The afternoon sun was warm, but Aria barely noticed.
Her mind kept replaying the morning. Adrian walking her to work, the quiet words he had said, the way he had watched her disappear into the crowd.
It should have been comforting.
Instead, it made her nervous.
She tried to focus on her work, but her hands shook slightly as she organized papers. Every unfamiliar noise made her glance toward the window.
Then her phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number:
"We're closer than you think."
Her stomach dropped.
She stared at the screen for a long moment, feeling cold despite the sun outside.
Adrian's warning came back in full force.
"They'll try to scare you. Don't act alone."
By the time she left work, her nerves were frayed.
The street was busier now, people hurrying along, laughing, talking, unaware.
But she felt every pair of eyes on her.
Her phone buzzed again—this time, a short call. She hesitated, then answered.
Silence.
A low chuckle.
Then the line went dead.
Her heart raced.
Why can't they just leave me alone?
Before she could decide what to do, a hand gripped her arm.
She spun around—ready to scream—but it wasn't a stranger.
It was Adrian.
"You shouldn't have walked alone," he said, voice low, tense.
"Adrian! I…" she started, but he cut her off gently.
"I warned you," he said. His eyes scanned the street, sharp and alert.
"Someone's been following you," she admitted.
"Do you remember the man in the hoodie?" he asked.
She nodded.
"They're not done," he said, jaw tightening. "We need to move. Now."
They walked fast, weaving through the crowd, but quietly. Adrian kept close to her side, hand brushing hers occasionally—not enough to alarm, but enough to reassure.
She could feel his tension, the muscles in his shoulders coiled like springs.
"Where are we going?" she asked, trying to keep her voice calm.
"Somewhere safe," he replied. "Somewhere I know they can't reach you."
Aria wanted to argue. She didn't want to be moved like a fragile object. But she knew better than to challenge him now.
They turned a corner and slipped into a narrow alley, quiet and empty.
Adrian stopped suddenly, hand on her shoulder.
"Look around. Every exit, every possible hiding spot—they could be watching," he said.
Aria's breath caught. She had never felt this close to real danger before.
"I… I thought you said you'd protect me," she whispered.
"I will," he said. "But part of protecting you is making sure you don't face them alone."
She looked at him. For a moment, the danger faded slightly, replaced by something else.
"You're serious," she said.
"Always," he replied.
Suddenly, a shadow moved behind a dumpster.
Adrian stiffened. "There."
Aria's heart leaped into her throat.
Two men emerged, quick and deliberate. Their eyes cold, faces hidden.
"Stay behind me," Adrian ordered.
Aria obeyed instinctively. Her pulse was pounding, but she stayed quiet.
Adrian moved like lightning, grabbing the first man's arm and twisting him aside. The second lunged at Aria.
She dodged, stumbled, but caught herself.
Before she could react, Adrian was there, blocking the attacker, his eyes fierce, controlled, dangerous.
"You won't touch her," he said, voice sharp, final.
The two men froze for a moment, then bolted, disappearing into the shadows.
Adrian's chest heaved slightly. His hands trembled—not from fear, but from the intensity of the moment.
Aria stepped forward, heart still racing.
"You… you saved me again," she whispered.
He turned to her, calm returning, but his gaze soft.
"You saved yourself too," he said. "You didn't freeze. You didn't panic. That matters."
She shook her head. "I could have died!"
"You wouldn't have," he said firmly. "Because I won't let that happen."
Her eyes met his. For a second, the danger, the fear, the adrenaline—all of it—disappeared, leaving only the tension between them.
Aria's lips parted. She wanted to say something, anything.
But the words didn't come.
Instead, Adrian reached out gently, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"Don't scare me like that again," he murmured.
"I… I won't," she said softly.
And for a moment, in that quiet alley, with danger gone but still lingering in the air, the world seemed to shrink until it was just the two of them.