Chapter 25: Taking Action

"That's it," Denzel said, pulling out his own phone. "I'm calling my security team. Oliver, you're getting round-the-clock protection. Amelia, you're not going anywhere without security either."

"Denzel, you can't just…."

"Yes, I can. Someone is threatening you. Threatening your brother. Using violence to send a message. I'm not taking any chances."

He stepped out into the hallway, phone already to his ear.

I sank into the chair beside Oliver's bed, my head spinning.

"I'm sorry, Ray," Oliver whispered. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to drag you into whatever this is."

"This isn't your fault. None of this is your fault." I squeezed his hand gently. "We're going to figure this out. We're going to find out who did this."

"What if they come after you next? What if…."

"They won't. Denzel won't let them."

"You trust him?"

Did I? I'd just given him my virginity. Just let him into my body, into my heart in ways I'd never let anyone before. But trust?

"I don't know," I admitted. "But right now, he's all we have."

Denzel's POV

I stepped into the hallway and immediately dialed Marcus, my head of security.

"Sir?" he answered on the second ring. "It's 3 AM. Is everything…"

"I need full details on Oliver James. College student. Early twenties. Find out everyone he's been in contact with for the past month. Every phone call, every text, every person he's spoken to."

"What's this about?"

"He was beaten tonight. Badly. And whoever did it is now threatening Amelia and me." I kept my voice low. "Someone's using him to send a message. I want to know who and why."

"I'm on it. Give me an hour."

"You have thirty minutes. And Marcus? I want security on Oliver James and Amelia Adams immediately. 24/7 coverage. No one gets near them without going through us first."

"Understood."

I hung up and leaned against the wall, trying to calm the rage that was threatening to consume me.

Someone had hurt Amelia's brother.

Someone was threatening her.

And they'd made the mistake of invoking my name while doing it.

Whoever was behind this had just declared war. And they had no idea who they were fucking with.

I pulled up my contacts and made another call.

"Denzel?" Raphael's sleepy voice. "It's the middle of the night. What…."

"I need you to dig into something for me. Quietly. I want to know who's been sniffing around my business dealings lately. Who's asked questions. Who's been digging where they shouldn't."

"Why? What happened?"

"Someone just threatened my wife's family. Used violence to send a message. And they specifically mentioned the Adams empire."

"Jesus. Do you think it's Julian? He's been making noise lately about that Singapore deal…."

"I don't know. But I want a full report on everyone who could have a motive. Julian, his associates, anyone who's lost money because of me. Everyone."

"I'll get on it first thing in the morning."

"No. Now. I'll pay triple your usual rate."

A pause. "You really care about her, don't you? Your wife."

I thought about Amelia in that hospital room. The fear in her eyes. The way she'd held her brother's hand. The way she'd looked at me earlier tonight when I'd been inside her, making her mine.

"Just get me the information," I said, and hung up.

I stood there for a moment, trying to get my emotions under control. But all I could think about was the text:

Your sister is next.

Over my dead body.

I walked back into the room to find Amelia sitting beside Oliver's bed, her head in her hands.

"Security will be here in twenty minutes," I said. "Two guards for Oliver, two for you."

She looked up. "I don't need security."

"Yes, you do. Someone just threatened your life."

"Denzel, I can't live with bodyguards following me everywhere. I have work, I have….."

"You have people who want to hurt you. That's what you have. And I'm not taking any risks."

"You can't just make decisions for me!"

"I can when it comes to your safety!"

We glared at each other, the tension from earlier tonight mixing with the fear and anger of right now.

Oliver cleared his throat weakly. "Um, guys? Maybe this isn't the best time for a fight?"

We both looked at him, then at each other.

"We'll discuss this later," I said.

"Fine," Amelia snapped.

My phone buzzed. Marcus.

Security team en route. ETA 15 minutes. Also - preliminary check shows Oliver James has been clean. No suspicious contacts, no unusual activity. Whoever did this, they're professionals. They covered their tracks.

I showed the text to Amelia.

"What does that mean?" she asked.

"It means this wasn't random. It was planned. Coordinated. Someone with resources."

"Who would want to hurt Oliver just to send you a message?"

"I don't know. But I'm going to find out."

Another buzz. This time, Oliver's phone.

We all looked at it.

Another text from the unknown number:

Tick tock, Adams. 72 hours and counting. We're watching.

And attached: a photo.

A photo of Amelia and me getting out of the car at the hospital. Taken just minutes ago.

They were here. Watching us. Right now.

I moved to the window and looked out, scanning the parking lot, the street, anywhere someone might be hiding with a camera.

Nothing. Just empty darkness.

"They're playing with us," I said quietly. "Showing us they can get close whenever they want."

Amelia wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm scared."

"Don't be. I won't let anything happen to you. Or Oliver. I promise."

"How can you promise that when we don't even know who we're fighting?"

"Because I'll do whatever it takes. Whatever it costs. You're….." I stopped myself. Almost said too much.

"I'm what?"

Mine. You're mine. And I protect what's mine.

But I couldn't say that. Not now. Not when everything was so complicated and we hadn't even talked about what happened between us tonight.

"You're my wife," I said instead. "And I protect my family."

Something flickered in her eyes. Disappointment? Relief? I couldn't tell.

Oliver's phone buzzed one more time.

One final text:

See you soon, Mrs. Adams. Sleep tight.

And then, nothing.

The silence that followed was deafening.