The drive back from the gala was suffocatingly silent. The air between Luna and Killian was thick with unspoken words, each of them locked in their own thoughts. The brief encounter with Adrian Carlisle had left an imprint on both of them, and neither was willing to be the first to bring it up.
Luna stared out of the tinted car window, watching the city lights blur into streaks of gold and white. She could still feel Adrian's gaze lingering, his words a veiled threat she couldn't afford to ignore. What did he mean by 'the past catching up'?
Killian, sitting beside her, had his fingers steepled against his lips, his expression unreadable.
She finally broke the silence. "Are you intending to hide from me that he is back?"
Killian's gaze flickered to her, dark and assessing. "No."
Luna scoffed, turning to face him. "You don't sound convincing."
"I'm not lying," he said, lowering his hands. "Men like Adrian don't stay gone forever. When they disappear, it's only to plan their next move."
A chill ran down her spine. She had spent years trying to outrun the shadow of her past, convincing herself that Adrian's absence meant safety. Now, that illusion was shattered.
"What does he want?" she asked, hating the vulnerability in her voice.
Killian's jaw tightened. "Power. Leverage. A game to play. Adrian never moves without a strategy."
Luna swallowed hard. She knew that better than anyone.
The car pulled into the long driveway of Killian's estate, the towering estate looming over them like a silent sentinel. The moment the car stopped, Luna unbuckled her seatbelt and pushed open the door, desperate for the cool night air. Killian followed close behind.
She barely made it up the grand staircase before his voice stopped her. "Luna."
She turned, pulse racing.
He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. "If Adrian tries to contact you, you tell me."
She lifted her chin. "I don't take orders from you."
Killian's lips pressed into a thin line. "This isn't a game, Luna. Adrian isn't someone you can afford to handle on your own."
"And you can?" she challenged. "Last I checked, your name wasn't on his list of favorites either."
Killian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark hair. "I can handle Adrian. What I can't handle is the idea of you dealing with him alone."
Luna's breath hitched. For a moment, there was something raw in his eyes, something dangerously close to concern. She forced herself to look away.
"This is my battle too," she said, her voice softer now.
Killian didn't respond, but his gaze told her everything. This wasn't over. Not with Adrian lurking in the shadows.
—
Luna barely slept that night. When she closed her eyes, Adrian's smirk haunted her, his words looping like a warning siren in her mind. By dawn, she was already dressed and downstairs, sipping coffee in the grand kitchen.
The morning was quiet, save for the faint sounds of birds chirping outside. The Blackwell estate always had an eerie stillness to it, like a house filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered.
A movement at the doorway caught her attention. Killian leaned against the frame, dressed sharply in a charcoal suit, his expression unreadable.
"Couldn't sleep?" he asked.
Luna huffed a small laugh. "You could say that."
He strode in, pouring himself a cup of black coffee before taking a seat across from her. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Then, Killian set down his cup, his gaze piercing.
"I'm meeting with a private investigator today."
Luna's brows lifted. "For Adrian?"
He nodded. "I need to know what he's been up to since he disappeared. If he has an angle, I want to find it before he decides to make his next move."
Luna chewed on her lower lip. "And what if his next move is already in motion?"
Killian's grip on his cup tightened slightly. "Then we'll be ready."
She wasn't sure whether his confidence reassured her or terrified her.
—
Hours later, Luna found herself at the Aldridge Foundation offices. She had taken a taxi instead of the estate driver, wanting a moment of normalcy. The foundation had been her father's legacy, and now, after years of absence, she had returned to oversee its work.
She had barely stepped into her office when her assistant, Olivia, rushed in, her expression fraught with worry.
"You have a visitor," Olivia said.
Luna frowned. "I don't have any scheduled meetings today."
"He insisted. Said it was urgent."
Luna's heart pounded. "Who?"
A familiar voice cut through the air. "I believe that would be me."
She turned sharply, her breath catching.
Adrian Carlisle stood in the doorway, his smirk intact, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
Luna's fingers curled into fists. "You have a lot of nerve showing up here."
Adrian stepped inside, as if he owned the place. "Come now, Luna. No need to be hostile. I come in peace."
She crossed her arms. "Doubtful."
His gaze flickered over her, his smirk deepening. "You haven't changed much. Still as sharp as ever."
She narrowed her eyes. "Say what you came to say and leave."
Adrian exhaled dramatically. "Fine. I just wanted to remind you that the past doesn't stay buried forever. And some deals—" his eyes darkened, "—come with expiration dates."
A cold shiver raced down her spine. "What are you talking about?"
Adrian leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. "Let's just say… you and Killian might want to tread carefully. Because of some ghosts? They don't like being forgotten."
Luna's breath came in shallow, her mind scrambling for answers, a frantic search for logic in a situation devoid of it. Before she could voice her fears, before she could even form a coherent thought, Adrian straightened, his posture radiating a disturbing confidence, flashing a predatory grin.
"See you around, Luna."
And just like that, he was gone, leaving her with more questions than answers.
The past had come knocking.
And this time, it wasn't going to wait.