Chapter 6 : The Lady Under his protection

Emily barely slept.

Every time she closed her eyes she saw the man in the dark car. Black SUV. Tinted windows. Lifting his phone.

Click.

A picture of her leaving the gallery.

Click.

A picture of the gallery sign.

Click.

A picture of Adrian's car parked out front.

She told herself she was imagining things. That it was nothing.

Until she remembered the way he hadn’t tried to hide.

He wanted her to know she was being watched.

By morning she was exhausted. Dark circles under her eyes. Hands shaking a little as she unlocked the gallery.

She forced herself into the routine. Coffee. Lights. Music. Paintings.

Normal.

She needed normal.

Her phone buzzed before she even finished unlocking the register.

Unknown Number.

Emily frowned. She opened the message.

`Stop meeting Adrian Marcelli.`

`Next time, we won't just watch.`

Her stomach dropped.

She read it again.

Then again.

Whoever sent it knew she'd been with Adrian. Only a handful of people knew that.

She deleted the message fast.

Then immediately regretted it.

Because now she had no proof.

Across the city...

The Marcelli headquarters was anything but calm.

A dozen men stood around the long oak table in Adrian's conference room. No one spoke. No one dared.

Adrian Marcelli sat at the head of the table, silently reading a report Ethan had placed before him.

Every page made his expression colder.

"The camera footage?" Adrian asked without looking up.

Ethan nodded. "Pulled from every business across the street. Gas station. Coffee shop. Bank."

"And?"

"The man switched cars twice. SUV to sedan to truck."

Adrian didn't look up. "Professional."

"Yes."

Another page turned. "What about the license plate?"

"Fake. Reported stolen three weeks ago."

Adrian closed the file. "So whoever is following Emily planned this."

Nobody answered. Because everyone already knew.

Adrian slowly stood. "I want every warehouse, club, casino, and shipping company we own checking security footage. Face. Car. Walk. I want to know what he had for breakfast."

One of the captains frowned. "Boss... for one woman?"

The room froze.

Adrian looked at him. Just looked.

It was enough.

The captain immediately lowered his eyes. "My mistake, Boss."

"It was." Adrian adjusted his cufflinks. "Anyone watching Emily Pascarelli is watching me."

Silence.

"And I don't appreciate being watched."

His voice never rose. It didn't need to.

Every man in the room understood.

"Find him."

"Yes, Boss."

"No excuses."

"Yes, Boss."

Emily spent the afternoon pretending everything was fine.

Customers came and went. She smiled. Recommended paintings. Accepted payments. Answered questions.

Inside, however... she couldn't stop glancing toward the windows.

Every passing car made her nervous.

Every stranger looked suspicious.

Every time the bell rang she flinched.

"Emily?"

She looked up fast.

A man she'd never seen before stood near the landscape paintings. Late thirties. Gray suit. Perfect smile. Too perfect.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"I hope so." He smiled again. "I heard this gallery belongs to Emily Pascarelli."

"It does."

"So..." He casually looked around. "You really left your family?"

Emily's smile disappeared. "I'm sorry?"

"The Pascarellis." He shrugged. "Big family. Art collectors. Oil money."

"I've heard interesting things."

Emily's heartbeat quickened. "Who are you?"

Instead of answering, he picked up a painting. "You know... I met your father once."

Emily stiffened. "I don't discuss my family with strangers."

"Smart." He set the painting down. "But eventually..."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"...the past always comes back."

The bell above the gallery door rang.

The stranger glanced toward it. His smile faded.

Adrian Marcelli walked inside.

Black suit. Black shirt. No tie. Power seemed to enter with him.

The stranger's expression changed instantly. Recognition. Fear.

Interesting.

Adrian stopped beside Emily. His eyes never left the man. "Do I know you?"

The stranger smiled politely. "I don't think so."

"You've been asking questions about her."

"I enjoy conversation."

Adrian took one step forward. "So do I."

The temperature inside the gallery seemed to drop.

Emily looked between them. Neither man blinked.

Finally the stranger laughed. "I think I'll come back another day."

"You won't."

The words were calm. Not loud. Not threatening. Somehow they were worse.

The stranger gave Adrian one last look before walking out. The bell rang again. Then he was gone.

Emily turned. "What was that?"

Adrian watched through the window until the man disappeared into the crowd. "Did he touch you?"

"What?"

"Did he touch you."

"No."

"What did he ask?"

She crossed her arms. "Excuse me?"

"What did he ask?"

"I heard you the first time."

"Then answer."

Her eyes narrowed. "You really don't know how conversations work."

His attention remained outside. "What did he ask?"

"He asked about my father."

Adrian finally looked at her. "What exactly?"

Emily repeated every word.

Adrian's jaw tightened. "Ethan."

The man who had quietly entered behind Adrian stepped forward. "Boss."

"Find him."

"He already has a ten-minute head start."

"I didn't ask for excuses."

Ethan nodded once. "Understood." He disappeared.

Emily blinked. "You had people outside?"

"I always do."

"You said you came alone."

"I lied."

She sighed. "At least you're honest about lying."

For the first time the corner of Adrian's mouth moved. Barely. "You make that difficult."

She couldn't help smiling. "I'll take that as progress."

His expression became serious again. "You received another message."

Emily froze. "How do you know?"

"Did you?"

"...Yes."

"What did it say?"

She hesitated. "It said..." She swallowed. "'Stop meeting Adrian Marcelli. Next time we won't just watch.'"

Adrian's eyes darkened. "When?"

"This morning."

"And you didn't tell me."

"I didn't think—"

"No." His voice cut through hers. "You didn't."

Emily frowned immediately. "There it is."

"What?"

"The ordering."

"This isn't about control."

"It feels like it."

"It isn't."

She folded her arms. "I've spent years making my own decisions."

"And one bad decision gets you killed."

The words hung between them.

Emily stared. "You really believe I'm in danger."

"Yes."

"And if I don't?"

"You don't have that luxury."

She shook her head. "I won't hide because someone sent me a message."

"I'm not asking you to hide."

"It sounds like you are."

"I'm asking you to stay alive."

For several seconds neither of them spoke.

Finally Emily sighed. "So what's your brilliant plan?"

Adrian answered immediately. "You'll have protection."

"No."

"You answered too quickly."

"Because the answer is no."

"My men are trained."

"I don't want bodyguards following me."

"You need them."

"I don't."

"You do."

She stepped closer. "So now I need your permission to leave my own gallery?"

"No."

"It certainly sounds like it."

He met her gaze without flinching. "I don't need your permission to protect you."

Emily's heart skipped. Not because of the words. Because he meant them. Completely.

She looked away first. "You are impossible."

"So I've been told."

She laughed quietly. "You're getting better."

"At what?"

"Accidentally making jokes."

"I wasn't joking."

"I know."

That somehow made it funnier.

For the first time in years Adrian found himself watching someone laugh. Not because they feared him. Not because they wanted something. Simply because they were happy.

It was different.

His phone vibrated.

He answered immediately. "Ethan."

"Boss."

"What?"

"We found the man."

Adrian's expression hardened. "Where?"

"Warehouse seventeen."

"Alive?"

A pause. "Barely."

Adrian's eyes became cold enough to send a chill through the room. "I'm on my way."

He ended the call.

Emily looked at him. "What happened?"

"I have business."

"Mafia business?"

He didn't answer. Which was answer enough.

He started toward the door.

"Adrian."

He stopped.

She hesitated. "...Be careful."

The words caught him off guard. Nobody said that to him. Not anymore.

Without turning around, he spoke quietly. "You too."

He walked out.

Emily watched through the gallery window as three black SUVs pulled away together.

Only after they disappeared did she notice something.

Across the street.

Another car had been parked there the entire time. Dark. No plates.

As soon as Adrian's convoy vanished into traffic, the driver started the engine.

And followed him.

Emily's phone buzzed in her pocket.

Unknown Number.

She didn't want to look.

She looked anyway.

`«We told you to stop.»`

`«He didn't listen.»`

`«Now neither of you are safe.»`

The message disappeared.

Deleted itself.

Emily stood frozen in the middle of her gallery, and for the first time since she left her family name behind...

She realized running wasn't going to save her.