CHAPTER 8:A TARGET ON HER BACK
567 Words
Chapter 8: A Target on Her Back
The next morning, Elena woke up to an eerie silence.
The sheets were cold beside her—Abina hadn’t returned. Not that she expected him to.
She stretched, her body still tingling from the memory of his kiss. It had been a mistake. A distraction. But damn if it hadn’t made her crave more.
She pushed the thought aside and slipped out of bed.
That’s when she noticed it.
A phone.
Sitting neatly on the nightstand.
It wasn’t hers.
Frowning, she picked it up. The screen was locked, but one notification still glowed:
Unknown Number: You should have stayed invisible.
Her pulse spiked.
A warning.
The feeling of being watched last night, the way Abina had shielded her—it all came rushing back.
This wasn’t just about her being his wife.
Someone had marked her.
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The Trap is Set
Elena barely had time to process before the bedroom door swung open.
Abina stood in the doorway, dressed in black, his expression carved from stone.
He didn’t speak. He didn’t have to.
The tension crackled between them.
She held up the phone. “Care to explain this?”
His jaw tightened as he crossed the room in three strides, plucking the device from her fingers. One glance, and his expression darkened.
Elena folded her arms. “I take it this isn’t a coincidence?”
Abina let out a slow breath, his grip tightening around the phone. “You shouldn’t have seen this.”
A laugh bubbled up. “Well, I did. And unless I’m missing something, someone clearly has a problem with me.”
His gaze snapped to hers. “Everyone has a problem with you.”
The words sent a chill through her.
She swallowed. “Because of you?”
A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Because you exist in my world now.”
She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. “Then tell me who I need to be afraid of.”
Silence.
The air between them was thick, charged with something unspoken.
Then—
Abina reached out, his fingers threading into her hair as he tilted her face up. The way he looked at her… it was terrifying. And intoxicating.
“Elena,” he murmured, his voice like a promise. “You don’t need to be afraid.”
Her pulse pounded.
“Why?” she whispered.
His grip tightened. “Because I’ll destroy anyone who tries to touch you.”
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The Game Begins
Later that night, Elena sat in the study, staring at the contract she had signed.
Five years. A marriage of convenience.
But nowhere in the fine print had it mentioned the part where she would become a target.
A quiet knock at the door made her look up.
Isabella.
Her best friend slipped inside, her face pale. “Elena… I think something’s wrong.”
Elena straightened. “What do you mean?”
Isabella hesitated. Then, in a hushed whisper, she said, “I saw a man outside the estate. Watching the house.”
A chill ran down Elena’s spine.
“Describe him.”
“Tall. Dark suit. He looked… dangerous.”
Elena’s stomach dropped. The man from the gala.
She stood, her mind racing. She needed to find Abina.
But just as she reached for the door—
The lights cut out.
And somewhere in the darkness, a gunshot rang out.
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- Writer
