HIS POSSESSION a mafia bl romance

BEHIND THE GATES🤭😌

HIS POSSESSION

Chapter 28; BEHIND THE GATES

The gunshot had barely faded when Adrian disappeared through the front door.

Ethan remained where he was.

For several seconds, he couldn’t move.

His heart was beating so hard it hurt.

He looked toward the entrance.

Then toward the windows.

Then back at the door.

“Stay here.”

That had been Adrian’s instruction.

Ethan had every intention of obeying it.

For approximately ten seconds.

Then shouting came from outside.

Ethan’s eyes widened.

He moved toward the window.

One of Adrian’s men hurried across the courtyard, speaking urgently into his phone.

Another stood near the gate.

Ethan couldn’t see Adrian.

That frightened him more than the gunshot.

He turned toward the door.

“No.”

He stopped himself.

Adrian had specifically told him to stay inside.

And for once, Ethan decided that arguing with the most intimidating man he’d ever met could wait.

He stepped away from the window.

Then something caught his attention.

A photograph.

It sat on a small table beside the hallway.

Ethan hadn’t noticed it earlier.

He shouldn’t touch it.

He knew that.

He touched it anyway.

The photograph was old.

Adrian was younger.

Much younger.

Maybe eighteen or nineteen.

And standing beside him was a woman Ethan didn’t recognize.

She had Adrian’s eyes.

Ethan stared.

His fingers moved toward the photograph.

“Curious?”

Ethan nearly jumped out of his skin.

He spun around.

Adrian stood several feet behind him.

Ethan immediately dropped his hand.

“You move too quietly.”

Adrian glanced at the photograph.

“So I’ve been told.”

Ethan looked between him and the picture.

“Who is she?”

Adrian’s expression changed.

It was subtle.

But Ethan had become annoyingly good at noticing those tiny changes in Adrian.

Something had closed.

“Someone from a long time ago.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the one you’re getting.”

Ethan folded his arms.

“You’re incredibly frustrating.”

“And yet you’re still here.”

Ethan opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

Adrian’s lips twitched.

Ethan glared.

“Don’t.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You were about to.”

“Perhaps.”

Ethan looked at the photograph again.

“She looks like you.”

Adrian’s amusement disappeared.

“She was my sister.”

Ethan’s gaze returned to him.

Was.

He understood immediately.

“Oh.”

Adrian looked away.

Ethan’s voice softened.

“I’m sorry.”

Adrian said nothing.

Ethan considered leaving the subject alone.

Then he noticed the scar running along Adrian’s wrist.

He’d seen it before.

But never this clearly.

“Did that happen because of them?”

Adrian looked at his wrist.

“No.”

“Then how?”

Adrian met his eyes.

“You’re asking too many questions.”

“You’re hiding too many things.”

The silence between them stretched.

Then Adrian walked toward him.

Ethan’s body instinctively stiffened.

Adrian stopped directly in front of him.

Close.

Too close.

But this time, Ethan didn’t step back.

Adrian lowered his voice.

“You want answers?”

“Yes.”

“Then understand something first.”

His gaze dropped briefly to Ethan’s mouth.

Ethan noticed.

His breath caught.

Adrian’s eyes returned to his.

“Answers come with consequences.”

Ethan swallowed.

“Are you threatening me?”

“No.”

Adrian leaned slightly closer.

“I’m warning you.”

Ethan’s heart thudded.

“There’s a difference?”

“With me?”

A pause.

“Always.”

Ethan stared at him.

There was something about the way Adrian looked at him tonight.

Something Ethan couldn’t explain.

Something that made his skin feel too warm.

He forced himself to look away.

“Then start with the easiest question.”

Adrian waited.

“Why were you outside Le Château?”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

Ethan smiled faintly.

“See? Simple.”

“Not really.”

“You were waiting for me.”

“I was.”

The answer came so easily that Ethan stopped.

“What?”

Adrian didn’t look away.

“I was waiting for you.”

Ethan’s smile disappeared.

“Why?”

Adrian was silent.

“Adrian.”

“I wanted to see you.”

Ethan’s heart stopped.

Just for a second.

“What?”

Adrian seemed almost irritated with himself for saying it.

“I wanted to see you.”

Ethan stared at him.

“But why?”

Adrian’s expression softened.

Barely.

“That’s what I’m trying to understand.”

Neither spoke.

Ethan’s pulse was suddenly everywhere.

He had expected Adrian to say something logical.

Something dismissive.

Instead, he’d admitted that he’d gone looking for him.

Not because of business.

Not because Ethan was working.

Because he wanted to see him.

Ethan stepped backward.

Adrian’s eyes followed him.

“This is becoming complicated.”

“It was complicated before tonight.”

“Not like this.”

Adrian’s gaze sharpened.

“Like what?”

Ethan couldn’t answer.

Because he didn’t know.

He only knew that standing this close to Adrian felt different now.

And that scared him.

A knock sounded at the door.

They both turned.

One of Adrian’s men entered.

“Sir.”

Adrian’s expression immediately became colder.

“What?”

“We found the vehicle.”

“Where?”

“Two streets from here.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed.

“Anyone inside?”

“No.”

“Plates?”

“Cloned.”

Adrian’s jaw flexed.

“Anything else?”

The man hesitated.

“We found this.”

He placed something on the table.

A phone.

Ethan stared at it.

Adrian’s eyes moved to him.

“What?”

The man looked between them.

“It was inside the vehicle.”

Adrian walked over and picked it up.

The screen was already open.

One photograph filled it.

Ethan.

Standing outside Le Château.

Taken earlier that evening.

Ethan’s blood ran cold.

“That’s me.”

Adrian didn’t answer.

Ethan stepped closer.

There were several more photographs.

Ethan leaving work.

Ethan buying groceries.

Ethan walking down his street.

Ethan entering his apartment building.

Ethan froze.

Someone had been watching him.

For how long?

“How long?” Ethan whispered.

Adrian’s gaze remained on the screen.

“We don’t know.”

Ethan’s breathing became shallow.

“Someone has been following me.”

Adrian finally looked at him.

“Yes.”

“And you knew?”

“No.”

Ethan’s expression hardened.

“But you suspected.”

Adrian didn’t deny it.

Ethan stepped away.

“You knew something was wrong.”

“I knew someone was interested in you.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“I didn’t have enough information.”

“You could have told me!”

Adrian’s voice sharpened.

“And what would you have done?”

Ethan stopped.

“Nothing.”

“Exactly.”

“That’s not your decision!”

Adrian moved toward him.

“Someone fired a weapon at you last night.”

“I know!”

“And tonight we found photographs of you in a car belonging to the people responsible.”

“I KNOW!”

Ethan’s voice cracked.

The room fell silent.

Adrian stopped.

Ethan looked away.

His anger suddenly felt dangerously close to fear.

“I’m scared.”

The admission was barely audible.

Adrian’s expression changed.

Ethan hated himself for saying it.

He hated even more what happened next.

Adrian crossed the space between them.

Slowly.

Carefully.

He stopped in front of Ethan.

Then, instead of grabbing him or ordering him around, he simply held out his hand.

Ethan stared at it.

“What?”

“Come here.”

Ethan hesitated.

Every sensible part of him told him not to.

Yet he placed his hand in Adrian’s.

Adrian’s fingers closed around his.

Warm.

Firm.

Protective.

Ethan looked down at their hands.

Neither of them spoke.

Adrian’s thumb moved once across Ethan’s knuckles.

A tiny gesture.

Almost unconscious.

But Ethan felt it everywhere.

“You’re safe here,” Adrian said.

Ethan looked up.

“How do I know?”

Adrian’s eyes held his.

“Because no one gets through my gates without me knowing.”

Ethan’s lips parted.

“And if they try?”

Adrian’s expression became frighteningly calm.

“They won’t get a second chance.”

Ethan should have been horrified.

Instead, something inside him settled.

That realization frightened him most of all.

Adrian released his hand.

“You’re staying tonight.”

Ethan’s eyes widened.

“Absolutely not.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

“Ethan.”

“I’m going home.”

Adrian stepped closer.

“Your apartment is compromised.”

Ethan froze.

“What?”

“We found photographs of your building.”

Silence.

Adrian’s voice softened.

“You’re not going back there tonight.”

Ethan looked toward the windows.

Then at the man standing before him.

He hated that Adrian was right.

“Where am I supposed to sleep?”

Adrian’s gaze held his.

“Guest room.”

Ethan narrowed his eyes.

“You’re sleeping somewhere else.”

Adrian’s eyebrow lifted.

“Obviously.”

“Good.”

A pause.

Then Ethan muttered,

“Because I don’t trust you.”

Something dangerous flickered through Adrian’s eyes.

But his voice remained calm.

“You shouldn’t.”

Ethan looked at him.

Adrian turned away.

And for reasons Ethan couldn’t understand, those three words stayed with him.

You shouldn’t.

Because perhaps the most terrifying thing about Adrian De Luca wasn’t that he was dangerous.

It was that he knew exactly how dangerous he was.

And Ethan was beginning to suspect that the closer he got to Adrian, the harder it would become to walk away.

Outside, beyond the gates, a shadow moved between the trees.

Neither of them saw it.

A phone was raised.

A photograph was taken.

This time, it wasn’t of Ethan.

It was of Adrian.

Standing beside him.

The message sent with the photograph contained only six words:

“She would have hated what you became”.

End Of Chapter 28 🖤