Chapter 3: Boundaries
1066 Words
Morning arrived without softness.
Sunlight filtered through the tall windows of the Sinclair estate, illuminating a home that no longer felt like one. The mansion was quiet, but it wasn’t peaceful. The silence felt watched—measured.
Victoria Sinclair woke to the sound of footsteps outside her door.
Not hurried.
Not careless.
Controlled.
She sat up in bed, her jaw tightening.
He was already there.
When she opened the door, Leo stood exactly where he said he would be—leaning slightly against the wall across from her room, dressed in black, arms folded, eyes alert. He looked like he hadn’t slept at all.
“You’re awake,” he said.
“I live here,” Victoria replied coolly. “You don’t need to announce my schedule.”
Leo pushed himself upright. “We need to talk.”
“That makes one of us.”
She stepped past him, walking toward the stairs. He followed at a measured distance—not crowding her, but not letting her forget he was there.
In the dining room, breakfast had already been prepared. Covered dishes. Staff standing stiffly along the walls.
Victoria stopped short. “Why are they all acting like someone died?”
Leo answered before the staff could. “Because someone tried to kill you.”
She turned sharply. “Don’t say it like that.”
“Say it how?” he asked.
She didn’t have an answer.
Victoria took her seat at the table. Leo remained standing.
“You can sit,” she said. “I don’t poison my guests.”
“I’m not a guest.”
“No,” she agreed. “You’re a shadow.”
That earned her a brief look—sharp, unreadable.
“I’ll outline the rules,” Leo said calmly. “After that, you can eat.”
She laughed in disbelief. “Excuse me?”
“You don’t leave this house without me.”
“I’ve been doing that my entire life.”
“Not anymore.”
“No visitors without clearance.”
“You’re joking.”
“No public appearances until further notice.”
Her patience snapped. “You don’t get to erase my life because you’re paranoid.”
Leo leaned forward slightly, placing his hands on the table. His voice lowered—not angry, not raised—but firm enough to silence the room.
“This isn’t paranoia. It’s protocol. Someone knew your location, your schedule, and the security layout. That means the threat is informed.”
The laughter died on her lips.
“You’re saying this came from inside,” Victoria said slowly.
“I’m saying we don’t rule it out.”
Her fingers curled against the tablecloth.
“And my father agreed to all this?” she asked.
“Yes.”
That hurt more than she expected.
“So I’m grounded,” she muttered.
“You’re protected.”
She stood abruptly. “You’re controlling.”
Leo didn’t flinch. “And you’re alive.”
Their eyes locked.
The tension between them stretched—sharp and charged.
“Eat,” he said finally, stepping back. “We’ll review the rest afterward.”
Victoria sat back down, appetite gone.
Later that day, the house transformed.
Security cameras were installed. Guards rotated shifts. Doors she’d never noticed before were suddenly locked. Her world narrowed by the hour.
Leo stayed with her through all of it.
Not hovering.
Not touching.
Always watching.
She caught him studying hallways before she entered them. Windows before she stood near them. People before they spoke to her.
“You don’t trust anyone,” she said at one point.
“I trust patterns,” he replied.
“And people?”
“Less.”
That explained more than she wanted to know.
By evening, frustration burned beneath her skin.
“I need air,” Victoria said, grabbing her jacket.
Leo blocked the door.
“I’m not leaving the property,” she snapped.
“I know.”
“Then move.”
He didn’t.
“The terrace is unsecured,” he said. “We’ll use the east balcony.”
“We?” she echoed.
“Yes.”
She stared at him. “You follow me everywhere?”
“That’s the job.”
“I didn’t agree to this.”
“You survived because of it.”
The words landed heavily between them.
They stepped onto the balcony together. The city stretched out below, distant and glowing. Victoria rested her hands on the railing, breathing deeply.
For a moment, Leo stood behind her.
Too close.
She felt him before she saw him—the heat of his body, the awareness of his presence. He wasn’t touching her, but it felt like he could at any second.
“Do you ever stop calculating?” she asked quietly.
“No.”
“What about when you sleep?”
“I don’t sleep much.”
She turned to face him. “That’s not healthy.”
“I wasn’t hired to be healthy.”
She studied his face—lines of restraint, discipline carved deep. This was a man built for survival, not comfort.
“You scare people,” Victoria said.
“I’m supposed to.”
“You scare me,” she added.
That made him pause.
“Good,” he said after a moment. “Fear keeps you alert.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“I know.”
Silence settled between them.
Then—movement.
Leo reacted instantly, pulling Victoria back just as a shadow shifted near the outer wall. His arm wrapped around her shoulders, firm and protective, his body angled to shield hers.
“Inside,” he ordered.
“What was that?” she whispered.
“Could be nothing.”
“But you moved.”
“Yes.”
He guided her back inside, his hand still resting at her back. When the doors locked behind them, he finally stepped away.
“From now on,” Leo said, voice low, “you stay within arm’s reach of me after sunset.”
Her heart pounded.
“That’s not a rule,” she said.
“It is now.”
Victoria looked at him—really looked at him.
Dangerous.
Controlled.
Unyielding.
And standing far too close to her life.
“Leo,” she said quietly, “if you keep this up…”
He met her gaze, eyes dark.
“I know,” he said.
Neither of them moved.
Neither of them backed down.
- Writer
