🩸 CHAPTER 3 — He Doesn’t Chase
409 Words
The door unlocked.
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No one touched it.
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Mara’s pulse spiked.
Dex stepped in front of her.
“Stay behind me.”
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The lock clicked again.
Slow.
Controlled.
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“Dex…” she whispered.
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The door opened.
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And he walked in.
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Adrian Voss.
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Mara knew immediately.
Not because of his face.
But because everything changed.
The air.
The room.
The silence.
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He didn’t rush.
Didn’t scan.
Didn’t hesitate.
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He already knew.
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His eyes landed on her.
And stayed.
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“You found me,” she said.
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“Mm.”
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Her pulse jumped.
“That was fast.”
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“You made it easy.”
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Dex stepped forward.
“You’re trespassing.”
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Adrian didn’t look at him.
Didn’t acknowledge him.
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Mara noticed.
That was power.
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“What do you want?” she asked.
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His answer came without hesitation.
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“You.”
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Her breath caught.
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“Stay where you are,” he added.
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She didn’t move.
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“You don’t give me orders,” she said.
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A pause.
Then—
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“Not yet.”
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Something in her chest tightened.
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He stepped closer.
Slow.
Controlled.
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“You opened the door,” he said.
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Her breath hitched.
He meant the system.
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“You don’t even know me.”
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“I know enough.”
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Another step.
Closer now.
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“You saw the risk,” he continued.
“You understood it.”
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Her back hit the desk.
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“You opened it anyway.”
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Silence.
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“That tells me everything.”
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Mara swallowed.
“You’re insane.”
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“No,” he said calmly.
“I’m precise.”
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A pause.
Then—
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“You’re coming with me.”
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Her eyes widened.
“That’s not happening.”
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“You can walk,” he said.
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A beat.
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“Or I can remove the option.”
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Dex moved. “Mara, don’t—”
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She didn’t look at him.
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Because she already knew—
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There was no version of this where she escaped.
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Slowly—
She stepped forward.
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“I walk,” she said.
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Adrian turned.
Didn’t check if she’d follow.
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Because he already knew she would.
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She wasn’t being forced.
That was the problem.
She was choosing to go.
- Writer
