Chapter 2 - The Warmth of a Stranger
The security guard, recognizing Vance immediately, dropped his flashlight hand to his side, his posture snapping into a nervous, deferential stance. "Mr. Sterling! I'm sorry, sir. This woman was loitering near the service entrance. I was just clearing the alley for your car."
Vance didn't look at the guard. His eyes were fixed on the woman kneeling in the snow, her bare, red hands clutching a frozen diaper bag, her body shaking so violently her teeth chattered audibly.
He looked down at the stroller, seeing the two tiny faces peering out from beneath a faded towel, their small lips tinted a dangerous blue.
Without a word, Vance unbuttoned his heavy charcoal overcoat. He slipped it off his shoulders and stepped forward, draping the warm, thick wool directly over Clare and the double stroller.
The sudden heat of the coat hit Clare like an electric shock. She looked up, her tear-stained face pale and hollow, her hazel eyes wild with shock.
"Sir, you don't have to—" she gasped.
"Get the car," Vance said softly, his voice leaving no room for argument as he looked back at the security guard.
"Sir?" the guard stammered.
"Call my driver, Marcus. Tell him to pull the SUV directly into the service bay," Vance commanded, his tone dropping an octave, carrying the lethal weight of absolute authority. "If this bay isn't clear and warm in thirty seconds, you won't have a job to come back to tomorrow."
The guard sprinted into the building without another word.
Vance knelt in the snow beside Clare. He didn't care about the press in his trousers or the snow soaking through his Italian leather shoes. He reached into the stroller, gently tucking his expensive silk scarf around the babies' exposed necks.
"What are their names?" Vance asked softly.
"Emma... and Lily," Clare whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of sheer disbelief. "Please... don't take them. I'm trying. I'm working on getting a shelter place, but the waitlist—"
"I'm not taking them anywhere without you," Vance said gently, looking into her eyes. "My name is Vance. You're safe now, Clare."
A massive black Lincoln Navigator glided to a silent stop in the service bay, its hazard lights flashing softly against the brick walls. Marcus, a burly driver with grey hair, jumped out immediately, opening the rear passenger door.
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"Mr. Sterling! What happened?" Marcus asked, taking in the scene instantly.
"Turn the heat to maximum," Vance ordered, lifting the front of the double stroller himself while Marcus grabbed the rear. "We're going to the penthouse."
