Chapter 2 - THE LOCKED DINING ROOM
Grace didn't scream.
Later, Adrien would think that was the first thing about her he couldn't explain.
Most people screamed.
Some froze.
A few ran.
Grace simply looked at him.
Then at Victor.
Then at the windows.
"How long do we have?"
Adrien's expression shifted.
"You believe me?"
"I believe you look like a man who wouldn't invent something like this for attention."
Victor almost smiled.
Adrien didn't.
"Two minutes, maybe less."
Grace picked up her canvas bag.
"Then tell me where you're taking me."
"Private room."
"Safe?"
"Safer."
"Good enough."
Victor opened a hidden door beside the wine cellar.
Grace followed Adrien through it.
The door closed behind them.
The restaurant noise disappeared.
They entered a narrow corridor lined with dark wood and discreet security cameras.
Grace looked around.
"Does every restaurant have secret hallways?"
"No."
"Just yours?"
"Just mine."
She exhaled.
"You really do own this place."
"I told you."
"I thought you were joking."
Adrien stopped.
"I rarely joke."
"I noticed."
They reached a reinforced room.
Inside were two chairs, a small table, a security monitor, and another door.
Adrien checked the screen.
The front entrance was now empty.
"Where did they go?" Grace asked.
"Inside."
She looked at him.
"You said they were outside."
"They were."
"How did they get inside?"
"They have help."
Grace's stomach tightened.
"Someone working here?"
Adrien nodded.
Victor touched his earpiece.
"East corridor compromised."
Adrien's eyes hardened.
"Get everyone out."
Victor hesitated.
"And the staff?"
"Everyone."
"Understood."
Grace watched him.
"You don't sound surprised."
"I'm not."
"Someone betrayed you."
"Someone always does eventually."
That answer unsettled her more than the guns.
Adrien turned toward her.
"You should know something."
"What?"
"If they reach this room, stay behind me."
Grace crossed her arms.
"I'm not hiding behind you."
"Grace."
"I understand you're accustomed to ordering people around."
"Yes."
"I'm not one of your people."
His eyes held hers.
"No."
The way he said it made the room feel smaller.
She looked away first.
A muffled impact came from the corridor.
Victor drew his weapon.
Grace's face went pale.
Adrien stepped in front of her.
"Stay here."
He moved toward the door.
Grace grabbed his sleeve.
He turned.
"Don't."
"Don't what?"
"Don't go out there."
He looked at her hand.
"You just told me not to make things worse."
"This is different."
"How?"
"Because you're going to get yourself killed."
Something unexpected passed through his eyes.
Concern.
Not for himself.
For her.
"I'm not the one they came for."
A second impact sounded.
Victor opened the door.
Three guards moved past them.
Then silence.
Adrien checked the hallway and returned.
"They're pulling back."
Grace frowned.
"Why?"
His phone vibrated.
He read the message.
THE WOMAN IS THE TARGET.
His eyes lifted.
Grace immediately noticed.
"What?"
Adrien locked the screen.
"Nothing."
"You're a terrible liar."
"So I've been told."
Victor stepped closer.
"Sir, we need to move."
Adrien nodded.
They took another corridor leading to a private elevator.
Grace entered.
Adrien followed.
The doors closed.
For the first time, they were alone.
The elevator descended.
Grace stared at the floor indicator.
"Where does this go?"
"Garage."
"Then what?"
"Your home."
She looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because if someone saw you sitting with me, they may believe you know something."
"I don't."
"I know."
"Then why am I in danger?"
"Because people who want to hurt me don't care whether you're innocent."
The elevator stopped.
The doors opened to an underground garage.
A black SUV waited.
Grace hesitated.
Adrien noticed.
"I won't hurt you."
"I wasn't worried about you."
"Who were you worried about?"
"The fact that I'm getting into a stranger's car at night."
Adrien opened the rear door.
"I'm not a stranger anymore."
She looked at him.
"That's debatable."
She got in.
Adrien followed.
Victor drove.
Rain hammered the windshield as they left the garage.
Grace watched the city blur past.
After several minutes, she said quietly, "You really are a dangerous man, aren't you?"
Adrien looked out the window.
"Yes."
"Do you hurt innocent people?"
"No."
"Never?"
He considered the question.
"I've made mistakes."
"That's not what I asked."
His eyes met hers.
"No."
Grace nodded.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
"Hello?"
Nothing.
Then a man's voice.
"Miss Bennett."
She froze.
Adrien watched her.
The voice continued.
"Tell Mr. Voss we know where he took you."
The line went dead.
Grace lowered the phone.
Adrien held out his hand.
She gave it to him.
He listened to the call history.
Then his face became unreadable.
"Who was that?"
"I don't know."
Adrien looked at Victor.
"Turn around."
"Sir?"
"We're not going to her apartment."
Grace stared at him.
"Where are we going?"
Adrien looked at her.
"Somewhere nobody knows exists."
The SUV moved through the city without headlights for several blocks.
Grace noticed.
"Is that normal?"
"For us."
"That's not reassuring."
Adrien looked toward her.
"You should be frightened."
"I am."
He seemed surprised.
"You're hiding it well."
"I'm an elementary-school reading instructor. Children can smell fear."
"You teach children?"
"And write books."
"What kind?"
"Stories where adults make mistakes and apologize."
"Sounds unrealistic."
"Not all adults are like you."
He almost smiled.
"How am I?"
"Complicated."
The word stayed between them.
When they reached the private garage beneath the penthouse, Grace saw six security vehicles.
She stopped walking.
"This is your normal life?"
"No."
"Then what is normal?"
Adrien looked at the elevator.
"I don't remember."
That answer affected her more than anything else.
Inside the penthouse, he gave her a guest room.
Grace stood in the doorway.
"You can lock it from inside?"
"Yes."
"Will anyone come in?"
"No."
"Will you?"
"No."
"Good."
He nodded.
Then she added, "Thank you."
Adrien walked away.
After he disappeared around the corner, Grace closed the door.
She leaned against it.
Her hands were shaking.
Only then did she allow herself to cry.
Not because of Adrien.
Because someone had been watching her.
Because the world had suddenly become larger and more dangerous.
Because the man downstairs might be the first person in years who had made her feel safe while simultaneously being the most dangerous person she had ever met.
An hour later, she found him in the library.
He was sitting with a file open.
She stood at the doorway.
"Can't sleep?"
He looked up.
"No."
"Me neither."
He closed the file.
"You should try."
"I don't think that's happening."
He gestured toward the chair.
She sat.
"Tell me about your son."
Adrien's expression changed.
"You heard about him?"
"Victor mentioned a son."
"Ethan."
"How old?"
"Seventeen."
"Does he know what you do?"
"Enough."
"Does he like you?"
Adrien's mouth tightened.
"Sometimes."
Grace laughed softly.
"Teenagers are difficult."
"He's angry with me."
"Why?"
"Because I wasn't there when he needed me."
She looked at him.
"Why weren't you?"
"Work."
She waited.
"Fear."
That answer was quieter.
Adrien stared at the fire.
"His mother died when he was six. I spent years trying to make sure nothing happened to him. I hired security. Changed schools. Controlled every person who came near him."
"And?"
"He hated it."
"Of course."
Adrien looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because protecting someone isn't the same as controlling them."
He considered that.
Grace continued.
"Sometimes people need to know you trust them to survive."
"Trust is dangerous."
"So is never trusting anyone."
He looked at her.
"You give advice freely."
"Only when nobody pays me."
For the second time that night, he smiled.
Grace stood.
"I'll let you sleep."
As she reached the door, Adrien spoke.
"Grace."
She turned.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For tonight."
She studied him.
"Are you sorry I sat at your table?"
"No."
"Then we'll call it even."
She left.
Adrien remained alone.
On the desk beside him was a photograph of Ethan.
He looked at it.
Then at the empty doorway.
For the first time, he wondered whether Grace might somehow teach him something he had forgotten how to do.
Be human.
The SUV moved through the city without headlights for several blocks.
Grace noticed.
"Is that normal?"
"For us."
"That's not reassuring."
Adrien looked toward her.
"You should be frightened."
"I am."
He seemed surprised.
"You're hiding it well."
"I'm an elementary-school reading instructor. Children can smell fear."
"You teach children?"
"And write books."
"What kind?"
"Stories where adults make mistakes and apologize."
"Sounds unrealistic."
"Not all adults are like you."
He almost smiled.
When they reached the underground garage beneath the penthouse, Grace saw six security vehicles and men positioned at every entrance.
She stopped.
"This is your normal life?"
"No."
"Then what is normal?"
Adrien looked at the elevator.
"I don't remember."
That answer affected her more than anything else.
Inside the penthouse, he gave her a guest room. She stood in the doorway.
"You can lock it from inside?"
"Yes."
"Will anyone come in?"
"No."
"Will you?"
"No."
"Good."
He nodded and walked away.
After he disappeared, Grace closed the door and leaned against it. Her hands were shaking. Only then did she allow herself to cry.
An hour later, she found him in the library.
"Can't sleep?"
He looked up.
"No."
"Me neither."
She sat across from him.
"Tell me about your son."
Adrien's expression changed.
"Ethan?"
"Victor mentioned him."
"Seventeen."
"Does he know what you do?"
"Enough."
"Does he like you?"
"Sometimes."
Grace laughed softly.
"Teenagers are difficult."
"He hates being protected."
"Maybe because he wants to know you trust him."
Adrien looked toward the fire.
"His mother died when he was six. After that, I controlled everything around him."
"Schools?"
"Yes."
"Friends?"
"Yes."
"Where he went?"
"Yes."
She gave him a look.
"And you wonder why he hates it."
"I thought I was keeping him safe."
"You probably were."
She softened.
"But safety without freedom can become another kind of prison."
Adrien absorbed that.
His phone vibrated.
He ignored it.
Grace noticed.
"You don't have to ignore your phone because I'm here."
"I'm not ignoring it."
He turned the phone facedown.
"I'm choosing not to answer."
She smiled.
"That's different."
For several minutes they sat quietly.
Then Adrien said, "I haven't eaten dessert."
Grace smiled.
"Good."
"Why?"
"Because people should finish what they start."
He looked at her.
"You really believe that?"
"More than I believe in most things."
Something in his expression warmed.
Neither of them knew that before sunrise, both their families would become part of the same secret.
The ride to the penthouse was quiet.
Grace watched the city through the window.
"Do you always have this many people protecting you?"
"Yes."
"Does it ever get exhausting?"
"Sometimes."
"What do you do then?"
"Keep going."
She looked at him.
"That's not healthy."
He smiled.
"I didn't say it was."
When they arrived, Grace stepped into the elevator.
Adrien joined her.
The doors closed.
For a moment, there was no security team, no restaurant, no city.
Just them.
Grace looked at the floor.
"Thank you for being honest with me."
Adrien nodded.
"I owe you that."
"You don't owe me anything."
"I disagree."
"Why?"
"Because you trusted me when you had no reason to."
Grace met his eyes.
"Maybe I had a reason."
"What?"
She smiled.
"You moved your hand when I said wait."
The elevator reached the top floor.
May you like
The doors opened.
Neither of them noticed the small camera blinking above the hallway.
