Chapter 7 Married, but Sleeping Apart

The drive from the Blackwood estate to the lake house took about forty minutes.

Once the car turned onto a wooded road, Elena noticed the signal bars on her phone dropping.

She frowned and looked up just as two automatic iron gates opened one after another. Beyond them, a patrol vehicle waited beside two armed security guards.

"Is it always like this?"

Adrian followed her gaze.

"Security's been tightened recently."

"Because of the wedding car?"

"Partly."

That answer did nothing to put her at ease.

By the time they stopped in front of the house, Mrs. Hill was already waiting with several members of staff.

Elena stepped out of the car, but the moment her right foot touched the ground, pain shot through it hard enough to make her wince.

Adrian caught her at the waist.

The movement was quick, his hand there for barely a second.

Elena went still.

Even through the thin fabric of her dress, the warmth of his palm felt far too familiar.

When she looked up, they were suddenly standing much closer than she'd realized.

"I can manage."

"I know."

Adrian let go, though he didn't move very far away.

"But you almost fell."

Elena said nothing.

Inside, Mrs. Hill spoke as if everything had already been arranged.

"The master bedroom is ready. Mr. Blackwood usually stays in the east wing, so Mrs. Blackwood's things can be sent up—"

"No," Adrian said. "She'll take the west wing."

Mrs. Hill visibly hesitated before nodding and walking away.

Elena turned to him.

"You decided we're sleeping separately?"

"Do you want to sleep with me?"

The question was so direct that she paused.

"I was asking."

Adrian stepped closer.

The mask covered half his face, but it did nothing to hide the way his gaze darkened when it settled on her.

"Then here's my answer." His voice stayed low. "A marriage certificate doesn't automatically give me the right to walk into your bedroom."

Elena should have felt relieved.

Instead, he was standing close enough to throw off her breathing.

She heard herself ask, "What if one day I don't want separate rooms?"

Adrian didn't answer immediately.

His gaze dropped slowly from her eyes to her mouth.

The air between them shifted.

"Respecting your choice," he said, "doesn't mean I don't want you."

Elena's fingers curled slightly at her sides.

Adrian moved a fraction closer, stopping before he actually touched her.

"So don't test me unless you're sure what you're asking for."

Elena looked up at him.

"How do you know I'm testing you?"

"Because if you really wanted to kiss me, you wouldn't be asking this many questions."

Her heart gave one hard beat.

The next second, she grabbed his tie and pulled him down.

For once, Adrian looked caught off guard.

Their faces were suddenly only inches apart.

Elena stared at him, half out of defiance and half because she needed to know.

That familiar cedar scent surrounded her again.

Up close, she could even see the shadow where the edge of his mask pressed against his skin.

Too familiar.

Too much like the man from last night.

Adrian didn't pull away.

He didn't close the distance either.

He only asked, quietly,

"Are you sure?"

Elena froze.

Aiden had asked her the exact same thing.

Her fingers loosened around Adrian's tie.

Something shifted in his expression, but he didn't ask why she'd stopped.

"Good night, Elena."

He turned to leave.

"Wait."

Adrian glanced back.

"What?"

"Why is your security blocking my phone signal?"

He stopped.

"They aren't."

"Then why did my signal get worse the closer we got to the house?"

"It's weak out here."

Elena stared at him.

"I want to go outside."

"Now?"

"Yes."

She turned and headed for the front door.

The moment she reached the foyer, two security guards stepped into her path.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Under tonight's new security protocol, no one is allowed to leave the property alone."

Elena's expression changed instantly.

"Move."

"It's a safety measure."

Those three words dragged her straight back into the locked wedding car.

The sound of the doors locking.

Strange hands grabbing her.

Maya smiling as she'd said, *There's one more stop.*

Elena reached for the door.

One of the guards blocked her again.

"I said move."

Her voice had gone completely cold.

Adrian came up behind her and took one look at the tension in her shoulders.

"What's going on?"

One of the guards answered quickly.

"Sir, we still haven't identified everyone involved in the wedding-car incident, so under the new protection level—"

"Who told you to stop her?"

Both guards went silent.

"Miles raised the security level—"

"That's not what I asked." Adrian's voice hardened. "Who gave you permission to turn protection into confinement?"

He stepped to Elena's side without touching her.

"If she says she wants to leave, you let her leave."

The guard hesitated.

"But if something happens—"

"I'll take responsibility."

The gates were opened within minutes.

Elena didn't step outside.

Instead, she looked at Adrian.

"What if I want to go back to Manhattan right now?"

Adrian reached to the console table, picked up a set of car keys, and placed them in her palm.

"You can drive yourself. Or I can have a driver take you. If you don't want either, call someone you trust to pick you up."

Elena looked down at the keys.

"You aren't going to ask why I'm leaving?"

"You can tell me when you want to."

The keys felt cold against her skin.

For a moment, she was back at the Vale estate, with her phone and ID taken away and everyone telling her she didn't have a choice.

And now the one man who had every legal excuse to trap her inside a marriage was putting the exit directly into her hand.

Her fingers slowly closed around the keys.

Then she placed them back on the table.

"I'm staying tonight."

Adrian watched her for a few seconds.

"Because you want to?"

Elena lifted her chin.

"Don't push your luck."

"All right."

She didn't walk away immediately.

Instead, she looked past him at the dark lake outside, then back at Adrian.

"You're not afraid I'll actually leave?"

"Yes."

The answer came so quickly that she paused.

Adrian held her gaze.

"But being afraid you'll leave doesn't give me the right to lock the door."

Something in Elena's chest shifted.

She was quiet for a few seconds before turning back toward the stairs.

Adrian followed behind her.

"Changed your mind?"

"It's cold outside."

"That's the only reason?"

Elena looked back at him.

"You ask a lot of questions."

"A few minutes ago, someone nearly dragged me down by my tie. I thought we were making progress."

Heat rushed to her ears.

"Forget that happened."

"Hard to."

At the bottom of the stairs, Elena suddenly noticed that she'd pulled his collar loose.

Just beneath it, near his collarbone, a small section of old scar tissue showed above the fabric.

She stopped.

Elena stared at the scar beneath his collar.

Her pulse kicked.

Same place.

Same shape.

She looked up at him.

"Aiden?"

Adrian went still.

"What?"