Elena rushed out of the building, her breath uneven. The cold air hit her face, but it did little to calm the storm inside her. Her lips still tingled, the warmth of Adrian’s touch refusing to fade. No matter how hard she tried to push it away, the memory of his voice, his words, his hands everything stayed with her.
“What’s wrong with me?” she muttered under her breath, shaking her head as if that would make everything disappear.
She walked quickly, needing to put distance between herself and the suffocating thoughts inside her mind. *He’s my professor. This is completely wrong. I should have pushed him away sooner.* But she hadn’t. Her body had melted into him before her brain had caught up. That was the most terrifying part of all.
By the time she reached her dorm, she was exhausted. She wanted to take a hot shower, crawl into bed, and forget everything. But the moment she closed her eyes, all she could see was him. The way he had looked at her. The way he had whispered, *You’re already mine.*
“Stop it,” she whispered to herself, frustrated. She had to get through this. She had to act like nothing had happened.
The next day, Elena stepped into class, determined to avoid him. But as soon as she took her seat, she felt his gaze. Adrian sat at the front, flipping through papers like he hadn’t pinned her against his desk just yesterday. Like he hadn’t stolen her breath away.
Her stomach twisted when he finally spoke. “Miss Harper,” he called, his voice smooth but firm. “Can you answer question four?”
Elena’s heart skipped a beat. Her hands turned clammy as the entire class turned to look at her. Why was he singling her out?
She swallowed hard and cleared her throat. “Uh… The answer is…” she started, trying to focus on the words in her textbook rather than the piercing way he watched her.
When she finished, Adrian nodded slowly. “Good,” he said, his voice laced with something unreadable.
Elena let out a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. She had done it. She had answered. But the way he was looking at her made her skin prickle. He wasn’t done with her yet.
For the rest of the class, she kept her eyes down, focusing on her notes. But every time she dared to glance up, she found him watching her. The pressure in her chest grew heavier.
At lunch, Elena sat in the cafeteria, poking at her food with no real appetite.
A voice pulled her from her thoughts. “Elena.”
She looked up to see Andrew standing there, concern in his eyes.
“Hey,” she forced a small smile. “What’s up?”
Andrew hesitated before sitting across from her. “I’ve noticed something. You’ve been acting… off.”
Elena’s fingers curled around her fork. “I’m fine, just tired.”
“Are you sure?” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “I saw how Professor Blackwood kept calling on you today. It’s not normal.”
Elena’s stomach twisted. She knew Andrew meant well, but she couldn’t drag him into this. “It’s nothing,” she lied. “He just… probably wanted to test me.”
Andrew didn’t look convinced. “If he’s bothering you, I can talk to someone.”
“No!” Elena said quickly, her pulse jumping. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
Andrew frowned, but before he could say anything else, a shadow loomed over them. The air grew thick, heavy. Elena didn’t need to look up to know who it was.
Adrian.
His presence alone was enough to make Andrew shift uncomfortably.
Adrian didn’t say a word. He simply stood there, looking at Andrew with an unreadable expression.
After a tense moment, Andrew cleared his throat and stood. “I’ll see you later, Elena.”
Elena barely had time to respond before Adrian took Andrew’s seat, his movements slow, sharp. He didn’t even look at her right away. Instead, he drummed his fingers on the table, as if waiting for her to say something first.
She refused. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
After a long silence, he finally spoke. “I suggest you stop testing my patience, Miss Harper.”
Elena stiffened. “Excuse me?”
His eyes flickered with something dark. “I don’t like repeating myself.”
Her hands curled into fists. “You don’t own me.”
Adrian leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. “Then why do you react every time I’m near you?”
Her breath hitched, but she refused to let him see how much he affected her. “You’re delusional,” she muttered before grabbing her bag and storming out.
But even as she walked away, she could still feel his eyes on her.
That evening, Elena stayed late in the library, hoping to distract herself with studying. She needed something anything to clear her head.
By the time she packed up and stepped outside, the campus was nearly empty. The night air was crisp, and she hugged her jacket closer around her.
She had barely taken two steps when a familiar voice sent a shiver down her spine.
“It’s not safe for a little lamb to be wandering alone at night.”
Elena froze before slowly turning. Adrian stood near the entrance, his hands in his pockets, his eyes locked on her.
She took a steady breath. “I don’t need your concern, Professor.”
He took a slow step toward her. “And yet, here I am.”
She clenched her jaw and tried to walk past him, but he moved, blocking her path.
“Move,” she said firmly.
Adrian didn’t budge. Instead, he reached out, his fingers brushing against her cheek. The touch was so light, yet it sent a wave of heat through her.
“You keep saying you want distance,” he murmured, his voice low, deep. “But your body tells a different story.”
Elena’s pulse skyrocketed. “You’re impossible.”
He smirked. “And yet, you can’t seem to stay away.”
Before she could say anything else, footsteps echoed in the distance. Adrian stepped back just slightly, his expression unreadable.
Then, with one last glance, he walked away, leaving her standing there, heart pounding, hands shaking.
His words replayed in her mind. *You’re already mine.*
Elena swallowed hard. She didn’t know how much longer she could fight this.
But one thing was clear Adrian Blackwood wasn’t letting her go.
Here’s an additional 500 words expanding on Adrian’s business side and the urgent trouble at his construction site.
Just as Elena vanished in front of him, Adrian exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. His phone vibrated in his pocket. Without glancing at the screen, he picked it up.
“What?” he snapped.
On the other end, Harvey’s voice came through, calm but with an edge of urgency. “Sir, we have a situation. Someone’s stirring up trouble at the construction site the two-story residential project. They’re trying to halt progress.”
Adrian’s jaw clenched. “Who?”
“There’s a group claiming the land was wrongfully acquired. They brought in the media and some officials. They’re trying to delay the project, maybe even shut it down permanently.”
A cold smirk tugged at Adrian’s lips, but his eyes darkened with pure menace. “Fools.”
“Yes. I already have our legal team handling it, but your presence would send a clear message,” Harvey added. “These people think they can shake you.”
Adrian let out a humorless chuckle, standing up and grabbing his coat. “Then let’s remind them who they’re dealing with.”
Within minutes, Adrian was in his black luxury car, his driver speeding toward the construction site. The closer they got, the colder his expression became. The playfulness and teasing he had shown Elena earlier were gone. This was the Adrian Blackwood the business world feared, the ruthless tycoon who destroyed anyone standing in his way.
When he arrived, the scene was exactly as Harvey had described. A group of protestors stood outside the fenced area, some shouting about illegal land acquisition while reporters swarmed around, hungry for a scandal. A few city officials lingered near the entrance, their expressions unreadable.
Adrian stepped out of the car, straightening his coat. His mere presence sent a wave of silence through the crowd. His icy gaze swept over them before landing on Harvey, who stood by the entrance with a sharp, knowing smirk.
“Who’s leading this nonsense?” Adrian asked in a deadly calm voice.
Harvey gestured toward a man in a cheap suit standing at the front, speaking to the media. “That one. A local businessman. Thinks he can get a piece of our project.”
Adrian strode forward, his steps measured but intimidating. As soon as the man saw him, he faltered, taking a half-step back.
“Mr. Blackwood…”
Adrian raised a hand, cutting him off. “You have sixty seconds to explain why you’re wasting my time.”
The man swallowed hard but tried to put on a brave face. “This land was…”
Adrian’s glare sharpened. “Wrongfully acquired? Is that what you were about to say?” He took another step forward, his voice lowering. “Then let me educate you. Every inch of this land was bought legally, and all paperwork is in place. You think a few cameras and a staged protest will make me back off?”
The man’s confidence wavered. “I-I was just…”
Adrian leaned in slightly, his voice turning lethal. “If you continue this pathetic attempt to disrupt my business, I will personally ensure you never work in this city again.”
The color drained from the man’s face.
Harvey chuckled beside Adrian. “I’d listen to him if I were you.”
The man stumbled over his words before mumbling, “I-I understand.”
“Good.” Adrian turned to the reporters. “If you’re looking for a story, write this down. Adrian Blackwood does not lose.”
And with that, he walked away, leaving nothing but fear in his wake.