Chapter 8 — After Work, the World Tilts
Lena felt wrung out by the time her shift ended. Not tired—just stretched thin in a way she couldn't name. Adrian's words from earlier still lingered in her chest like they'd been etched there.
If anything makes you uncomfortable… come to me.
Who even said things like that?Why did it sound less like a warning and more like a vow?
She shook the thought off as she pushed open the glass doors and stepped into the cool evening air. The city lights flickered awake, neon reflections dancing across the sidewalk. Her phone buzzed.
Harper:WE ARE OUTSIDE DO NOT RUN WE ALREADY SEE YOU
Lena snorted.
Mira:And we brought snacks. So you legally owe us attention.
Of course they did.
She spotted them instantly—Harper waving like an air traffic controller, Mira leaning against the parked car with that unimpressed face she wore by default.
"Look who survived billionaire boot camp!" Harper crowed the moment Lena approached.
Mira raised a brow. "She's walking straight. That's a good sign."
Lena laughed despite the chaos. "I hate both of you."
"No you don't," Harper said, hooking their arms together. "Now come on. Café Vellum. We're feeding you."
They slid into their usual corner booth. Warm lights. Soft music. A comfortable hum of humans around them. It felt like a world untouched by Adrian Cross.
Harper immediately launched into a rant about her coworker stealing yogurt again, while Mira quietly sipped her drink, giving Lena the kind of side-eye that saw everything.
"So," Mira finally said, cutting through Harper's monologue. "What's actually going on?"
Lena froze. "What do you mean?"
"She means," Harper jumped in, "why did you sound like you were whispering earlier? And why did your voice do that trembly thing when you said your boss's name?"
"I did not tremble," Lena argued.
"You squeaked," Harper corrected. "Like a stressed hamster."
Mira set down her cup. "Lena. Start. Talking."
Lena hesitated… then sighed."There's nothing dramatic going on. He's just very… aware."
"Aware how?" Harper leaned closer.
Lena tried to find the right words. "Like… he notices things before I say them. Before I even do them. Sometimes before I notice them."
Mira hummed, calm but sharp. "Instinctive awareness. People like him are wired differently."
Lena blinked. "People like him?"
Mira shrugged. "Powerful men with… enhanced senses. They see the world in layers the rest of us don't."
Harper frowned. "You're doing that mysterious explanation thing again."
"Because I don't want to scare her."
"Scare me with what?" Lena asked, voice barely above a whisper.
Mira looked at her carefully. "Some men carry instincts that feel… primal. You'll feel it before you understand it."
Lena swallowed.Warmth crawled along her skin.Because she had felt that.
Before she could respond, the café door opened.
A faint shift in the air brushed over her—cool, sharp, electric. Her pulse stuttered.
She didn't need to look to know who had walked in.
Harper noticed first. "Uhh… Lena?"
Mira followed her gaze. Her brows lifted. "Of course. Of course he's here."
Lena turned—slowly.
Adrian Cross stood at the entrance.Perfect posture. Dark suit. Eyes already scanning the room with surgical precision.
And then his gaze landed on her.
Everything inside her tightened.
He didn't show surprise. Didn't show anything at all. But there was something in the way he held her in his eyes—like he'd been searching for her, and now he'd found what he wanted.
Harper whispered, "Why does he look like he came here to pick a fight with the air?"
Mira muttered, "That's territorial energy if I've ever seen it."
Lena's breath caught when Adrian began walking toward them.
Straight line. No hesitation.
Harper kicked her under the table. "Lena. LENA. Say words!"
"I—I didn't know he'd be here," she whispered.
Mira smirked. "He didn't either. His instincts did."
Adrian reached their table.
"Miss Hart," he greeted, voice low, threading through her like warm smoke. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."
Harper whispered, "He sounds like he owns oxygen."
Mira stomped on her foot.
Adrian's attention flicked toward them—just enough to acknowledge their existence, but not enough to break his focus on Lena.
"These are your friends?" he asked.
Lena nodded. "Harper and Mira."
Harper waved too enthusiastically. "Hi, Mr. Cross!"
Mira simply nodded like she was meeting a regular guy and not a walking corporate thunderstorm.
Adrian's gaze lingered on Mira a fraction longer—assessing—before returning to Lena.
"I didn't mean to interrupt," he said, but his voice betrayed absolutely zero intention of leaving.
Lena's heart hammered. "You're not interrupting."
Mira's foot nudged hers. Girl. He absolutely is interrupting.
Adrian's eyes softened—barely. "Good."
Silence stretched. Heavy. Charged.
Then he inclined his head slightly. "Enjoy your evening, Miss Hart."
He walked away, but the air didn't settle. Not even a little.
Harper exhaled like she'd been holding her breath for minutes. "WHAT—WAS—THAT."
Mira nodded slowly. "Mm. He's gone."
Then she turned to Lena with a small, knowing smile.
"But he'll be back."