Elena's POV
"Hey! Stop!"
The shout chased me down the alley, footsteps pounding close behind, and I didn't dare look back, my lungs burning as I sprinted toward the courtyard gate with every ounce of speed I could manage. I slipped through it just as a hand grazed the back of my jacket, missing its grip by inches, and didn't slow down until I'd made it through the building's side door, chest heaving, legs shaking so badly I had to brace myself against the wall.
The night security guard glanced up, unbothered, clearly having heard nothing beyond his own late-shift boredom, and I forced my breathing to steady before he noticed anything worth commenting on. I didn't wait to see if the men had followed me inside. I made straight for the elevator, and didn't feel remotely safe again until th
