Amara fell asleep in his arms.
It didn't happen quickly — her breathing was shaky at first, uneven, catching every few seconds like she was still fighting the memory of Julian's hands on her. Adrian stayed completely still, barely breathing, afraid that if he moved even an inch she would wake up again in fear.
Eventually, her body relaxed against him. Her fingers loosened their grip on his shirt. Her breathing softened.
She was finally asleep.
Adrian looked down at her — her lashes still damp, her cheeks still flushed from crying. Something twisted painfully in his chest.
He brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"You're safe," he whispered, even though she couldn't hear him. "I won't let anything happen to you."
He stayed a few minutes longer, just watching her. Making sure she was really asleep. Making sure she wasn't shaking anymore.
Then, slowly, he laid her down on the bed and pulled the blanket over her. She shifted slightly, but didn't wake.
Adrian stood there for a moment, staring at her in the dim light.
He had never felt rage like he did tonight. Not even in the worst moments of his life. Not even in the darkest parts of his past.
Julian had touched her. Pinned her. Terrified her.
And Adrian wasn't done with him.
Not even close.
He turned away from the bed, jaw tight, and slipped out through the window the same way he came.
The Basement Room
The house was silent as he walked through it. Everyone was asleep — the elders, the cousins, the relatives. The chaos of earlier had faded into a heavy, uneasy quiet.
But Adrian wasn't calm.
Not even a little.
He reached the far end of the house, opened the hidden door behind the storage shelves, and descended the narrow staircase.
Julian was kept in a small, locked room — not the original basement, but a deeper, more isolated space the family used for emergencies.
Adrian unlocked the door.
Julian was sitting on the floor, wrists tied, lip split, cheek bruised. He looked up when Adrian entered — and flinched.
"You," Julian spat, though his voice shook. "You think you're the hero? She loves me. She—"
Adrian slammed the door shut behind him.
Julian went silent.
Adrian walked toward him slowly, each step controlled, deliberate, terrifyingly calm.
"You touched her," Adrian said quietly.
Julian swallowed. "She's mine—"
Adrian grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.
"Say that again," Adrian whispered, voice low and deadly. "Say it one more time."
Julian's breath hitched. "She—she was mine first—"
Adrian's fist tightened in his shirt.
"You terrified her," Adrian said. "You made her scream. You made her cry."
Julian tried to look away, but Adrian forced his chin up.
"You think I'm going to let that go?"
Julian's voice cracked. "She—she still loves me—"
Adrian's jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
"She hates you," he said. "She said it herself."
Julian froze.
Adrian leaned closer, his voice barely above a whisper.
"And even if she didn't… I would never let you near her again."
Julian's eyes widened. "You… you like her."
Adrian didn't answer.
He didn't need to.
His silence said everything.
Julian laughed weakly, bitterly. "She'll never choose you."
Adrian stepped back, breathing hard — not from fear, but from the effort of not breaking Julian's jaw again.
"This isn't about choosing," Adrian said. "This is about you staying away from her. Forever."
Julian glared. "You think she'll forgive you for this? For keeping me here?"
Adrian's expression didn't change.
"She won't know," he said simply. "And you won't get the chance to tell her."
Julian's face twisted with anger and fear.
Adrian turned toward the door.
But before he left, he said one last thing — quiet, raw, honest in a way he rarely allowed himself to be.
"If she cries again because of you… I won't stop at warnings."
He closed the door behind him.
And for the first time, Julian realized Adrian wasn't the quiet, controlled man he thought he was.
He was something far more dangerous.