Chapter Thirteen: A Dangerous Rescue
916 Words
The snake writhed in Mia’s trembling hands, its scales cold and alive against her skin. Every instinct screamed at her to drop it, to run, to curl into herself and never look back.
But Adrian’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade.
“Put it down, Mia.”
He was close now. His footsteps were quick, sharp against the marble path, his eyes burning with fury that wasn’t aimed at her but at everything around them.
Mia’s breath shuddered. Her arms ached.
She didn’t know if she had the strength to hold on or the courage to let go.
Slowly, she crouched down and lowered the snake back into the crate. The moment its body left her hands, she stumbled back, her chest heaving, her palms slick with sweat.
Adrian was beside her in an instant, his hand steady on her arm. His touch was firm, grounding.
“Are you hurt?” he asked, his voice low but tight with urgency.
Mia shook her head, though her heart was still hammering wildly. “N-no. I’m fine.”
Her voice betrayed her. She wasn’t fine. Not even close.
Sofia’s laughter broke the moment.
“Oh, Adrian,” she drawled, her tone dripping with mockery. “You should’ve seen her. Your little wife actually touched it. Held it, even. I didn’t think she had it in her.”
Adrian’s gaze snapped to Sofia.
The fury in his eyes was so sharp Mia almost flinched.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” His voice was low, dangerous, controlled only by a thin thread.
Sofia tilted her head, her smirk widening. “Testing her. Isn’t that what Father wants? To see if she belongs here?”
“This isn’t a test.” Adrian’s voice rose, each word edged with steel.
“This is cruelty.”
Sofia shrugged. “She survived, didn’t she? Maybe she’s stronger than we thought.”
Her eyes flicked back to Mia, glittering with malice.
“Or maybe she’s just too stupid to realize when she’s being played.”
Adrian stepped forward, his hand still steady on Mia’s arm. His presence was a shield, his broad shoulders blocking Sofia’s view of her.
“You will not touch her again,” he said, his voice low, lethal.
“Do you understand me, Sofia?”
For the first time, Sofia’s smile faltered. A flicker of something—fear, or maybe thrill—crossed her face. But she quickly recovered, brushing invisible dust from her silk sleeve.
“You can protect her all you want, cousin,” she said sweetly.
“But you can’t protect her forever. Not from us. Not from this family.”
She turned, her heels clicking against the marble as she strode back into the shadows. The bodyguards followed, the crate closing with a dull thud.
In moments, they were gone.
The garden was silent again. Only Mia’s ragged breathing filled the night air.
Adrian turned back to her, his face softer now but still shadowed by fury.
“Why did you come out here?” he demanded.
“Why didn’t you wait for me?”
Mia swallowed hard, her throat tight.
“They left a note,” she whispered. “It said midnight. East Garden. If I ignored it, I thought—”
Her voice cracked. She hugged her arms around herself.
“I thought they’d make it worse.”
Adrian’s jaw clenched. His hand rose as though to cup her cheek, but he stopped just short, his fingers curling into a fist before dropping back to his side.
“They already are,” he muttered, more to himself than to her.
“They won’t stop.”
Mia’s chest tightened.
She hated the way her voice trembled when she asked, “Then why am I here, Adrian? Why bring me into this house if it’s only going to destroy me?”
The question hung between them like smoke.
Adrian’s gaze darkened, shadows flickering across his face. He looked away, as though the answer was too heavy to give.
Finally, he said quietly, “Because I need you. And I don’t… I don’t trust anyone else.”
Mia’s breath caught. The words shouldn’t have meant anything. It wasn’t love. It wasn’t even affection. It was necessity.
But the way he said them, the faint crack in his voice—it pulled at something deep inside her.
Silence stretched. The night air pressed cool against her bare skin. Somewhere in the distance, a night bird called.
Adrian finally exhaled and straightened. His walls went back up, his expression smooth and unreadable.
“Come on,” he said, his voice flat again. “It’s not safe out here.”
He guided her back toward the mansion, his hand never leaving her arm. Not tight, not controlling—just steady. Like he was afraid she’d vanish if he let go.
When they reached her room, Adrian lingered at the door.
“You’ll lock it from the inside,” he said firmly. “Don’t open it for anyone but me.”
Mia nodded, her fingers tightening around the doorknob.
Adrian hesitated. His eyes softened, just for a heartbeat.
“You did well tonight,” he said quietly.
“Don’t let them see you doubt that.”
Before she could answer, he turned and walked down the hall, his broad frame swallowed by shadows.
Mia stood there, her heart still racing, her palms still tingling with the ghost of scales.
She had survived.
But at what cost?
- Writer
