The night deepened, and the city below Logan's penthouse sparkled like a see of stars. But Logan wasn't paying attention to the view; his thoughts were consumed by the unsettling messages.
"Associated with her....My enemy.... Time is running out."
He stared at his phone for a while, his jaw clenched. The world felt more personal with each passing moment as if whoever was behind them knew something Logan didn't.
"Who the hell is 'her'?" Ahe muttered, pacing his living room.
The messages weren't from some random internet troll; the tone was too targeted, too menacing. And while Logan wasn't one to scare easily, the tension was starting to wear him down.
********
Aura's eyes narrowed as she studied the latest update from the big she had planted in Logan's penthouse. The live feed showed Logan pacing, visibily agitated. Then came the sound of glass shattering.
She didn't hesitate. Grabbing her gear, she moved swiftly. Logan was a reckless idiot, but even idiots didn't deserve to be blindsided by people who did dirty.
*****
Logan's head snapped toward the sound of glass breaking in the kitchen. His muscles tensed, every instincts screaming at him to run. But he didn't run. Instead, he grabbed a decorative metal poker from the fireplace and edged towards the noise.
"Great," he muttered under his breath. "First creepy messages, and now a break in. Just my luck."
The intruder emerged from the shadows, masked, dressed in all black, and holding a blade that gleamed under a faint light.
Logan's eyes widened, but he kept his grip on the poker firm. "Alright, buddy, I don't know who sent you or if you sent yourself, but I have go a really expensive security system, and—
The intruder lunged without warning. Logan dodged, narrowly avoiding the blade. His heart pounded as adrenaline surged through his veins.
"Okay, not a fan, I take it!" he shouted, swinging the poker wildly.
The assailant was skilled, dodging Logan's clumsy attacks with ease. A sharp kick to Logan's chest sent him stumbling backward, crashing into a side table.
For a moment, Logan considered giving up. This wasn't a movie, and he wasn't an action star, this was reality. But something in him refused to let him go.
The scene Aura arrived at was one of chaos. Logan was cornered, his breathing labored, and the attacker was closing in for the kill.
"Amateur," Aura muttered, drawing her dagger as she stepped in to the room.
The intruder didn't see her coming until it was too late. In one fluid motion, she disarmed them and slammed them against a wall.
Logan gawked at her. "Here comes my top fan. You have a flair for dramatic entrances, don't you?"
Aura ignored him, her focus on the intruder. "Who sent you?"
The attacker's eyes darted between Aura and Logan before they spat out, "You will never stop us. This is just the beginning."
Aura's grip tightened on their collar. "Wanna bet?"
Before she could get more answers, the intruder activated a small device in their sleeve. A loud beep echoed through the room, and Aura barely had time to grab Logan and dive for cover as an explosion rocked the penthouse.
******
Coughing, Logan sat up, his hair dusted with debris. "This is gonna make the headlines. You know, I just redecorated."
Aura rolled her eyes, helping him to his feet. "Move. This place isn't safe anymore."
Logan resisted, brushing himself off. "I'm not leaving. This is my home."
Aura's patience was wearing thin. "Your home is a target. They will come back."
"Good. Let them. I can handle myself," Logan shot back, his pride obviously bruised.
Aura stepped closer, her voice dropping dangerously calm. "You almost died tonight, and you are still acting like this is some kind of joke."
Logan met her gaze, his frustration bubbling over. "Why do you even care? You keep saving me, but you won't tell me why. Who are you, Aura? Really?"
The question hung in the air, heavy and unanswerable.
"You don't need to know who I am," she said finally. "You just need to listen. Move out of this penthouse and find somewhere safe and secured. That's your only warning."
With that, she turned to leave, but Logan grabbed her wrist.
"Wait," he said, his voice getting soft. "You saved me again. "I'm.... I'm grateful, but can you—"
"Gratitude won't keep you alive," she interrupted, pulling free.
As she climbed out through the window, she looked at Logan one last time before dropping a note on the coffee table, she jumped down, disappearing into the night.
Logan picked it up and read the words: Don't forget—I saved you.
He chuckled. He was getting used to this.
******
The following morning, Logan's penthouse was a crime scene. Police swarmed the area, gathering evidence and questioning Logan about the attack. He gave them the bare minimum, unwilling to mention Aura or the cryptic messages.
Once the authorities left, Liam arrived, looking frazzled and exhausted.
"You look like hell," Logan commented as his assistant barges in.
"I should thank you for that," Liam shot back. "Do you have any idea what I have been dealing with? The media's Una frenzy, your sponsors are breathing down my neck, and now I find out your place exploded? What the hell is going on, Logan?"
Logan rubbed the back of his neck, obviously exhausted. "It's kind of..... complicated."
"Complicated? Complicated is me rescheduling your shoots and convincing the world that you are doing perfectly fine, especially your legion of fans. They are on my neck."
Logan sighed, slumping onto the couch. "I don't know what to tell you, Liam. Someone is targeting me, and Aura keeps showing up to save the day."
"Aura? The mysterious woman you won't shut up about?"
"She's not just anyone," Logan said, his tone defensive. "She's.... different."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "Different ? How?"
Logan hesitated. "I don't know. But I need to figure it out."
That night, Logan lay awake in the hotel suite Liam had arranged for him. His thoughts were consumed by Aura, her sharp wit, her mysterious aura, that befits her code name, and the way she seemed to know exactly what to do in any situation.
For the first time in a long time, Logan felt something other than the dull monotony of his celebrity life.
"She's under my skin." he muttered.
And he wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing.