The tension in the house was palpable after Adrian’s unexpected visit. Elena could feel it in the way Luca moved—sharper, more deliberate—as if every step he took was a decision meant to protect her from the unseen forces closing in. But instead of addressing the looming danger, he had retreated into himself, locking his emotions behind the impenetrable wall she’d come to expect from him.
Elena wasn’t sure how much time had passed since Adrian had left, but she knew she couldn’t stay in the suffocating silence any longer. She found herself in the kitchen, pouring a glass of wine to steady her nerves. As the liquid glinted under the light, her mind replayed Adrian’s warning. Your little friend is a loose end.
The phrase twisted in her chest. No matter how much she wanted to believe Luca’s
