The car ride was silent.
Adrian sat beside me, completely still, his presence like a storm waiting to break. He didn't fidget, didn't check his phone, didn't do anything except sit there, his gaze fixed straight ahead. The quiet between us felt heavier than it should.
I wasn't used to this.
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. The sharp cut of his jaw, the way his black hair fell slightly over his forehead, those cold, unreadable brown eyes—everything about him screamed control. Strength. Discipline.
I hated that I noticed.
Shifting in my seat, I turned toward the window, watching the city blur past. This wasn't how my life was supposed to be. I had worked my way to the top, fought harder than anyone to prove I deserved success. Now, I was the one being hunted, forced to rely on a man I barely knew.
The words left my mouth before I could stop them.
"I don't like this."
Adrian's head tilted slightly. "Being protected?"
"Being watched." I turned back to him. "It's suffocating."
He didn't react. Just studied me with that same calm intensity. "Then you're going to hate the next few weeks."
I narrowed my eyes. "Is that supposed to be reassuring?"
"No," he said simply. "It's reality."
I exhaled, pressing my fingers against my temples. This was already exhausting. "Where's your place?"
His brows lifted slightly at the question, but his voice remained neutral. "Downtown."
"Then why aren't you staying there?"
"Because you hired me to keep you alive." He turned his body slightly toward me. "That doesn't happen from across the city."
I clenched my jaw, looking away again. "This is going to be a nightmare."
Adrian didn't argue.
The car slowed as we approached my building. A sleek, modern high-rise on the Upper East Side, complete with private elevators, twenty-four-hour security, and a doorman who knew me by name. Normally, I found comfort in those things.
Tonight, they felt like nothing.
Adrian stepped out first, scanning the area before opening my door. His hand rested on the edge, waiting for me to move.
I didn't.
"I can open my own doors," I said, crossing my arms.
His gaze met mine, unwavering. "Not while I'm around."
The way he said it sent an unfamiliar shiver down my spine.
Annoyed, I slid out of the car, brushing past him as I made my way toward the entrance.
"Ms. Carter," the doorman greeted, his gaze flicking to Adrian. He hesitated, clearly debating whether to ask about the man shadowing me.
I ignored it.
Inside, the lobby was quiet, the marble floors gleaming under soft lighting. A few residents passed by, nodding politely, but no one spoke.
I pressed the elevator button, arms still crossed. Adrian stood beside me, his hands in his pockets. The seconds stretched in heavy silence.
"You're tense," he observed.
I scoffed. "You don't say."
He glanced at me. "It's good."
I frowned. "How is being tense a good thing?"
"It means you won't get careless."
I exhaled, shaking my head. "You're really bad at comforting people, you know that?"
"I'm not here to comfort you."
Of course he wasn't.
The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. We stepped inside, and I pressed the button for my floor.
I expected more silence. Instead, Adrian spoke.
"How many people have access to your apartment?"
I glanced at him. "Just me."
"No cleaning staff? Assistants? Anyone else?"
I shook my head. "I don't like people in my space."
His gaze didn't waver. "That's going to change."
I scowled. "I don't recall asking for your opinion."
"You didn't." He leaned slightly against the elevator wall. "But you did hire me."
I clenched my jaw.
The elevator doors opened to the penthouse floor. My apartment was the only one here, at the very end of the hall. Swiping my keycard, I punched in the code and pushed the door open.
Adrian stepped in behind me.
His eyes scanned everything—every window, every doorway, every possible entry point. He moved methodically, like a man who had done this a thousand times before.
I kicked off my heels. "Are you done playing security scanner?"
"No."
I rolled my eyes, heading toward the kitchen. "Want a drink?"
"No."
I grabbed a glass of wine for myself, taking a slow sip as I watched him. "Do you ever relax?"
His gaze flicked to me briefly before he continued checking the locks. "No."
Jesus.
I sighed, setting my glass down. "Well, I'm going to bed. You can see yourself out."
Adrian didn't move.
I frowned. "You're leaving, right?"
"No."
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
He leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "I'm staying here."
I let out a sharp laugh. "The hell you are."
His expression remained unreadable. "I don't leave my clients unprotected."
I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the kitchen counter. "Listen, I get that you're taking this seriously, but I don't need a babysitter."
"This isn't babysitting."
"It feels like it."
Adrian pushed off the wall, taking a slow step toward me. "Then consider this a reality check."
I swallowed hard.
"There is someone out there," he continued, his voice calm but firm. "Someone who has escalated from sending threats to breaking into your office. To leaving warnings. To making you feel unsafe in your own home."
My fingers curled against the counter.
Adrian stepped even closer, his presence overwhelming. "I'm not here to make you comfortable. I'm here to keep you alive."
I forced myself to hold his gaze. "And you think hovering over me all night is the solution?"
"Yes."
I exhaled sharply, turning away. "This is ridiculous."
Adrian didn't argue.
Finally, I threw my hands up. "Fine. Do whatever you want."
I grabbed my wine glass and stormed toward my bedroom.
Before I shut the door, his voice stopped me.
"Lock your door."
I turned back. "Why?"
His brown eyes darkened slightly. "Because until I figure out who's after you, I'm treating this as a worst-case scenario."
Something about the way he said it sent a chill down my spine.
For the first time, I realized just how real this was.
Someone wanted me gone.
And Adrian Black was the only thing standing in their way.