Chapter 5: They Know Where I Live
1016 Words
My home address had been leaked.
I stared at the security officer as his words replayed in my mind.
Someone knew where I lived.
Someone who had poisoned one of the most powerful men in the country.
Someone who was willing to kill to keep their secrets buried.
The strange thing was that I wasn't thinking about myself.
I was thinking about my sister.
"Grace," I whispered.
I immediately reached for my phone.
"Aubrey," Adrian said calmly, "wait."
I looked at him. "My sister is home alone," I said. "I'm calling her."
"You should," he replied. "But let my security team go to her first."
"I don't even know if I can trust your security team," I said.
"Fair concern," he replied. "You don't know me either."
"That isn't exactly comforting."
"It isn't supposed to be."
He wasn't offended by my distrust. If anything, he seemed to expect it.
Julian walked back into the library after hearing the commotion.
"What happened?" he asked.
"Her home address has been compromised," Adrian replied.
Julian's expression immediately hardened.
"Has anyone contacted the police?" I asked.
"No," Adrian said.
"Why not?"
"Because whoever is targeting us likely has resources we don't fully understand yet," he replied. "I'd rather not announce your whereabouts to people we haven't vetted."
That answer should have sounded paranoid.
The problem was that after the last twenty-four hours, it sounded reasonable.
I called Grace immediately.
She answered on the first ring.
"If you're calling to tell me you're secretly engaged to a billionaire, I want front-row seats at the wedding," she joked.
"Grace," I said quickly. "Are you home?"
The humor in her voice disappeared immediately.
"Yes," she replied. "What's wrong?"
"Listen to me carefully. Lock every door and don't answer it for anyone."
"Aubrey, you're scaring me."
"Good," I said. "Because I'm terrified right now."
The room fell silent.
"What's happening?" she asked quietly.
"I'll explain later," I replied. "Do not leave the house."
"Are you safe?"
I looked at Adrian standing a few feet away from me.
Surrounded by private security in one of the most secure residences in Manhattan.
Ironically, I was probably safer than I had ever been.
"I think so," I replied honestly.
"That doesn't sound convincing."
"It doesn't feel convincing either," I replied.
Adrian spoke softly to one of his security officers before handing me a small piece of paper.
"My head of security's direct number," he said. "If your sister feels uncomfortable with anyone approaching the house, she can verify their identities immediately."
I looked at the paper before slipping it into my pocket.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
He simply nodded.
After ending the call, I sat back down and tried to process everything that had happened over the last day.
Yesterday morning, I was worrying about hospital rotations and student loans.
Today, I was hiding in a billionaire's mansion while discussing assassination attempts over coffee.
Life was ridiculous sometimes.
"I have a question," I said as I looked at Adrian.
"Only one?" he asked.
"Let's start with one."
That earned the slightest smile from him.
"Ask."
"Why are you being so calm about all of this?" I asked. "Someone tried to kill you yesterday."
"Because panic doesn't solve problems," he replied.
"Neither does pretending you're emotionally unavailable."
Julian laughed so suddenly that he nearly choked on his coffee.
"I'm beginning to like her," he said.
Adrian ignored him completely.
"This isn't the first time I've received threats," Adrian said calmly.
"The first assassination attempt?" I asked.
"The first successful attempt, perhaps," he replied.
I frowned. "That's somehow worse."
"Welcome to my world," he replied.
That title suited him far too well.
For the first time since meeting him, I studied him properly.
He didn't look frightened.
He didn't even look angry.
He looked like a man solving another problem on his schedule for the day.
It suddenly made sense why people feared him.
Power wasn't loud with Adrian Ashford.
It was quiet.
Controlled.
Calculated.
And honestly, slightly intimidating.
"Can I ask something inappropriate?" I asked.
Julian smiled. "You're going to ask it regardless, aren't you?"
"Absolutely."
I looked back at Adrian.
"Have you always been this emotionally constipated?" I asked.
Julian burst out laughing.
Even two of the security guards looked like they were struggling not to smile.
Adrian simply raised an eyebrow.
"No," he replied.
"Really?"
"I used to smile more when I was six."
That caught me completely off guard.
I laughed despite myself.
"Well," I said, "that's mildly tragic."
"I'm told that occasionally."
The tension in the room eased slightly.
For a moment, it almost felt normal.
Almost.
Then another security officer entered the library.
"Sir," he said. "There's something else."
"What is it?" Adrian asked.
"We've increased surveillance around Dr. Bennett's residence."
"And?" I asked nervously.
The officer hesitated.
"Someone has already been there."
My blood ran cold.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"Our security footage shows an unidentified man standing outside your apartment building approximately thirty minutes ago."
My heart stopped.
"Was he trying to get inside?" I asked.
"No, Doctor."
"Then what was he doing?"
The officer handed Julian a tablet.
Julian stared at the screen for several seconds before passing it to Adrian.
Neither of them looked pleased.
"What?" I asked impatiently.
Adrian slowly turned the tablet toward me.
The photograph showed a man wearing black gloves standing beside my mailbox.
Taped to the front of it was a single white rose.
"What does that mean?" I asked quietly.
"No idea," Julian replied.
"That's comforting."
"There was also a note," Adrian said.
I looked at him immediately.
"What did it say?"
He hesitated for the first time since I had met him.
That alone terrified me.
"Mr. Ashford?" I called.
His steel-gray eyes met mine before he finally spoke.
"It said," he replied quietly, "'Doctors save lives. Let's see if yours can be saved.'"
The room fell into complete silence.
Someone wasn't just threatening me anymore.
They were playing with me.
And somehow, I had the horrifying feeling that saving Adrian Ashford was only the beginning of my nightmare.
- Writer
