The office felt colder without Adrian inside.
Elena sat quietly on the couch, trying to steady her heartbeat.
She could still feel the echo of his words:
"You are a priority."
Why would a man like Adrian Blackwood ever say anything like that?
Before she could think deeper, voices filtered through the door.
Urgent.
Low.
Sharp.
Elena didn't want to eavesdrop, but the tone froze her in place.
"—we have a breach in the legal department," someone said.
"Impossible," Adrian returned with his voice a quiet threat.
"No one touches my files."
"This isn't normal corporate sabotage," the man whispered nervously.
"It's personal."
Personal?
Elena's chest tightened.
Adrian spoke again, tone darker than she'd ever heard.
"Find out who's behind it. I want names."
"And Elena?" asked the man.
Elena's breathing stopped.
Adrian's response was prompt.
"She stays with me. No one goes near her."
Elena's heart skipped painfully.
Why tie her to this situation?
She leaned a little closer to the door, unable to stop herself.
"Sir… do you think this has something to do with her past? Or yours?"
Adrian said nothing.
Then—
A dangerous whisper:
"Both."
Elena's eyes were wide as she covered her mouth.
Both?
What did he mean both?
What did he know about her past?
Suddenly the door swung open.
Elena jumped back so hard that she almost fell.
Adrian stood there, his eyes ablaze with something sharp and unreadable.
"How long were you standing there?" he asked.
"N-Not long— I didn't mean to overhear—"
"Elena."
His voice cut through her panic like a blade.
"Come here."
She froze.
He stepped inside and shut the door firmly, locking it.
"Adrian, I'm sorry—I really didn't want to—"
"I asked you a question," he said quietly, stepping closer.
"How much did you hear?"
Elena swallowed.
"Just… a little."
Adrian breathed out slowly, as if he was struggling with himself.
Then he closed the distance between them in three deliberate steps.
His hands cupped her face, gentle but unbreakable.
"Elena," he murmured, "if someone is coming after me… they will come after anything connected to me."
Her pulse spiked.
"I'm not—"
"You are connected to me," he said quietly.
"Contract or not."
Elena felt the room tilt.
"Adrian… are we in danger?"
He stroked his thumb along her cheek, his gaze holding hers with an intensity that took her breath away.
"Cependant que je suis en vie."
Elena's chest tightened painfully.
"But I need you to follow my rules," he said.
"Every one of them."
She nodded shakily.
He leaned closer-so close she felt his breath mix with hers.
"Good," he whispered.
"Because from this moment on… I will not let you out of my sight."
It made her heart race in a way she had never felt before.
The door knocked urgently again before she could gather her thoughts.
"Sir, you need to see this," someone called.
Adrian's jaw clenched, but he didn't release her face that very second. "Elena," he said softly, "stay in my office. Don't open the door for anyone except me. Understand? She nodded, out of breath. Reluctantly, he stepped back, as if pulling himself away from something dangerous. Then he walked out. The door shut behind him. Elena pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart wouldn't stop shaking. Not from fear. But from the terrifying realization that Adrian Blackwood… which was slowly becoming the most dangerous part of her life.