Before You Found Me

A PROMISE

That evening, Adrian walked Isla to her apartment.

The sun was already disappearing behind the buildings, leaving the sky painted in fading shades of orange and gray.

Isla walked beside him quietly.

For once, neither of them spoke about danger.

Neither mentioned the men following her.

Neither mentioned the black SUV.

Neither mentioned the mysterious people who seemed determined to destroy Adrian.

For a few minutes, they simply walked.

It almost felt normal.

Almost.

When they reached her apartment building, Adrian stopped.

Isla turned toward him.

"This is where you say goodbye?"

"For tonight."

She smiled faintly.

"You make it sound like you're planning to return."

"I am."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Confident."

"Prepared."

She laughed softly.

Adrian looked toward the entrance of the building.

"I'll increase security around the building."

Isla immediately frowned.

"I don't need bodyguards."

"You need to stay alive."

She sighed.

"You barely know me."

Adrian looked at her.

A soft smile appeared on his face.

"I know enough."

"That's what you keep saying."

"Because it's true."

She shook her head.

"You've known me for less than a week."

"And yet I've learned more about you than I expected."

"Such as?"

Adrian thought for a moment.

"You're stubborn."

"I've heard that before."

"You don't like accepting help."

"Not from strangers."

"I'm not a stranger anymore."

She looked at him.

"Are you sure about that?"

Adrian smiled.

"I'm sure."

Isla looked away.

She wasn't used to someone speaking to her that way.

Most people in her life were predictable.

Her manager.

Her coworkers.

The customers at the café.

Her grandmother had once been the person who understood her best.

Then she had died.

Since then, Isla had learned to handle things alone.

She didn't need anyone.

At least, that's what she had told herself.

But Adrian was making that belief harder to maintain.

He had entered her life suddenly.

A stranger in a wrecked car.

A mysterious businessman.

A man surrounded by secrets.

And somehow...

She trusted him more than she wanted to admit.

Adrian noticed her silence.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing."

"You're a terrible liar."

She smiled.

"You've said that before too."

"Because you keep proving me right."

She laughed.

Then she looked at him.

"Why are you doing all this?"

Adrian's expression became serious.

"Doing what?"

"Protecting me."

He didn't answer immediately.

"You risked your life for a stranger."

Isla looked down.

"I just did what anyone should have done."

"That's not true."

"How do you know?"

"Because most people didn't."

She remained quiet.

Adrian continued.

"People like that are rare."

Something about his words made her uncomfortable.

Not because they were unpleasant.

Because they meant something.

She looked down, unable to hide the blush creeping across her face.

Adrian noticed.

He smiled.

"Are you blushing?"

"No."

"You are."

"It's cold."

"It's not."

She gave him a look.

"Goodnight, Adrian."

He laughed quietly.

"Goodnight, Isla."

She turned toward the entrance.

Then stopped.

"Adrian?"

"Yes?"

She looked back.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything."

He nodded.

"You're welcome."

She started walking inside.

Then his voice stopped her.

"Isla."

She turned.

Adrian stood beneath the streetlight.

His expression was unusually serious.

"I made you a promise the moment I woke up in that ambulance."

She stared at him.

"What promise?"

He took a slow breath.

"That as long as I'm breathing..."

He paused.

"No one will ever hurt you because of me."

Isla's heart skipped.

She didn't know what to say.

"Adrian..."

"I'm serious."

"I know."

He nodded.

"Good."

Then he turned and walked toward his car.

Isla remained standing at the entrance.

She watched him open the driver's door.

He looked back once.

Their eyes met.

Then he got inside.

The engine started.

The car pulled away slowly.

Isla stood watching until the vehicle disappeared around the corner.

Only then did she realize she had been holding her breath.

She touched her chest.

Her heart was beating faster than usual.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered.

She smiled despite herself.

Then she walked inside.

She didn't realize someone else was watching too.

Across the street, on the rooftop of an old building, a man stood behind a camera.

The long lens was pointed directly at Isla's apartment.

He had been watching her for several minutes.

He zoomed in.

There she was.

Standing beneath the light.

Looking in the direction Adrian had driven away.

The photographer smiled.

He lowered the camera and checked the images.

Several photographs appeared on the screen.

Adrian walking beside Isla.

Adrian standing outside her apartment.

Isla looking at Adrian.

Adrian looking back at her.

The photographer selected one.

It showed Adrian placing his hand lightly on Isla's shoulder as they stood outside the building.

The photographer smiled.

"Perfect."

He sent the photograph to someone.

A few seconds later, his phone vibrated.

A message appeared.

How close are they?

The photographer looked at the picture.

Then typed:

Closer than we expected.

Another message arrived.

Does he care about her?

The photographer smiled.

He sent the photograph again.

Then replied:

More than he should.

There was a long pause.

Then another message.

Now we have leverage.

The photographer looked toward Isla's apartment.

The light in her window switched on.

"Not yet," he whispered.

He packed away the camera.

"Let them get closer."

He turned toward the stairs.

"Then we'll take everything from them."

Inside her apartment, Isla changed clothes and sat on the edge of her bed.

Her grandmother's photograph was still sitting on the bedside table.

She picked it up.

"I think I met someone complicated, Grandma."

She smiled softly.

"Very complicated."

She placed the photograph back.

Her phone vibrated.

She looked down.

A message from Adrian.

Lock your door.

She smiled.

Then another message arrived.

And don't forget to sleep.

Isla laughed quietly.

She typed a response.

You sound like my grandmother.

His reply came quickly.

Then she must have been very wise.

Isla stared at the message.

For some reason, that simple sentence touched her.

She put the phone beside her.

Then she looked toward the window.

For just a moment, she thought she saw something move on the rooftop across the street.

She stepped closer.

Nothing.

Only darkness.

She closed the curtains.

Locked the window.

Then locked her door.

She returned to her bed.

But sleep didn't come easily.

Because somewhere outside...

Someone had photographs of her.

Someone knew Adrian cared about her.

And someone was already planning how to use that against them.

The promise Adrian had made that evening had been sincere.

He intended to protect Isla.

But promises could only protect people when they knew where the danger was coming from.

And Adrian still had no idea...

The enemy had already found their weakness.