Chapter 257

Emilia blinked. "No."

He reached for his towel, wiping the sweat from the back of his neck. "You’ve been awfully quiet."

"I’m appreciating the architecture."

His eyebrows rose. "The architecture?"

"Of the gym." She gestured vaguely at the ceiling. "The building. The structure. Very impressive."

Adrian looked around the room, then back at her. "Right."

He shook his head, still smiling, and reached for his water bottle.

Emilia, meanwhile, had developed a sudden and rather unreasonable interest in the pull-up bar.

She stepped beneath it again.

Adrian lowered his bottle. "Again?"

"Yes."

"Didn’t you just declare you’d never do it again?"

"I’ve changed my mind."

"Already?"

She stretched upward, managing to catch the bar with her fingertips this time, though she was still unable to grip it.

Adrian set his water bottle down. "Come here."

"I can—"

"Emilia."

There was something about the way he said her name that made her turn.

He stood directly behind her, his hands settling at her waist.

"What are you planning?" she asked suspiciously.

"Helping."

Before she could question him further, he lifted her.

Emilia laughed, instinctively tightening her grip around the bar.

"Hold on."

"I am holding on!"

He pulled himself up beside her, his grip secure around the bar. Their shoulders nearly touched, and Emilia turned her head to stare at him.

He bent his knees slightly as he adjusted his position, bringing himself closer to her. Emilia looked from his face to the bar above them, then back at him.

A smile slowly spread across her lips, and she shifted her hold on the bar.

She looked at him. "Catch me?"

His expression changed just enough to make her heart flutter.

"Always."

Emilia released one hand, then the other, trusting him to catch her.

Adrian lowered himself from the bar, his arms wrapping around her as she dropped into his hold. She instinctively wound her legs around his waist, and he steadied her against him before his feet touched the padded floor.

For a second, they simply looked at each other.

Her arms were around his shoulders.

His hands rested securely beneath her thighs, keeping her lifted.

"You know," she murmured, "I think I prefer this version of the exercise."

Adrian’s mouth curved. "Of course you do."

"It’s much more enjoyable."

"I’m glad my suffering amuses you."

Her cheeks reddened, and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He turned his face at the last moment, catching her lips instead.

The kiss was soft at first, almost teasing. Emilia smiled against his mouth, and Adrian kissed her again, his hands tightening around her just enough to bring her closer.

She forgot about the pull-up bar, forgot about the flowers on the bench, and forgot, for a few precious seconds, that she had come into the gym with something on her mind.

When she finally drew back, Adrian rested his forehead against hers.

"Still appreciating the architecture?"

"Very much." She brushed her nose against his.

Then, almost without meaning to, her smile faded.

It was a small change. Barely anything, but Adrian knew her face too well to miss it.

His hands remained at her waist.

"What is it?"

Emilia hesitated.

She hadn’t planned to tell him like this. She’d imagined bringing it up over breakfast or during the drive back to campus, somewhere she could choose her words carefully and pretend the matter hadn’t been occupying her thoughts since yesterday.

But standing in his arms, with his attention entirely on her, she found it difficult to keep pretending nothing was wrong.

"Ethan approached me yesterday."

Adrian went still.

He didn’t drop her or suddenly tighten his grip, but his expression sharpened. "Ethan?"

She nodded. "Yesterday. At school."

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he carefully lowered her legs from around his waist, keeping one hand at her back as he helped her regain her balance.

"Come on."

He guided her toward the padded floor beneath the bar, then stepped down from the pull-up station completely, placing himself in front of her.

His attention was no longer on the gym.

It was on her.

"Did he say anything?"

"No." Emilia shook her head. "He remained exactly the way he is. Friendly and nervous."

Adrian’s jaw shifted.

Emilia noticed. "He didn’t threaten me, Adrian."

"I didn’t say he did." He brushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. "What happened?"

Emilia drew a breath.

"He asked me to spend the weekend in school so we could study together."

Adrian’s hand stilled against her cheek. "Study together?"

"Yes."

"Just the two of you?"

"I assume so. He didn’t mention anyone else."

Adrian looked away briefly, his expression turning thoughtful.

Emilia watched him.

She knew what he was thinking. Ethan was supposed to be helping them understand Dante’s movements, but he was also working for Dante.

Every friendly gesture could mean something. Every innocent conversation could be an attempt to get close enough to learn what Emilia knew.

And the worst part was that Ethan had never looked like a threat.

He looked like a young man who worried too much, apologized too often, and seemed perpetually uncomfortable in his own skin.

It was easy to forget what he was capable of. Or what he might be willing to do.

"I told him I’d think about it," she added.

Adrian looked back at her. "You didn’t agree?"

"No. I wouldn’t be here if I did."

He exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw.

He glanced at the bench where her flowers and bracelet sat, then returned his attention to her.

"I’m trying to work out whether he’s approaching you again because he suspects we know about him or because Dante has instructed him to get closer to you."

"Could it be neither?"

"It’s possible."

"But you don’t think so."

"I think Ethan has given us enough reasons not to take anything he does at face value."

Emilia looked down at her hands. "He seemed nervous."

"People wears masks, Emilia."

She blinked, and then she cleared her throat. "He asked me about my classes first. Then he asked if I’d made any progress with my assignments. It wasn’t strange, Adrian. Not at first."

Adrian nodded slowly, absorbing her words.

"Did he mention where he wanted you to study?"

"He said we could use the library. Or the study rooms in the residential building if the library was too crowded."

"And he wanted you to stay on campus for the weekend?"

"Yes."

Adrian’s expression tightened again.

Emilia reached for his hand. "I’m telling you because I want you to know. Not because I’m frightened of him."

His gaze dropped to their joined hands.

"And I don’t want us to start treating every conversation I have with another person as a potential trap."