Luna barely had time to process the unsettling call from Adrian before she arrived home. Her hands trembled as she unlocked the door, her mind racing with the implications of his words. She had spent years burying the past, but Adrian's voice had ripped those wounds wide open.
Stepping inside, she let out a slow breath. The house felt too quiet, too empty. It wasn't just the physical space—it was the weight of her secrets pressing in on her. She set her bag down on the couch and rubbed her arms as if she could chase away the lingering unease.
She needed to talk to Killian. But that thought alone sent another wave of uncertainty through her. Killian was the last person she wanted to rely on, yet somehow, he was always the one at the center of everything she couldn't escape.
Meanwhile, across town, Killian sat stiffly in the restaurant, absorbing Matthew Crane's report. The dim lighting cast sharp shadows over his face, mirroring the storm brewing inside him.
"So, Adrian's not just back—he's been planning this for a while," Killian muttered, his fingers tapping against the table.
Matthew nodded. "And he's not working alone. Graves isn't the type to get involved unless there's something big at stake. Whatever Adrian is after, it's more than personal."
Killian exhaled sharply. His grip on the edge of the table tightened. "Then we need to get ahead of him. Find out his next move."
Matthew hesitated for a second before adding, "One more thing. You said to keep an eye on Luna. My contact followed her earlier today."
Killian's jaw tensed. "And?"
"She got a call. Didn't seem like a business one. Afterward, she looked shaken."
Killian's fingers curled into fists. "Adrian."
Matthew nodded. "I'd bet on it."
Killian pushed his chair back abruptly, already reaching for his phone. "This ends now."
By the time he reached home, the tension in his chest had coiled so tightly it felt like a vice. He wasn't sure if it was anger, worry, or something else entirely that made his pulse quicken. But when he stepped inside, his gaze immediately locked onto Luna.
She stood near the living room, arms wrapped around herself, as if trying to ward off a chill. Her head snapped up the moment he entered, and for a fleeting second, something flickered in her eyes—relief? Fear? Resentment? He couldn't tell, and that only irritated him further.
"He called you," Killian said, his voice tight.
Luna's throat worked as she nodded. "He's playing with us."
Killian closed the distance between them in a few steps, his eyes burning into hers. "What did he say?"
"That we have unfinished business. That secrets have a way of unraveling," she murmured, her voice unsteady. "Killian, I—"
"Don't," he interrupted, his jaw clenching. "You don't need to explain. Not now. Right now, we make sure he doesn't get the upper hand."
Luna's eyes flashed with something sharp. "And what if he already has? He's inside our heads, Killian. He knows exactly what to say to make us question everything."
Killian stepped even closer, his presence overwhelming. "And you? Are you questioning everything?"
Luna sucked in a breath. She hated how he could read through her so easily, how even after all these years, his gaze alone could make her feel exposed. "I don't know what I feel anymore. I don't know what's real when it comes to you, or him, or anything."
Killian's jaw twitched. "Then let me make one thing clear—you can hate me all you want, but I will not let him get to you."
Luna let out a hollow laugh. "You say that like you still have a right to protect me."
The words hit him harder than they should have. His expression darkened, but he didn't move away. Instead, his hand brushed against hers, just barely, and the contact sent a jolt through them both. Luna's breath hitched, and for a moment, they were just two people tangled in a history too painful to untangle.
Killian exhaled, his voice dropping. "Whether you believe it or not, I do. And I always will."
Luna looked away, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Then tell me—how do we stop him?"
Killian straightened, slipping back into his usual unreadable mask. "By making sure we know his next move before he makes it. Adrian thinks he's in control. It's time we remind him that he isn't."
Luna swallowed, nodding. But deep inside, a gnawing fear whispered that Adrian might know something neither of them were ready to face.
And that was the most dangerous part of all.