Refuge in His Arms

Chapter 14 Unveiled Feelings

Alexander

I lie awake at 12 a.m., staring at the ceiling, unable to silence my mind no matter how many times I shift against the pillows. Sleep is nowhere near me because all I can think about is her. Maya.

1 week!

It has only been one week since she stepped into my life, drenched, trembling, terrified… and somehow, without even trying, she has unsettled the parts of me I thought were long dead.

I don’t think she understands the effect she has on me.

Hell, I don’t even understand it myself.

Every time I look at her, I feel her pain like it’s something tangible in the air between us something I want to reach out and take from her, tear away, destroy. Her hurt touches me in a way I can’t explain. Her silence speaks louder than words. Her eyes God, those eyes carry years of battles she shouldn’t have had to fight.

I want to take them all away.

If she lets me.

And that’s the part that eats at me the most if she lets me. Because right now, she holds her walls tightly around her, clutching her sketchbook like it’s her lifeline.

I exhale slowly, rubbing a hand across my face.

Then another question surfaces one that stings in a place I didn’t know still existed.

Who hurt her?

Is he a boyfriend?

A fiancé?

A husband?

The thought makes my jaw tighten. I don’t want to imagine her belonging to someone else, especially not someone who could make her flinch the way she does. But what right do I have to feel this way? What claim do I have over her?

None.

And yet… I can’t stop thinking about it.

I can’t remember the last time I felt something this strong. Not even with Elise’s mother. And that was a marriage built on years of shared history. But with Maya? This thing feels dangerously immediate. Raw. Quiet but powerful like a storm gathering in my chest.

How do I help someone who is clearly broken in places she doesn’t want revealed?

How do I make her feel whole again?

Will she ever allow me the chance?

I shift again, restless.

The absurdity hits me I’m Alexander Greene, CEO of one of the largest fashion conglomerates in the country. I’ve built empires, shaped brands, survived corporate wars, raised a daughter… but here I am, lying awake like a schoolboy, heart pounding because of a woman barely older than my daughter.

What would Elise say?

Would she understand?

Would she accept it?

A humorless breath escapes me. Knowing Elise, she’d interrogate me before drawing any conclusions. She’s fiercely loyal. Fiercely protective. And she saw Maya tonight she sensed something. My daughter is too perceptive for her own good.

But I can’t deny the truth forming in my heart.

I want to protect Maya.

I want to make sure she never knows suffering or hunger or fear again.

I want to be the shield between her and whatever demon she’s running from.

And I want her to feel safe in my presence.

Safe enough to breathe again.

Safe enough to dream.

Her sketches flashed in my mind delicate, bold, intricate. She draws with passion, with emotion. Her hands create what her heart cannot yet say. The designs she showed Elise earlier were beyond impressive they were breathtaking, she didn’t know I saw them while walking in.

If brought to life, they could change the fashion world.

I find myself smiling softly.

But then the smile fades. Because behind her talent lies a woman who is being hunted.

And that thought hardens something inside me.

I need to know who she is running from.

For her safety.

For my peace of mind.

For the inevitable moment when danger follows the trail she tried to bury.

I know what I’ll do.

Tomorrow morning, I’ll call Peter.

My best private investigator.

Discreet. Sharp. And loyal.

Let Maya tell her story when she’s ready on her own time.

But until then, I need to be prepared.

A soft knock breaks through the quiet.

“Dad? Are you awake?” Elise’s voice floats through the door. “I can see your light on.”

I straighten instinctively. “Yes, I’m awake.”

The door opens quietly. Elise steps inside, hair pulled into a messy bun, wearing one of my old sweatshirts. Her expression is soft but searching.

“Can’t sleep either?” she asks.

“No,” I admit.

She sits at the foot of my bed. “Is it because of her?”

I hesitate only for a second. “She needed help. And I’m offering it. That’s all.”

“Dad…” Elise tilts her head, eyes narrowing with that sharp intuition she inherited from me. “This isn’t just you being nice.”

I swallow, shifting my gaze.

She’s right. It isn’t.

“I don’t know what you think is going on,” I say quietly, “but I just want to make sure she’s safe.”

She studies me, her eyes reflecting something between confusion and concern. “I saw the way you looked at her. And the way she looked back. Something’s happening, Dad.”

My heart clenches.

How do I tell my daughter I’m falling for a woman her age?

How do I explain feelings I barely understand myself?

She continues softly, “She draws designs, Dad. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but… they’re good. Really good. The kind of designs that could make millions if recreated properly.”

I let out a slow breath. “I don’t know about that.”

“You do,” she replies gently. “That’s why you wore that look earlier the one where you’ve already started planning.”

Despite myself, I chuckle. “Go to bed, honey. We’ll talk in the morning.”

She stands, hesitating in the doorway. “Just… be careful. With her. With yourself.”

“I will,” I promise.

“Goodnight, Dad.”

“Goodnight.”

The door clicks shut, and the silence returns but now it feels heavier, filled with unsaid things and unformed futures.

I lie back, staring at the ceiling once more.

My thoughts spiral to Maya again.

Her soft voice.

Her trembling hands.

The haunted pain behind her eyes.

The strength she doesn’t yet know she has.

Whatever she’s running from…

Whatever darkness is chasing her…

I need to know.

I will know.

Tomorrow, I’m calling Peter.

Because no matter how complicated this is becoming, I’m certain of one thing:

I cannot and will not watch her be destroyed by a past she’s trying to escape.

Not while she’s under my roof.

Not while she’s under my watch.

Not while my heart is already reaching for her in ways I can no longer control.

Tonight, sleep still doesn’t come.

But for the first time, I know what I must do.