EMMA'S POV
Adrian didn't waste a second.
The moment Liam said You need to leave this place tonight, something inside him snapped into full alert—sharp, calculated, instinctively protective.
Emma felt it instantly.
His grip on her hand tightened just enough for her to sense the shift, but not enough to hurt.
Liam had seen the change too; he stepped back slightly, giving Adrian the space he needed to think—a courtesy only someone who knew him well would understand.
"Adrian," Emma breathed, "what does that mean? Why can't we stay here?"
"Because Jessy won't wait," Adrian said, already moving. "And he won't respect boundaries anymore."
He walked across the room quickly—calm but urgent—pulling open drawers, collecting things with one hand while keeping Emma's hand firmly in the other, as if letting go even for a second wasn't an option.
Liam leaned against the wall, arms crossed, eyes following Adrian.
"You expected this," Liam said quietly.
"No," Adrian answered.
