his half-dressed state.

"And Lorenzo? Next time you want to cheat, maybe pick a hotel with better soundproofing."

I walked out, closing the door behind me with a soft click that felt like the end of everything I thought I knew about love.

---

Pine Mountain Hotel sat on the edge of this godforsaken logging town, about four hours from home. I'd never been here before, and looking at the bus schedule posted on a rusty pole, the next one didn't leave until tomorrow morning.

Calling a cab or Uber would cost more than I made in a day—and I still had three days until payday. My bank account was a joke. Twenty-three dollars and forty-seven cents. Not even enough for gas money if I had a car, which I didn't.

So here I was, standing outside this dingy town bar, planning to drink myself stupid. After all, where the fuck else was I supposed to go with my suitcase full of lingerie and sex toys? Maybe I'd get lucky and some guy would buy me drinks all night...

I pushed open the heavy wooden door, and the bar was packed with the biggest men I'd ever seen. Probably loggers, maybe miners. Every single one of them was built like a fucking tank—muscular, broad-shouldered, almost unnaturally tall.

And handsome as hell too, with this rough, dangerous edge that made my pulse quicken. Even the few women in here looked intimidating: beautiful, athletic, like they could bench press my entire body weight.

I hovered near the entrance, second-guessing this decision. Maybe finding a park bench would be safer than—

Thud.

I collided with something solid. Not just solid—a wall of muscle. A chest that felt like it could stop bullets, warm and firm beneath what had to be the tightest black t-shirt known to mankind.

And the smell. Jesus Christ, the smell that hit me was intoxicating—like rich wine with hints of chocolate, sophisticated and completely overwhelming.

The scent flooded my senses, rushing from my nose straight to my chest like a warm embrace wrapping around my heart.

I carefully opened my eyes and found myself staring into gray-green eyes that seemed to look straight through to my soul.

A hand touched my waist, and electricity shot through my entire body. The touch was gentle but firm, sending heat racing up my spine.

"How long are you planning to stay in my arms exactly?"

That voice—low, gravelly, with an edge that made my knees weak. I slowly turned around.

Holy shit.

The man standing behind me was massive. Golden hair, sharp gray-green eyes that seemed to see everything. His black t-shirt clung to his chest like it was painted on, probably bulletproof with all that muscle underneath.

But the small mole under his right eye caught me off guard—such a delicate feature on a man who looked like he could tear a tree apart with his bare hands.

"I..." My voice came out as a whisper. "Sorry... I was just checking this place out."

He stepped closer, and I caught more of his scent—pine, leather, and something wild that made my heart race.

"Well," he said, his gaze never leaving mine.

He looked one hundred percent like a real man, nothing like that whining, pathetic piece of shit I'd left back at the hotel.

"Wow," I breathed without thinking, earning an amused smile from this gorgeous stranger.

I flushed with embarrassment, trying to cover my burning cheeks with my hands.

"Sorry. God. You're so beautiful and I can't... I mean... Jesus! Stop talking, Brittany," I muttered to myself.

"Brittany?" The handsome stranger raised an eyebrow. "Beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

My blush disappeared completely. That panty-dropping smile made me whimper softly. What the hell was wrong with me?

He was hands down the most gorgeous man I'd ever seen in my life. I had no idea why someone like him would even be talking to someone like me. He looked like the type who'd date elegant, stunning models and beauty queens, not some thick-thighed girl with zero coordination.

"You just got here. Want to stay for a drink?" he asked, gesturing with one massive hand that connected to an arm that looked like it belonged in a fucking bodybuilding magazine. "I'll even buy you one."

"Are you the owner?" I asked. Maybe that's why he was talking to me—trying to keep new customers around. I figured this town probably didn't get many tourists or visitors. The hotel had been completely empty when we checked in.

"Nope, but I know the owner. I always drink for free here."

"Oh," I said quietly, my gaze moving between the man and the bar.

I should at least ask his name first, so he wouldn't be... completely a stranger. "Um, I didn't catch your name?"

"Alexander," he said with that smile. "I'm Alexander, Brittany."

"Alexander," I smiled up at him shyly. "Nice to meet you."

"I'm glad to finally meet you too, Brittany."

Finally? What did that mean? Was that some weird local saying? Like 'destined to meet you here' pickup line bullshit? Strange, but somehow I liked it. I felt like I'd finally met someone who mattered to me too.

Alexander led me toward the bar, his hand brushing against my elbow, sending strange currents racing up and down my arm. Maybe it was the cool night air combined with the excitement of being in a bar with a stranger. Alexander. He wasn't a stranger anymore. He was Alexander.

If Lorenzo walked in right now, he'd lose his fucking mind. I was doing exactly what he'd always accused me of. I wanted another man's attention now.

Not just any man's. Alexander's. This wasn't like me. Lorenzo had conditioned me so deeply not to look at other men that he wouldn't get jealous and scream at me. That was the main reason I was about to leave him.

If Lorenzo happened to walk in here right now, he'd definitely lose it, cause a scene, and embarrass the hell out of me. But there was something about Alexander that made all of that seem insignificant.

I was attracted to Alexander in a way I'd never been attracted to anyone before. It was weird. I wasn't this girl.

I wasn't the type to easily forget about my boyfriend and flirt with some random guy in a bar. But tonight I wanted to be. Tonight I wanted to be that girl.

Lorenzo and I were completely over. I needed to officially, completely break up with him.

I'd tried to break up countless times before, and maybe this was the catalyst for me to take the first step. Step one: flirt with a stranger. Step two...

Just as I settled onto the bar stool, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Step two: block that asshole. But I couldn't just block him. I knew the bastard had installed tracking apps on my phone again.

I'd deleted them, but he just had to log into my Apple account online to reactivate them.

"Everything okay?" Alexander asked, watching my expression as I looked down at my phone.

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