They left before Kate felt ready.
Which, she realized quickly, didn't matter.
"Stay close," Adrian said, his voice low as he opened the door to the outside.
Night had fallen.
The air was cooler, sharper—quiet in a way that didn't feel peaceful. Shadows stretched long across the ground, and every dark corner suddenly felt like it could be hiding something.
Or someone.
Kate stepped out beside him, her senses on edge.
"Where are we?" she whispered.
"Somewhere temporary," he replied. "Don't focus on where. Focus on staying aware."
"Right," she muttered. "Because that's easy."
His gaze flicked to her briefly.
"Better than being caught off guard."
Before she could respond, he started moving.
Fast.
Kate had no choice but to follow.
The street was too quiet.
No cars. No voices. Just the sound of their footsteps and the distant hum of the city somewhere far beyond.
Kate didn't like it.
Not one bit.
"Adrian," she said under her breath, "this feels—"
He stopped.
So suddenly she almost walked straight into him.
"What—"
His hand shot back, catching her wrist.
Not rough.
But firm.
Enough to stop her instantly.
"Don't move," he murmured.
Her breath hitched.
"What is it?" she whispered.
He didn't answer.
Instead, his grip shifted—sliding from her wrist to her hand.
Kate froze.
His hand was warm.
Steady.
Completely sure of itself.
And somehow, that made her pulse race even more.
"Adrian—"
"Quiet."
The word was soft this time.
Not sharp.
Not commanding.
Almost… protective.
Kate swallowed, forcing herself to stay still as her eyes scanned the darkness.
At first, she saw nothing.
Then—
Movement.
Across the street.
A shadow that didn't belong.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
"Someone's there," she breathed.
"I know."
Of course he did.
His grip tightened slightly—not enough to hurt, just enough to ground her.
To keep her there.
With him.
Kate's fingers curled instinctively against his, and for a split second—
Neither of them pulled away.
Time stretched.
The air between them shifted.
Different.
Too aware.
Then the shadow moved again.
Closer.
Adrian stepped in front of her without hesitation, placing himself between her and whatever was out there.
The motion was immediate.
Instinctive.
Protective.
Kate's breath caught.
"You need to go back inside," he said quietly.
"I'm not leaving you out here—"
"Kate."
Her name.
Low. Firm.
Too close.
She stepped forward anyway. "You said I'm a target, remember? That means I'm already in this."
A pause.
He turned slightly, just enough to look at her.
And suddenly—
They were closer than before.
Much closer.
Kate hadn't even realized she'd moved that near.
She could feel the heat from him.
See the tension in his jaw.
The focus in his eyes.
But now… there was something else there too.
Something softer.
Something uncertain.
"Stay behind me," he said, quieter now.
Not an order.
A request.
Kate nodded once.
Her voice wouldn't cooperate anyway.
The shadow disappeared.
Just like that.
Gone.
But neither of them relaxed.
Not immediately.
Adrian's hand was still holding hers.
Still steady.
Still there.
Kate became hyper-aware of it.
Of him.
Of the way her pulse hadn't slowed down yet.
"Are they gone?" she asked softly.
"For now."
He didn't let go.
Not right away.
And she didn't pull away either.
Another second passed.
Then two.
Then—
Like he suddenly remembered himself—
Adrian released her.
Stepping back.
Distance snapping into place again.
Kate felt it immediately.
The absence.
The cold.
And she hated how much she noticed.
"…You didn't have to do that," she said, trying to steady her voice.
"Do what?"
"Protect me like that."
A pause.
His expression shifted—guarded again.
"I did," he said simply. "That's the situation you're in."
Kate studied him.
"You keep saying that like it's the only reason."
"It is."
Too fast.
Too controlled.
Not entirely true.
She could feel it.
And something in her chest tightened.
"Right," she said quietly.
But neither of them moved right away.
The tension lingered.
Unspoken.
Unavoidable.
And somewhere in the space between fear and adrenaline—
Something else had started.
Neither of them were ready to name it.
But it was there.
Growing.
Dangerous in a completely different way.