I stepped back so fast I almost tripped.
My heart was racing, my chest tight as his words echoed in my head.
I've been watching you too.
"What kind of sick joke is this?" I snapped, trying to steady my voice.
But it betrayed me.
It came out shaky.
Adrian Blackwood didn't move.
Didn't blink.
Didn't even look surprised.
"You think I'm joking?" he asked calmly.
There was something about his voice.
Cold.
Certain.
Like he already knew how this would end.
"I don't even know you," I said quickly, putting more distance between us. "So whatever this is stop it."
His gaze dropped briefly… then returned to my face.
Sharp.
Assessing.
"That's not entirely true," he said.
A chill ran through me.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Silence.
Then
He turned away from me like he wasn't even worried I would leave.
Like I couldn't.
"You've been receiving messages," he said, walking back toward his desk.
"Unknown number. Repetitive pattern. Increasing frequency."
My breath caught.
"How do you know that?" I whispered.
He didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he picked up a file from his desk.
Opened it.
Then slid it across the table toward me.
"Read."
I hesitated.
Every instinct in me screamed not to go closer.
Not to touch anything he gave me.
But I did.
Slowly.
I reached for the file and opened it.
And my world tilted.
Pictures.
Dozens of them.
Me.
Walking to class.
At the café.
Outside my apartment.
At the grocery store.
Sleeping.
My fingers started shaking.
"How… how did you get these?" My voice barely came out.
"They were sent to me," he replied simply.
My head snapped up.
"What?"
His expression didn't change.
"Your stalker isn't just watching you," he continued.
"He's documenting you."
My stomach turned violently.
"Why would he send them to you?" I demanded.
A pause.
Then
"Because he knows I'm watching you too."
The room felt like it was closing in on me.
"This isn't funny," I said, backing away again. "This is insane."
"Sit."
The word wasn't loud.
But it wasn't a request.
I froze.
"I said sit."
Something in his tone
Something dark and unyielding
Made my body react before my mind could argue.
I sat.
I hated that I did.
"I don't take kindly to threats," Adrian said, his voice calm again.
Controlled.
"But this… situation…"
He leaned forward slightly.
"Is now my concern."
"I didn't ask for your help," I snapped.
"No," he agreed.
A slight tilt of his head.
"Unfortunately for you… that doesn't matter."
Anger flared in my chest.
"You don't get to control me," I said, standing up again. "I'll go to the police."
That made him pause.
Just for a second.
Then he smiled.
Not warm.
Not kind.
Dangerous.
"Go ahead," he said.
Something about the way he said it made my stomach drop.
"What does that mean?" I asked cautiously.
"It means," he said slowly, standing up again, "by the time they take this seriously…"
He stepped closer.
"It might already be too late."
My breath hitched.
"You're trying to scare me."
"No," he said quietly.
"I'm trying to keep you alive."
Silence fell between us.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
I shook my head.
"No. I don't trust you."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"I don't belong to you."
That did something.
Something dangerous.
In a second, he closed the distance between us.
His hand wrapped around my wrist.
Firm.
Unyielding.
My breath caught.
"You're right," he said softly.
His thumb brushed slowly against my skin.
"You don't belong to me."
A pause.
Then his grip tightened.
"Not yet."
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"Let go of me," I whispered.
He didn't.
Instead, he leaned closer.
"So listen carefully," he said, his voice low.
"Don't go anywhere alone."
A pause.
"Don't talk to strangers."
Another pause.
"And don't"
His eyes locked onto mine.
Dark.
Intense.
Possessive.
"make me come looking for you."
A shiver ran down my spine.
"I'm not scared of you," I said, even though my voice betrayed me again.
He studied me for a long moment.
Then suddenly
He let go.
"Good," he said calmly.
That wasn't the reaction I expected.
Because the next thing he said made my blood run cold.
"You should be."
My phone buzzed.
Both of us looked down at it.
Unknown Number.
My hands started trembling again.
Slowly… I opened the message.
You're with him.
My heart stopped.
Another message came in immediately.
I don't like that.
I felt the color drain from my face.
Adrian stepped closer, his gaze sharp.
"What does it say?"
I couldn't speak.
Another message.
Leave now.
Then
Or I will make him disappear.
The room went completely silent.
Adrian's expression didn't change.
But something in his eyes…
Shifted.
Darkened.
Dangerous.
"Interesting," he murmured.
My heart was pounding uncontrollably.
"This isn't normal," I whispered. "This is getting worse."
He looked at me slowly.
Then said something that made everything worse.
"Good."
I stared at him.
"What?"
He stepped closer again.
Because in Adrian Blackwood's world…
Danger didn't scare him.
It attracted him.
And right now
I was the center of it.