Ethan moved down the hall like a shadow.
Bullets ricocheted off the walls. Glass shattered. Alarms blared.
Every step he took was precise, controlled. Each movement calculated to neutralize threats without putting Aria—or Sophia—in harm's way.
He took down two men in the grand hallway, disarmed a third, and even caught a knife mid-air before it could reach a security guard.
By the time he returned to the office, the chaos had mostly stopped.
Aria and Sophia were both pressed against the wall, wide-eyed, adrenaline still surging through their veins.
"You're alive," Aria said, her voice trembling, though part of her felt… irritated.
Ethan's gaze flicked to her. "I told you I wouldn't let anyone hurt you."
Aria clenched her jaw. "I don't need protecting."
"Clearly you do," Ethan replied flatly, already moving toward the reinforced windows to check the perimeter.
Sophia, however, was less guarded.
Her heart still raced from watching him fight, from the way he moved with calm danger and unspoken authority.
"Aria," she whispered, leaning slightly closer to him without thinking, "he's incredible."
Aria's green eyes snapped to her friend. "Sophia…"
"I mean it! Did you see the way he handled those men? He didn't even break a sweat!"
Ethan glanced over his shoulder. His voice low, even teasing. "You're both fine. Focus on staying that way."
Sophia's cheeks flushed. She looked down, embarrassed, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.
Aria noticed the subtle tension, the tiny smile playing at the corners of Sophia's lips, and a pang of something she didn't want to name twisted in her chest.
"Stay here," Ethan ordered again. "I need to secure the rest of the mansion."
Before Aria could argue, Ethan's hand brushed hers—not intentionally, but just enough to make her pulse spike.
"Ethan—" she started, but he was already gone.
Sophia leaned back against the wall and whispered under her breath, almost to herself:
"He's… perfect."
Aria's jaw tightened. Perfect? That word shouldn't even exist in the same sentence as him.
Later That Evening
By the time the police and additional security arrived, the mansion was secured.
Aria's father, a tall, imposing figure with a sharp suit and sharper eyes, appeared in the office.
"Ethan Kane," he said, his voice low and commanding. "You've done well. Too well, perhaps."
Ethan nodded. "Your daughter and her friend are unharmed."
The father's gaze flicked to Aria, then Sophia. "Good. I want you both safe. He's going to stay here, full-time, until the threat is neutralized."
Aria groaned. "Stay… here?"
"Full-time," Ethan confirmed, stepping into the room silently, his presence instantly filling it. "It's part of the job."
Sophia's eyes widened slightly. "That's… actually… perfect," she whispered again, just loud enough for Aria to hear.
Aria spun to glare at her friend. "Sophia! Don't encourage him."
Sophia raised her hands innocently. "I'm not! I'm just… stating facts."
Aria clenched her fists, jaw tight. Something about watching her friend fall for her bodyguard already irritated her.
And Ethan? He didn't seem to notice. Or maybe… he did. The thought made her stomach churn.
Dinner in the Mansion
Later that evening, the three girls sat at the massive dining table, the city lights glimmering through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Ethan brought in the food, silent as ever, placing each plate down with precision.
Sophia couldn't stop glancing at him. Each movement, each slight glance his way made her heart skip.
Aria, meanwhile, was finding it harder and harder to ignore the tension between them.
And Ethan? He noticed everything—the subtle glances, the little flares of jealousy, the protective energy radiating from Aria. But he said nothing. His mind was already running through every threat, every possibility.
One thing was certain: living in the mansion was going to be far more complicated than anyone expected.