Elena’s POV
Adrian’s hands stayed locked on the steering wheel the entire drive back.
I watched the side of his face more than the road. The muscle in his jaw flexed every time we hit a red light. In the back seat Leo turned pages in his puzzle book, the soft paper sound the only thing filling the quiet. He asked once if we were going home. Neither of us answered right away.
When the elevator doors opened on our floor, two security men were already waiting. One of them gave Adrian a short nod.
“Building’s clear. Extra coverage on the floor below and the roof.”
Adrian thanked him without looking up from his phone. His thumb kept scrolling.
Leo went straight to the living-room rug and tipped his puzzle pieces out in a careful pile. I knelt beside him, brushed his hair back from his for
