Chapter 3: The Rules
1008 Words
Elena didn't sleep.
Every time she closed her eyes, she heard the gunshot again.
She remembered Adrian pulling her against him in the darkness. The strength of his arm around her waist. The cold certainty in his voice when he'd promised that anyone who tried to hurt her would die.
She should have been terrified of him.
Instead, she found herself thinking about the brief moment when she'd seen fear in his eyes.
Fear for her.
At six in the morning, Elena finally gave up trying to sleep.
She got dressed and went downstairs.
The mansion was unusually quiet.
Mrs. Hawthorne was in the kitchen preparing breakfast.
"You look tired," she said.
"I didn't sleep."
"I imagine not."
Elena looked at her.
"You knew something like that could happen?"
Mrs. Hawthorne stopped what she was doing.
"At the restaurant?"
"Yes."
A pause.
"No."
Elena didn't believe her.
"Mrs. Hawthorne, what exactly does Adrian do?"
The older woman sighed.
"That is not a question you should ask me."
"Why?"
"Because some answers are dangerous."
Before Elena could respond, footsteps sounded behind her.
She turned.
Adrian stood in the doorway.
He was already dressed for the day, his black shirt tucked neatly into dark trousers.
His eyes immediately found Elena.
"You should be resting."
"I couldn't."
"I know."
She frowned.
"How would you know?"
"I checked."
Her eyes widened.
"You checked on me?"
"Yes."
"While I was sleeping?"
"Yes."
Elena stared at him.
"That's creepy."
"I've been called worse."
Mrs. Hawthorne quietly left the kitchen.
Elena crossed her arms.
"You can't just come into my room whenever you want."
"I didn't enter."
"Then how did you check?"
"I had someone watching the hallway."
She stared at him.
"You really don't understand boundaries, do you?"
"No."
At least he was honest.
Adrian stepped closer.
"There are new rules."
"I already have enough rules."
"These are different."
He placed a small black phone on the counter.
"This is for emergencies. Keep it with you."
Elena picked it up.
"Why?"
"Because your life is no longer private."
She looked up sharply.
"What does that mean?"
"Someone attacked us last night."
"Because of you."
"Possibly."
"So I'm in danger because I work for you?"
Adrian didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Elena put the phone down.
"I quit."
His expression didn't change.
"No."
She blinked.
"What?"
"You can't quit."
"I absolutely can."
"You signed a contract."
"I'll pay back whatever I owe."
"It's not about the money."
"Then what is it about?"
Adrian's gaze held hers.
"You."
Her heartbeat stumbled.
"What?"
"You are the reason."
Elena didn't understand.
"The reason for what?"
He stepped closer.
"Why they attacked last night."
Silence.
Elena stared at him.
"That doesn't make any sense."
"I know."
"Who are they?"
"People looking for something."
"What?"
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"Information."
"About me?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Then he said quietly, "About your family."
Elena went completely still.
Her family.
She hadn't heard anyone mention them in months.
"What do you know about my family?"
"More than you do."
The words hit harder than she expected.
"How?"
Adrian looked away.
"Not here."
"Then where?"
"Come with me."
She hesitated.
"Where?"
"My office."
---
Adrian's office was colder than she remembered.
He walked to the desk and unlocked a drawer.
Elena stood several feet away.
"What are you going to show me?"
"The truth."
He placed a photograph on the desk.
Elena looked down.
Her breath stopped.
It was a picture of her father.
But he wasn't alone.
Standing beside him was a younger version of Adrian's father.
Elena picked up the photograph.
"When was this taken?"
"Sixteen years ago."
Her fingers trembled.
"My father never told me about the Blackwoods."
"He had reasons."
"What reasons?"
Adrian opened another file.
Inside were documents, photographs, and newspaper clippings.
Elena scanned them.
Her father's name appeared repeatedly.
So did the Blackwood name.
"This can't be real."
"It is."
She looked up.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Because someone wanted the truth buried."
"Who?"
Adrian's eyes darkened.
"We're still trying to find out."
Elena's chest tightened.
"Is that why you hired me?"
"No."
"Then why?"
He looked at her.
For once, there was no coldness in his expression.
"Because I knew you were in danger."
"You knew before I came here?"
"Yes."
"How long?"
He didn't answer.
"Adrian."
"Long enough."
She stepped back.
"You've been watching me."
He said nothing.
"You knew where I lived."
Silence.
"You knew about my family."
Silence.
"You knew something would happen."
His eyes hardened.
"I suspected."
Elena shook her head.
"How am I supposed to trust you?"
"You shouldn't."
The answer surprised her.
He continued.
"Trust isn't something I expect from you."
"Then what do you expect?"
His gaze lowered briefly to her lips before returning to her eyes.
"That you stay alive."
Elena swallowed.
"And what happens after that?"
Adrian's expression became unreadable again.
"That depends."
"On what?"
"Whether you decide to stay."
She stared at him.
There was something behind his words.
Something he wasn't saying.
And Elena was beginning to realize that the danger surrounding her wasn't the only thing she needed to fear.
Adrian Blackwood was keeping secrets.
But perhaps the most dangerous secret was how much he already knew about her.
And how long he'd been watching.
She turned toward the door.
"I need time."
"You have until tonight."
She stopped.
"Why?"
"Because tonight, someone is coming to the estate."
"Who?"
Adrian's eyes followed her.
"An enemy."
Elena's stomach dropped.
"And what do they want?"
He paused.
"You."
The door closed behind her.
Adrian remained alone in the office.
He looked down at the photograph of Elena's father.
Then at another photograph beneath it.
One that Elena hadn't seen.
It showed her father standing beside a woman Elena recognized immediately.
Her mother.
But the date on the photograph was impossible.
It had been taken three years after her mother was supposedly dead.
Adrian slowly closed the file.
There was one truth Elena still didn't know.
Her mother was alive.
And she was coming back.
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