Shadows in the Night

Elena stayed by Adrian's side for hours, watching him drift in and out of sleep. His breathing was steady, but the bruises on his face and the bandages wrapping his ribs reminded her of how close she had come to losing him.

Her fingers brushed against his hand, tracing the rough skin of his knuckles. He had always been a fighter—stubborn, reckless, and utterly impossible. But tonight had shaken her.

Because something didn't add up.

She had seen a man walking Ace on the bridge. And she had seen someone else take Ace before that.

Two identical dogs?

It didn't make sense.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen.

Unknown Number: Back off, Officer.

Her stomach twisted.

She lifted her gaze to Adrian, his face peaceful in sleep.

Was this about him?

She stepped out of the hospital room, moving down the hallway where the fluorescent lights buzzed faintly. Her heart pounded as she typed a response.

Elena: Who is this?

No reply.

She clenched her jaw and inhaled deeply. She was a detective. A professional. She wasn't going to let some anonymous message rattle her.

But something was wrong.

And she was going to find out what.

The Next Morning

Adrian was awake when she walked back into the room. His gaze flickered to her, scanning her face like he could see every thought racing through her mind.

"Did you sleep?" he asked.

She scoffed. "Did you?"

"Touché." He smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You're still here."

"Where else would I be?"

His smirk faded, replaced by something softer. "You know your parents hate me."

"They hate a lot of things," she muttered. "That doesn't mean I listen."

A shadow passed over his expression, but before he could say anything, a nurse entered with his discharge papers.

Elena helped him sit up, ignoring his grumbles about how he didn't need help.

"You literally fell off a bridge last night," she said. "You're getting help whether you like it or not."

He chuckled. "And yet, you still find me attractive."

She rolled her eyes but didn't deny it.

Later That Day – The Station

Elena sat at her desk, going through reports, but her mind was elsewhere.

She had put in a request to track down the number that sent her the text, but it was untraceable. A burner phone.

A chill ran down her spine.

Then, another case file landed on her desk.

Her stomach dropped.

The man she had been assigned to investigate—the elusive crime lord who had been evading the police for years—had a new lead.

And the description?

Tall. Dark-haired. Scar over his right eyebrow.

Her pulse thundered in her ears.

It couldn't be.

Adrian had a scar there.

She shut the file quickly, her breathing uneven.

This wasn't real. It couldn't be.

Her Adrian was a little reckless, a little wild—but he wasn't a criminal. He wasn't the kind of man who ran underground operations and destroyed lives.

But the evidence…

The text message. The dog mystery. His constant disappearances.

Was it all connected?

She didn't know what scared her more—the idea that Adrian might be lying to her…

Or the fact that, despite everything, she wasn't sure she cared.