Chapter 40 Watching From the Shadows
Four days had passed since Elena walked out of her apartment and her entire world shattered.
She'd been living in the hotel room, existing more than living. The bed was too soft. The walls too white. Everything felt wrong without...
She couldn't finish the thought.
Elena sat on the floor, back against the bed, staring at her phone. She'd turned it back on yesterday, immediately flooded with messages from Pierce that she'd deleted without reading.
Now it sat silent in her hands, Annie's contact pulled up on the screen.
She should call. Should have called days ago.
But saying it out loud would make it real.
Elena pressed the call button before she could change her mind.
Annie answered on the second ring. "Finally! Elena, I've been worried sick. You haven't answered my texts in days..."
"Annie." Elena's voice cracked. "I need to talk to you."
Silence. Then Annie's tone shifted completely. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I'm..." Elena's throat closed. "I'm not okay."
"Tell me. Tell me everything."
So Elena did.
She told her about Pierce forcing his way into her car that night. About treating his gunshot wound, tying him to her radiator, the strange domesticity that had grown between them. About finding out who he really was. About the danger, the bodyguards, the feeling of being trapped.
About falling for him anyway.
"I know it sounds insane," Elena said, wiping at her tears. "I know what you're going to say...."
"What happened?" Annie's voice was gentle. "Something happened or you wouldn't be calling me like this."
"His family killed my parents."
The words fell into the silence between them.
"What?" Annie's voice was barely a whisper.
"May 14th. Three years ago. His parents died the same night mine did. Same shootout, same gang war." Elena's voice broke. "But it was his father's organization. That's what they died in. And Pierce knew, Annie. He knew the whole time."
"Oh my god, Elena..."
"I trusted him. I fell in love with him. And he lied to me every single day." Tears spilled over. "How could he do that? How could he look at me, touch me, knowing what he knew?"
"I don't know, Ellie." Her voice was quiet. "I'm so sorry."
"I keep thinking about it. About May 14th. About watching my parents die." Elena's voice shattered completely. "And now I know it was his family's fault. That the man I love is connected to the worst night of my life."
"Elena, listen to me." Annie's voice was firm. "You need to get out of there. Whatever city you're in, whatever situation you're in...you need to leave."
"I can't." Her voice was rough. "Rodrigo..Pierce's brother, he's still a threat. If I leave, I'm an easier target."
"Then you're stuck."
"Yes I am." Elena pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to hold back another sob. "I don't know what to do."
"You survive. That's what you do." Annie's voice softened. "You survived losing your parents. You'll survive this too. And I'm here, okay? Anytime you need to talk, anytime you need anything, I'm here."
"I miss you."
"I miss you too." She said. "For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing. Walking away. He lied to you about something huge. You deserve better than that."
"Then why does it hurt so much?"
"Because you loved him. Love doesn't just disappear because someone hurts you."
Elena closed her eyes, feeling the weight of those words. "I still love him. Even knowing what I know. I hate myself for it but I still..."
"Don't hate yourself. You can't control your feelings. You can only control what you do with them."
They talked for another hour, Annie listening while Elena cried and raged and broke down completely. When they finally hung up, Elena felt a little better.
Not okay. But less alone.
She climbed into bed, staring at the ceiling, trying not to think about Pierce and failing completely.
Because even now, even after everything, part of her wished he was there.
And she hated herself for it.
Across town, Pierce sat in his car outside Elena's hotel, watching the entrance like he had every night since she left.
He hadn't gone back to his own place. Couldn't bring himself to leave her apartment completely, still went there to feed her cats, to sit surrounded by her things, to punish himself with the ghost of her.
But he stayed away from her. Gave her space like she'd asked.
From a distance.
Derek was closer, inside the building, but Pierce needed to see for himself that she was safe. That she was still there.
His phone buzzed, it was marcus.
"What?"
"You need to come in. Xander's getting sloppy."
Pierce's jaw tightened. He'd been investigating Xander for days now, finding nothing concrete. Just patterns, suspicions, instincts screaming betrayal.
But no proof.
"Send me what you have."
"Pierce, I need you here..."
"Send it to me."
He hung up and went back to watching the hotel.
This was his life now. Watching Elena from a distance. Making sure she was safe while drowning in work to avoid thinking about her and failing every time.
His phone buzzed with files from Marcus. Pierce pulled them up, surveillance photos, financial records, communication logs.
Still nothing solid.
But the pattern was there. Xander meeting with unknowns. Making calls on burner phones. Disappearing for hours.
Just like Pierce had been doing while investigating him.
The irony wasn't lost on him.
Pierce stared at the hotel window where he knew Elena's room was. Light still on. She wasn't sleeping either.
He wondered if she was thinking about him.
Hated himself for hoping she was.
She deserved better than this. Better than him. Better than a man who'd lied to her about the worst night of her life.
But he couldn't stop watching. Couldn't stop making sure she was safe.
Even if she never knew he was there.
Even if she never forgave him.
Pierce's phone rang, it was an unknown number.
He answered. "Yeah?"
"Diego." The voice was unfamiliar, distorted. "Got information you want."
"Who is this?"
"Doesn't matter. What matters is Rodrigo's planning something big. An attack. Soon."
Pierce's blood went cold. "On who?"
"You. Your crew. Everyone you care about." A pause. "Including the girl."
"If you touch her..."
"I'm not touching anyone. I'm warning you. Rodrigo knows about her. Knows she matters to you. And he's coming for her."
The line went dead.
Pierce stared at the hotel, his mind racing.
Rodrigo was planning an attack. On Elena.
Which meant he couldn't keep his distance anymore. Couldn't respect her space. Couldn't give her the one thing she'd asked for.
Because keeping her alive was more important than respecting her wishes.
Pierce called Derek immediately. "I need you to move her. Tonight. Somewhere secure."
"Boss, she's not going to agree to that..."
"I don't care if she agrees." He's voice was rough. "Rodrigo's planning something. She's a target."
"Where do you want her?"
"Safe house on the north side." He said, voice sharp. "The one no one knows about."
"And if she refuses?"
"Make her understand she doesn't have a choice." Pierce's voice went cold. "And Derek? Don't tell her I'm involved. Tell her it's standard protocol. Tell her whatever you need to. But get her somewhere secure."
"Copy that."
Pierce hung up and drove away from the hotel, his hands tight on the wheel.
Rodrigo was coming for Elena.
And Pierce would destroy anyone who tried to hurt her.
Even if she hated him for it. Even if she never forgave him.
He'd keep her alive. Because he'd already lost her heart. He wouldn't lose her life too.