Chapter 6 – The Traces Left Behind

(Rhea's POV)

The silence that lingered in the gallery after the man in the raincoat disappeared felt even more suffocating than his presence. I was still frozen in place, my eyes locked on the wooden door that had just closed with a soft yet chilling thud. It felt like that wall was now holding a massive secret behind it—and somehow, I was caught in it too.

Kaelan stood just a few steps away from me. His body was rigid, shoulders slightly raised, like he was ready to protect—or attack. His jaw tightened, his eyes sharp and fixed on the door as if he could pierce through the storm outside. The energy radiating off him reminded me of a wild predator—not just alert, but dangerous.

“Kaelan…” My voice cracked, barely audible. I swallowed before continuing. “What’s really going on?”

He turned his head. For a second, his gaze softened, but the tension stayed carved on his face. “I told you, this isn’t a safe place to talk.”

I clenched my fingers, trying to steady the nervous tremor in my chest. “You can’t keep talking like that,” I shot back quickly, almost panicked. “I have a right to know. About the painting… about that mysterious man… about everything—”

“Rhea Hale.”

Just those two words—quiet, but firm—were enough to cut me off. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried authority. Like if I kept pushing, he’d silence me in his own way.

I went quiet.

His gaze pinned me down. There was something in his eyes—not just hardness, but a warning. I could feel it in my pulse, that if I pushed too far, I’d be dragged into a current I couldn’t even begin to understand.

Reluctantly, I nodded. “Fine. Where are we going to talk?”

“Somewhere safest, for now.”

“Are we leaving now?”

Kaelan nodded. “Yeah. My car’s parked across from this gallery. We’ll head there.”

*** 

The rain was still pouring when we stepped outside. The sound of it hammered against the tin roofs along the street, loud and chaotic, drowning out every thought swirling inside me. The wet pavement gleamed under the dim streetlights, puddles reflecting the shadows of two figures: me and Kaelan, walking side by side in silence.

Kaelan opened a large black umbrella he’d brought, and without asking, he tugged my hand lightly, pulling me under its shelter. The touch was brief, but enough to make my heart pound faster.

We walked close, close enough that I could catch the faint scent coming from him—a mix of rain, damp fabric, and warm masculine notes. Familiar. Somehow, that scent felt natural, binding me, calming yet unsettling all at once.

“Why were you there?” I finally asked softly, my voice almost lost to the rain. “I mean… in the gallery.”

“To make sure you weren’t alone,” he replied flatly.

The words were simple, but each one struck deep. They should have comforted me. Instead, they stirred more questions in my head.

“Did you already know that man in the raincoat would show up at Elaria’s gallery?” I asked curiously.

Kaelan shook his head. “Just a hunch.”

I scoffed under my breath. “Your answers always leave me wanting more, Kaelan.”

“Better that way.”

Our steps carried us down the empty sidewalk. Once in a while, a car sped past, splashing water from the puddles. The flickering streetlights only deepened the sense of isolation, making the world feel like another realm.

My mind wandered again. The golden eyes from that painting staring back at me through the mist. The predator’s gaze piercing my chest. The man in the raincoat standing silently at the gallery’s doorway, threatening without a word. And Kaelan, with his riddled responses. It all tangled together, pressing hard against my head.

I didn’t notice when my steps slowed, my thoughts blurring with the sound of rain. The world seemed to drift away, leaving only the ringing in my ears and the storm inside my mind.

Until a loud honk snapped me back.

A motorcycle shot past from the side, too close. Its headlights blinded me, water splashing up my legs. I staggered, my body swaying, too slow to pull back.

And in a split second—before my brain could even process it—a strong hand clamped onto my arm. A rough tug yanked me forward, straight into Kaelan’s chest.

My body slammed against his, his chest warm despite the rain clinging to us. Just inches away from the rushing blur of the motorcycle.

I gasped, breath ragged. My heartbeat was a wild drum inside me. Kaelan, meanwhile, glared at the biker before shifting his focus back onto me.

“What were you—” My words died in my throat.

Kaelan’s face was too close. Water dripped from his wet hair onto his temple, his eyes sharp, burning. That look set me on fire, making me forget how to breathe.

“Don’t space out.” His voice was low, deep, almost a growl. “Never space out when you’re near me.”

His words lit another flame inside me—a mix of anger, embarrassment, and something far more dangerous.

I couldn’t answer. My voice was gone. All I could feel was his grip on my arm—tight, protective, yet making me tremble in ways I couldn’t explain.

People walking by glanced briefly, but no one cared. We stayed there, trapped under the black umbrella he had lifted back up, surrounded by the pouring rain, as if the world had shrunk to just the two of us.

I tried to pull my hand free. “Please… let go of my hand,” I whispered.

But Kaelan didn’t. His gaze swept over my face slowly, intensely, like he was reading every line of my expression.

“I can’t,” he finally said, his rough voice hitting me harder than thunder. “Because every second, something out there tries to take you away from me. And I’m terrified of that.”

I froze. His words pierced straight through my defenses, leaving my thoughts in shambles. Part of me wanted to laugh, call him dramatic—even insane. But another part… a deeper part… believed him. I didn’t know why. All I knew was I stayed silent, my quiet the only answer I could give.

And that was far more terrifying.

***