Chapter 36 Crossing dangerous boundaries
I should have walked away from him.
From Adrian.
From everything.
But I didn’t.
Because something inside me was already broken.
And when something breaks like that…
You stop playing safe.
“You don’t get to say things like that,” I told him, my voice quieter now but not weak.
Adrian didn’t move.
Didn’t look away.
“Why not?” he asked.
“Because you don’t mean it.”
That was the truth I needed.
The one thing that would make this easier.
But he shook his head slowly.
“I don’t say things I don’t mean.”
My chest tightened.
“That’s dangerous,” I whispered.
His lips curved slightly.
“Only if you believe me.”
I let out a breath, shaking my head.
“I don’t have time for this.”
I turned to leave.
And that’s when he did it.
He caught my wrist.
Not harsh.
But certain.
And just like that…
Everything stilled.
“Lenora,” he said, lower now. Serious.
I didn’t turn immediately.
Didn’t trust what would happen if I did.
“Let go.”
“Not yet.”
My heart started racing.
Fast. Hard. Wrong.
“Adrian—”
“Look at me.”
I shouldn’t have.
But I did.
And that was the mistake.
Because he was closer than I expected.
Closer than he had ever been.
His eyes weren’t teasing anymore.
No smirk.
No games.
Just intensity.
“You’re not okay,” he said.
“I said I was fine.”
“You’re not,” he repeated.
Something in me snapped.
“Why do you care?” I demanded.
His grip tightened slightly.
“Because I don’t like seeing you like this.”
That hit.
Harder than it should have.
“You don’t even know me.”
“I know enough.”
“No, you don’t,” I shot back. “You don’t know what this feels like. You don’t know what it’s like to be—”
“Humiliated?” he cut in quietly.
I froze.
He stepped closer.
“I saw what she did,” he said. “That wasn’t just jealousy. That was calculated.”
My throat tightened.
“And you’re still standing,” he added.
I swallowed hard.
“Barely.”
Something shifted in his expression.
Softened.
And before I could think—
He pulled me closer.
Not aggressive.
Not rushed.
Just…
There.
My breath caught.
“Adrian…”
But I didn’t pull away.
That was the problem.
His hand slid from my wrist to my arm, steady, grounding.
“You don’t have to fight everything alone,” he murmured.
That was it.
That one line.
Because I was tired.
So tired.
And for one second…
I let myself feel it.
The closeness.
The warmth.
The way he looked at me like I wasn’t broken.
And then—
“Lenora.”
Everything shattered.
Kylen.
Standing a few feet away.
His eyes went straight to Adrian’s hand on me.
Then to the distance between us.
Or lack of it.
And something in him snapped.
“What the hell is this?”
His voice wasn’t just angry.
It was sharp.
Possessive.
Adrian didn’t move.
Didn’t step back.
In fact—
His hand stayed right where it was.
And that made it worse.
“It’s called standing where I want to stand,” Adrian said calmly.
Kylen stepped forward.
Fast.
“Get your hands off her.”
My heart slammed against my chest.
“Kylen—”
“Stay out of this,” he snapped, not even looking at me.
That…
That stung.
Adrian’s eyes darkened slightly.
“Funny,” he said. “You didn’t seem this protective earlier.”
That hit.
Hard.
Kylen’s jaw clenched.
“You don’t get to talk about things you don’t understand.”
“And you do?” Adrian shot back.
The tension exploded.
They were too close now.
Too intense.
Too ready.
“Stop,” I said, stepping between them.
Neither moved.
“I mean it,” I said, louder this time.
Silence.
Heavy.
Kylen’s eyes finally snapped to mine.
And what I saw there—
Hurt.
Anger.
Something dangerously close to jealousy.
“You’re really doing this?” he asked.
My chest tightened.
“Doing what?”
“This,” he gestured sharply. “With him.”
I laughed, but it wasn’t soft.
“Now you care?”
That landed.
“You don’t get to question me,” I continued. “Not after everything.”
His expression hardened.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“There it is again,” I snapped. “Your excuse for everything.”
“It’s not an excuse!”
“Then prove it!”
Silence.
Always silence.
I stepped back.
Away from both of them.
“I’m done waiting,” I said quietly.
Kylen’s eyes widened slightly.
“For what?”
“The truth.”
And then—
Before either of them could react—
A voice cut through the hallway.
“Oh wow.”
We all turned.
Lilibeth.
Standing there.
Phone in hand.
Again.
But this time…
She wasn’t smiling.
She looked…
Satisfied.
“Guess I’m not the only one moving on,” she said lightly.
My stomach dropped.
“No,” I said slowly.
“You’re just the only one playing games.”
Her eyes sharpened.
“Am I?”
She lifted her phone slightly.
And this time…
I didn’t panic.
Because I knew.
Whatever she had planned next…
I wasn’t the same girl anymore.
And neither was this situation.
Because now—
It wasn’t just a triangle.
It was a war.
And lines had officially been crossed.