Ariella hadn't slept.
Between the man in the alley, the unmarked car outside, and the storm of thoughts in her head, she was surviving on instinct and cheap coffee.
She didn't know why Lucien had people watching her.
She didn't care.
Or… she pretended not to.
But that illusion shattered the next night.
She was returning to her room, bags in hand, when she heard it.
A soft shuffle.
A click.
The unmistakable sound of her hotel door closing — from the inside.
Her heart stilled.
She hadn't left it open.
And no one should be in her room.
Slowly, she set her bag down and stepped back, pulling out her phone with shaking fingers.
Just as she was about to dial the front desk—
A gloved hand clamped over her mouth.
Her scream was muffled instantly.
She struggled, kicking, biting, but the man behind her was strong — too strong. He shoved her against the wall, breath hot, voice low and cruel.
"You shouldn't have run from him, sweetheart," he hissed. "He's not the only one who's been watching you."
Her blood turned to ice.
This wasn't Lucien's man.
This was someone else.
Ariella thrashed, elbowing him hard enough to break free — just for a second. She reached for the door to the stairwell—
Then it burst open.
Lucien.
In all black, eyes blazing, fury rolling off him in waves.
He didn't speak.
Didn't blink.
Didn't hesitate.
He tackled the man to the ground in one move, fists flying, violence erupting like he'd been holding it in for years. Punch after punch, sharp and brutal — until the man was groaning, barely conscious.
Lucien stood over him, chest heaving, blood on his knuckles.
And then his eyes turned to Ariella.
"You're hurt?"
She shook her head, stunned, breathless. "No… I—how did you—?"
He didn't answer.
Just reached out and pulled her to him, crushing her against his chest like he couldn't help it.
She didn't resist.
Not this time.
His grip was shaking. His jaw locked. His voice raw when he whispered against her hair:
"If he had touched you… if he had hurt you…"
"You were following me," she said softly. "Even after I left."
"I never stopped," he confessed. "I couldn't."
She pulled back slightly, searching his face.
"What do you want from me, Lucien?"
He stared at her like he didn't have the answer.
And maybe that was the scariest part of all.