“I will protect you with everything I’ve got, Isabella,” he says, calm and dead in the eyes. “And ifanyoneso much as fixes their eyes on you, I’ll crush them like a fucking insect under my shoe.”
He finally meets my eyes. He is serious, terrifying, and undeniably loyal. His thumb drags lower, brushing against my lower lip. He takes out my pin and tucks it in my hair, exactly the way I do.
“You have my word. And that’s not something I ever give lightly.”
He turns around, heading to the door.
“Adam?”
He stops and looks over his shoulder. “Yes, little orchid?”
“Can I trust you?”
“Yes.”
I let out a low chuckle, feeling my cheeks blush.
“Isabella,” he adds. “Start locking that door, hm?”
I nod, and that’s all he needs. He turns and walks out of my room.
Strangely, I trust him. I trust a killer more than I ever trusted my own family or the polished liars that always circled around me.
He doesn’t pretend. He’s not afraid to cross lines or blur them just to stay close.
He steps right into the chaos and stays there, like it’s exactly where he belongs.
And he … he sees me. Not the perfect daughter. Not the pawn. Me.
That alone is more disarming than any threat he’s ever made.
Hours later,I’m still wide awake. It’s already 3:53 a.m., and here I am, lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling, mindlessly scrolling through my phone like that’ll calm anything down. It doesn’t.
My chest won’t settle. Knowing he’s somewhere under the same roof messes with me more than it should, and I can’t figure out why. I barely know the man. Hell, I shouldn’t feel anything about him at all … but I do.
Do I?
All I know is that something is keeping my nerves on edge and refusing to let me sleep.
My phone rings. Unknown number.
“Who the hell is it at this hour?” I mumble to myself.
I pick it up. “Hello?”
“Hello, Isabella.”
He’s a man—definitely. But I don’t know him.
“Who is it?”
“A neighbor,” he says slowly. “Closer than you think.”
Something about his tone makes my skin crawl.
“Colton? Is that you?” I ask with a shaky voice.
“Guess again.”
