Page 1 of Runaway Bride for the Boss

CHAPTER 1

ALEXANDER

ONE YEAR AGO.

“Are you there yet?”

I roll my eyes at the unnecessary question from my younger brother. I’m not the talkative type; and after taking a commercial flight to this godforsaken city, I'm even less inclined to indulge his conversation.

“No, Ezra, how are things on your end? Has he talked yet?”

“No, and I don’t think he will. I helped our friends in the police department make it quite clear that if he so much as breathes a word to the wrong person, it won’t end well for him or his loved ones.”

Good. I prefer to be the one handling things, but this event is non-delegable. I very briefly debated sending Ezra in my place, but this situation with Larson is delicate. And Ezra can be…well, unpredictable.

“We’re here, sir,” George, my driver announces, and I glance out the window. The engagement party is a pretentious affair taking place in theNew York Public Library. I sigh as I stare atthe front of the towering building, loitering with a few curious tourists.

The event started an hour or so ago. Normally, I hate tardiness, but I want to make the rat sweat as he wonders if I’ll show up. The corner of my mouth lifts as I imagine the shock on his face when he sees me. He probably thinks he’s home free since I didn’t arrive the moment guests started filtering in. Fucking idiot.

“Goodbye, Ezra. Text me if anything changes.” I tell my brother through the phone as George gets out to open my door.

“Yeah, yeah, Mr. grump, I can handle it.”

For the sake of poor Dad’s high blood pressure, I hope he can. I purposely ignore his jibe and end the call. I tuck my phone into the interior pocket of my suit jacket as I climb the wide marble stairs, taking them two at a time. Let’s get this over with.

“Good evening, sir,” greets one of the two uniformed waiters standing at the large entrance doors. He has a clipboard gripped tightly in his left hand. “May I have your name?”

“Alexander Beaufort.”

He glances down at his list and nods. “Welcome, sir. The gathering is taking place in the rotunda.” As he steps aside for me to enter, his partner steps forward with a tray of champagne flutes, offering me one. I decline, I won’t be here long enough to enjoy it.

I swing the door open just as a flash of strawberry hair hits my face. I’m not exactly a lightweight, but the surprise of the impact has me taking a couple of steps back with an armful of woman. I scowl, annoyed by the unsolicited bodily contact. But before I can make a scathing comment, the woman shifts from my grasp, stuttering an apology. Finally, I get a glimpse of her face.

Whoa. I inhale sharply. She’s a stunner. A ten. An angel placed on this earth seemingly just for me to find tonight. Palestrawberry blonde hair with undertones of ginger piled high on her head, leaving her face in stark relief. And what a face. I’m entranced by the curve of her lush mouth, the smattering of freckles across her small nose. Then her huge honey brown eyes snag mine, and I momentarily forget how to breathe.

Her lips are moving, but I can’t hear what she’s saying. The tears streaming down her face catch my attention. I shake my head.

“It’s all my fault. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going, I—” The woman suddenly stops talking, doing a double take as she takes me in. She blinks rapidly, her tears slowing. My eyes narrow as I wait for the inevitable.

She’ll stand up straighter and run her hand through her hair flirtatiously as she introduces herself to me. They always do.

Her eyes go wide and for some unfathomable reason her lower lip trembles. My heart constricts tightly, and my lips part as I continue to stare. Who the hell made her cry?

She suddenly glances behind her and then does the unexpected. She pushes past me, rushing down the stairs. Something clinks as it hits the stone steps. She glances back briefly but doesn’t stop running. Her eyes shift to lock with mine one last time. Then she’s gone.

My eyes are glued to her retreating back as she disappears. Fuck, I should’ve followed her. I am moving down the stairs to do just that when a glint of silver catches my eye. I pick it up. It’s a necklace with the initials AWM. Tiny diamonds sparkle over the letters.

Expensive shit.

She doesn’t come back for it? My pulse starts hammering when I remember the tears on her face. What had her running? Did someone hurt her? For whatever reason, the thought has me clenching my fist around the necklace in my palm. Damn it. Ihave no dependable network in New York. Still, after dropping the necklace into my pocket, I take out my phone to text someone I know in the area. Kyle. I describe my mystery woman as much as I can and add two words—find her.

His reply is instantaneous like I knew it would be. A simple, “On it."

I turn back to the library and walk in. The woman is still very much on my mind, but I have a rat to exterminate.

NOW.

I am arrogant enough to think that by the time I dealt with Larson, Kyle would have my mystery woman locked down. Spoiler: he doesn’t. My description wasn’t enough. He may not think he has much to go on, but her beautiful face will remain seared into my memory for eternity.

---