Chapter five
875 Words
Elena tried to throw herself into work the next day, but Damian’s presence lingered like smoke. Adrian kept his distance, polite but guarded. The tension twisted her stomach.
That night, she returned to her apartment exhausted. As she opened the door, her breath caught.
A single red rose lay on her kitchen counter.
Her heart stuttered. She hadn’t left it there.
She spun, scanning the apartment. Nothing. Silence.
Then her phone buzzed. One new message.
Careful, Elena. Not everyone smiles at you for your art. Some see more. —D
Her hands shook. Damian had been here. In her home.
The next morning, Adrian noticed her pale face. “What happened?”
“Nothing,” she lied.
He frowned. “You’re lying. If that man is harassing you, I need to know.”
Her lips trembled. “Adrian, please. Just drop it.”
But Adrian didn’t drop it. That evening, he knocked on her door, carrying takeout.
“I don’t like the idea of you being alone,” he said simply.
His kindness made her chest ache. Damian had never been gentle like this.
They ate together, and for a moment, Elena allowed herself to laugh. But then her phone buzzed again.
Another message.
Enjoying dinner? He’s not who you think. ~D
Elena’s stomach flipped. She shoved the phone away, but Adrian noticed her panic.
“What is it?” he pressed.
Tears burned her eyes. “Damian won’t leave me alone.”
Adrian’s jaw set. “Then I’ll make sure he does.”
“No!” Elena grabbed his arm. “You don’t understand. He won’t stop. Not for you, not for anyone.”
Adrian looked into her eyes, unyielding. “Then I’ll stand anyway.”
Her heart twisted. Two men…..one relentless, one protective. And both pulling her deeper into a storm she couldn’t escape.
That night, as Elena finally drifted into restless sleep, a noise snapped her awake. Glass shattered in the alley below. She rushed to the window, her heart hammering.
On the pavement lay a brick, wrapped in paper.
Cross. You can’t protect her forever.
Her blood froze.
The danger wasn’t just Damian. It was coming from all sides.
Elena barely slept after the brick incident. Every creak of the building felt like a threat. By morning, she had convinced herself not to call Damian. She couldn’t hand him more power over her life.
But when she arrived at the gallery, Damian was already there.
He stood in the lobby, hands in his pockets, watching Adrian argue with the police officer who had come to take her statement.
Her chest tightened. “How did you…?”
“News travels,” Damian said, cutting her off. His eyes searched her face, sharp but softened at the edges. “You’re shaking.”
“I don’t need your help.” She turned away, but he caught her wrist…not rough, but firm.
“Elena, someone is targeting you. That brick wasn’t a message for me. It was for you. Do you think Adrian can shield you from this?”
Adrian bristled. “She doesn’t need shielding. Especially not from you.”
Damian’s gaze flicked to him, sharp as a blade. “If I wanted her gone, nothing you did would matter. But this isn’t me. And if it isn’t me, it’s worse.”
Elena’s stomach knotted. “Then who?”
“That’s what I intend to find out,” Damian said darkly.
That night, Elena double-locked her door and tried to breathe. But sleep was impossible. At 2 a.m., a sound snapped her awake. A scrape, then a thud at her balcony door.
She froze. Another noise.
Her phone lit up with a message.
Stay calm. Don’t scream. ~D
Her heart hammered. She rushed to the balcony, and there he was…Damian, pulling himself over the railing like it was nothing.
“Are you insane?” she hissed, grabbing his arm.
“You were about to be,” he muttered, pushing past her. He pointed to the lock on her door. “Someone tried to force it. Fresh marks.”
Elena’s breath hitched. “You mean someone was here?”
“Not someone,” Damian said grimly. “More than one.”
Her legs went weak, and she sank into a chair. Damian crouched in front of her, his hands braced on the armrests, his face close.
“This is what I meant. Your world isn’t safe without me in it.”
“You can’t just break into my home,” she whispered.
“Would you rather they had?”
His words hit like a blow.
She stared at him, torn between fury and relief. “I hate you for being right.”
A small smile tugged at his lips. “Then hate me while I keep you alive.”
Her phone buzzed again. A new message.
You should have left when you had the chance.
Elena’s blood ran cold.
Damian took the phone, his jaw tightening. “Pack your things. You’re coming with me.”
Elena’s heart pounded as Damian pulled her toward the door. Every instinct screamed to resist. But the truth was unavoidable—someone wanted her gone, and Damian might be the only thing standing between her and the darkness closing in.
- Writer
