That woman still haunted me.
Even days after the convenience store incident, I could still feel her presence — a lingering shadow in every mirror, every dark hallway. Her smirk… it wasn't just cruel, it was familiar in the worst way. It made something inside me shatter. And once again, the flashbacks hadn't stopped.
But I wasn't alone.Not anymore.
Lukas stayed. Always.Not in a loud, overbearing way — but in that deadly silent, always-watching, always-ready-to-burn-the-world-for-you way.He didn't ask me about what happened. He didn't have to.He felt it.
So did my girls.
They'd all surrounded me after that night, tighter than armor, louder than my fear — each one showing love in their own way.
It was Aurelia who first brought up the idea of a getaway.
"We should go somewhere," she whispered one morning while braiding my hair gently. "Just us. Somewhere quiet. Peaceful. Where you can breathe again." Her voice was always soft like that. Like she was afraid I'd break if she spoke too loud.
Then Ariella, savage as ever, rolled her eyes and said,"We're not asking. We're going. End of story."
I blinked at her."No warning? No vote?"
She grinned and tossed her hair."I don't do democracy, babe."
Selene — sweet, clumsy Selene — nodded enthusiastically while spilling orange juice on her socks."I already found this cute cabin in the mountains," she said while tripping over the chair leg. Again.We all stared at her."I'm okay!" she chirped from the floor, thumbs up.
And finally Iris, calm and composed, looked at me from behind her glasses, arms folded as if assessing my pulse."Your brain needs rest, Adeline. Somewhere safe, with people who love you. That's the prescription."
I didn't have the energy to argue anymore.
So I said yes.
The next morning, our bags were packed.
The girls were buzzing with excitement — tossing jackets, snacks, and chaos into the car like we were running from war, not just going on a peaceful retreat. I stood at the door for a second longer than necessary, hesitating… but then I felt it.
Lukas's hand briefly touched the small of my back, guiding me forward without a word.His presence always felt like gravity — heavy, grounding, and unshakably mine.
He didn't smile. He never did. But his eyes met mine for a second as he opened the backseat door, silently saying, I'm here. You're safe.
And that was enough.
We hit the road just before noon. Ariella insisted on playing DJ, blasting every chaotic playlist she could find.Selene had already tripped getting into the car, spilling her smoothie all over her hoodie.Iris was checking routes and backup stops, while Aurelia offered snacks every fifteen minutes like we were toddlers on our first trip.
But me?
I curled into the backseat beside Lukas, and for the first time in what felt like forever… I felt peace.
The car moved through the countryside, sunlight flickering through the trees, and I leaned my head on the window. Lukas sat still, arms crossed, eyes always watching — sometimes the road, sometimes the mirrors, sometimes me. But never blinking. Never fully at ease. Always ready.
His presence calmed my nerves in a way I couldn't explain. I could feel the energy in my body trying to tense — the flashbacks pulling at the edges of my mind, that woman's face flashing before my eyes — but each time it started, Lukas's nearness brought me back down.
Every time I trembled just slightly, he'd rest his hand on mine — subtle, grounding.
At one point, my breath hitched without warning. A jolt of panic out of nowhere.
I hadn't realized I'd clenched my fists until Lukas whispered, "Breathe, Adeline."His voice was low, steady. Like stone warmed by fire.
I did.
We stopped by a lake halfway through. The girls wanted pictures, so we climbed out, stretching and laughing as the wind whipped through our hair. Selene almost fell into the water trying to chase a duck.Aurelia wrapped an arm around me from behind and rested her chin on my shoulder."You okay?" she whispered.
I nodded. "Better."
From the corner of my eye, I saw Lukas — leaning against the SUV, arms crossed, watching us. Watching me.
He was wearing black again — like always — but his gaze felt anything but cold.He looked at me like I was glass he'd already bled for. Like I was something fragile… but also something he'd kill for.
We took photos. Laughed.And for a moment, I forgot about that woman. I forgot about Celeste. I forgot the burning cigarette, the curse, the flashbacks.For a moment, it was just us.Five girls and a shadow.
And him.
My shadow with sharp eyes and a quiet rage burning just beneath his calm.
I didn't know it then, but this trip wasn't just a break.It was a trigger.A test.A storm waiting to break open the sky I'd just started to enjoy.
But for now… I smiled. And let myself feel alive.
Lukas and I had always shared a silent rhythm.He walked behind me like a shadow, spoke only when needed, and made sure no one ever got close enough to breathe wrong around me.
The relationship we had was clear — bodyguard and princess.He kept me safe, and I… kept my distance.
But something about this trip was different.
Maybe it was the way we were out of the city, away from the buzzing silence of the mansion, away from the whispers of trauma and nightmares.Maybe it was the way I saw him in daylight — not in tailored suits and cold expressions, but in a simple black hoodie, sleeves pushed up, hair a little messier than usual.He didn't look like a bodyguard today.He looked… human. Real. Almost warm.
It started small.
A comment he made when Selene almost tripped again:"You're a walking hazard," he muttered under his breath, and I actually laughed.He looked at me for a heartbeat longer than usual. As if shocked he made me laugh.
Later that day, I couldn't open my snack jar in the car. I struggled for a solid minute until Lukas leaned over from the passenger seat, took it wordlessly, opened it in one twist, and handed it back — with the ghost of a smirk.
"I loosened it," I muttered.He didn't say anything. But I caught the flicker of amusement in his eyes.
It was… odd.How quickly the space between us started to change.
He still kept his distance. Still watched every shadow like an enemy. But I noticed how he started sitting closer. Not too close. Just enough for me to feel his presence even when I wasn't looking.And when I was quiet — too quiet — he'd notice. Every time.
At the campfire that night, when the girls were telling ghost stories and laughing under a blanket of stars, Lukas sat beside me. A little further, like always, but when the wind got colder, he dropped his jacket onto my shoulders without a word.
"You'll freeze," he said simply.I didn't argue.Because somehow… it felt like something more than kindness.
We didn't talk much that night.But I caught him glancing at me when he thought I wasn't looking.And for once, I didn't look away either.
In the firelight, I realized something I hadn't before —He wasn't just protecting me from the world.Somehow, he was also shielding me from myself.
That night, while the girls snored in the cabin and the stars hung low, I stepped outside for air.Lukas was there — leaning against a tree, arms folded, face unreadable.
"You never sleep?" I asked softly.
"Not when you're not safe."
I blinked, caught off guard by the honesty in his tone.
I moved beside him and crossed my arms.We stood there in silence for a long while.
"You don't always have to be my bodyguard, you know," I said, voice barely above a whisper.He looked down at me — really looked.
"I know," he said. "But I think... I just want to be your friend, too."
My breath caught.
And just like that, something shifted.Subtle. Unspoken. But irreversible.
This trip didn't just give me air.It gave me him — not just as my shield, but as someone who stood beside me... not behind me.
As a friend.
For now.
The golden morning sun spilled through the wooden cabin windows, casting warmth across the floorboards. I yawned, dragging myself out of bed, my legs aching slightly from the road trip.
I stumbled into the kitchen, still rubbing the sleep from my eyes, the soft cotton of my oversized T-shirt brushing against my skin. My bare feet padded against the cold marble floor, the morning light slanting in warm gold from the windows.
And then — I missed a step.
My body jolted as I slipped—my foot sliding off the edge of the stairs. I gasped—But before I could hit the floor, strong arms caught me.
Lukas.
His scent hit me first — leather, spice, and something darker that made my chest tighten.
I clung to his forearm for balance, my palm pressed flat against his bare chest.
Bare.
My breath caught.
His body was like it had been carved from stone — all sharp lines and power. But that's not what left me breathless.
It was the scars.
They ran like memories across his skin — one trailing from his collarbone to his side, another deep one slashing across his ribs. But it was the one on his back that stopped my world.
Large. Circular. Violent.A bullet wound.
I'd seen it before.Not exactly the same, but close enough that my knees went weak.
It hit me.A memory, fierce and full of panic.The sound of gunfire. The scream that tore from my throat. The weight of a man falling in front of me — a bodyguard who took a bullet meant for me.And I remember the blood. The scar. The guilt.
My lips parted, but no words came out. Just a gasp.
Lukas's eyes met mine then — calm, unreadable, but his jaw ticked.He knew I'd seen it.
And I knew—without a doubt—he wasn't just some bodyguard.He'd lived through something dark. Maybe for someone. Maybe for me.A sudden question clawed up my throat:
Was he there that night?Had we crossed paths before, in blood and fire, without even realizing?
I swallowed hard, the silence wrapping around us like chains.He didn't let go immediately. His hands remained firm around my waist, grounding me.
"You okay?" His voice was low, rough.
"Yeah," I whispered, but it came out shaky.
I stepped back slightly, eyes locked on that angry scar."I've seen something like that before…"
He said nothing. Just looked at me.
That look — it wasn't cold. It was haunted.Like he wanted to say something, but couldn't.Like he'd spent years burying things too deep to name.
Selene called from behind, "Adeline! Coffee's getting cold!"I jumped, blinking the haze away.
Lukas stepped back, picking up his shirt, but didn't wear it yet. He turned his back slightly, and I saw the scar again — like a whisper from the past.I knew then.
He wasn't just my protector.
He was a man with ghosts.And something told me—I was one of them.
I stirred my cereal slowly, not really tasting it. The clinking of spoons, Selene's dramatic rant about tripping over her own shoelaces, and Ariella roasting her for being born with "two left feet" filled the air with laughter. But my mind wasn't here.
It was on him.
Lukas.
He sat across the table, quiet as always — like a shadow given shape. He was wearing a black full-sleeved shirt now, buttoned all the way up. Neat. Controlled. A mask.But I'd seen what lay beneath it.
That scar haunted me.
My dad always said Lukas was a normal bodyguard. Just someone assigned for protection. "Nothing to worry about, sweetheart," he'd once told me.But that scar wasn't from a simple job.
It was deep, brutal — a bullet wound if I ever saw one.And my gut told me… that wasn't the only one he had.
Why would a normal bodyguard carry a wound like that?Who shot him?Who was he protecting?Was it me?
I tried to shake the thoughts off, but curiosity gnawed at me like fire under the skin.
I looked up from my bowl, and that's when it happened.His eyes were already on me.
Our gazes locked.
His expression didn't change — calm, unreadable — but something shifted in the air between us.
My breath hitched.
It wasn't a simple glance. It was intense. Like he was silently asking, "What do you know?" and at the same time, "Don't ask."
But I wasn't good at staying quiet.
I tilted my head slightly, narrowing my eyes. Not accusingly. Just... wondering.His lips twitched — almost a smirk, but not quite.A silent game.He knew I was thinking about it.
And just before Selene spilled her juice, breaking the moment like shattering glass, he did something that caught me off guard.
He winked.
Subtle. Quick. Gone in a blink.But it left me stunned, blinking like I'd imagined it.
And that was it.No words.Just that scar. That glance. That wink.
And a thousand unanswered questions.
The evening had melted into warm laughter, loud music, and the kind of carefree energy that only came with being miles away from everything that usually weighed us down. The bonfire crackled gently, casting flickers of orange across everyone's faces as drinks passed from hand to hand.
Selene was dancing barefoot in the grass, spinning like a hurricane and giggling at absolutely nothing. Ariella had challenged Aurelia to a drinking game and was currently declaring herself queen of shots. Even Iris had let loose — her usual composure softened by the wine in her hand.
And me?I was tipsy.No — I was high.
The warmth from the alcohol made everything feel lighter. Softer. Safer.But one thing remained sharp — piercing.
Lukas.
He stood on the edge of it all. Detached.Still. Watching.
He hadn't touched a single drop. Not even a sip.Just one hand in his pocket, the other holding a water bottle, his eyes trained on me like he was guarding something sacred.
Like I was sacred.
That gaze burned through the fog in my head.
It gave me courage.Or maybe it was the wine.
Whatever it was, I stood up — a little too fast. The world tilted slightly, but I laughed under my breath and started walking toward him.
Bad idea.Or maybe the best one.
I stumbled halfway. My foot caught on something — maybe air, maybe my own nerves — but before I hit the ground, a strong hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me upright.
"Careful," he said, his voice low and steady, close to my ear.
My breath caught. His touch burned through the thin fabric of my dress. My heart raced, not from the near fall — but from him.
I looked up, blinking, barely a few inches from his face. His eyes weren't soft. They were wild — stormy with something he was trying too hard to suppress.
"I'm fine," I mumbled, even though I wasn't sure I was.
He didn't let go.
"You shouldn't be drinking this much," he muttered, jaw tight, voice colder now. Controlled. But I could hear the anger beneath it — not at me, but maybe at himself for letting his guard drop. Or at whatever past had carved those scars into his skin.
I placed my hand gently on his chest, feeling his heartbeat — fast and uneven.
"Why do you look at me like that?" I whispered. "Like you know something I don't…"
His breath hitched.
But before he could reply, someone from the group called out my name and the spell broke.
He straightened, letting go of my waist slowly, like he didn't want to but had to. Like touching me for even a second longer would shatter everything he was holding back.
"Go," he said quietly. "Enjoy with your friends."
But his eyes told a different story.A storm was brewing.And tonight, we had both felt it rise.
The evening had melted into warm laughter, loud music, and the kind of carefree energy that only came with being miles away from everything that usually weighed us down. The bonfire crackled gently, casting flickers of orange across everyone's faces as drinks passed from hand to hand.
Selene was dancing barefoot in the grass, spinning like a hurricane and giggling at absolutely nothing. Ariella had challenged Aurelia to a drinking game and was currently declaring herself queen of shots. Even Iris had let loose — her usual composure softened by the wine in her hand.
And me?I was tipsy.No — I was high.
The warmth from the alcohol made everything feel lighter. Softer. Safer.But one thing remained sharp — piercing.
Lukas.
He stood on the edge of it all. Detached.Still. Watching.
He hadn't touched a single drop. Not even a sip.Just one hand in his pocket, the other holding a water bottle, his eyes trained on me like he was guarding something sacred.
Like I was sacred.
That gaze burned through the fog in my head.
It gave me courage.Or maybe it was the wine.
Whatever it was, I stood up — a little too fast. The world tilted slightly, but I laughed under my breath and started walking toward him.
Bad idea.Or maybe the best one.
I stumbled halfway. My foot caught on something — maybe air, maybe my own nerves — but before I hit the ground, a strong hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me upright.
"Careful," he said, his voice low and steady, close to my ear.
My breath caught. His touch burned through the thin fabric of my dress. My heart raced, not from the near fall — but from him.
I looked up, blinking, barely a few inches from his face. His eyes weren't soft. They were wild — stormy with something he was trying too hard to suppress.
"I'm fine," I mumbled, even though I wasn't sure I was.
He didn't let go.
"You shouldn't be drinking this much," he muttered, jaw tight, voice colder now. Controlled. But I could hear the anger beneath it — not at me, but maybe at himself for letting his guard drop. Or at whatever past had carved those scars into his skin.
I placed my hand gently on his chest, feeling his heartbeat — fast and uneven.
"Why do you look at me like that?" I whispered. "Like you know something I don't…"
His breath hitched.
But before he could reply, someone from the group called out my name and the spell broke.
He straightened, letting go of my waist slowly, like he didn't want to but had to. Like touching me for even a second longer would shatter everything he was holding back.
"Go," he said quietly. "Enjoy with your friends."
But his eyes told a different story.A storm was brewing.And tonight, we had both felt it rise.