The rain was falling hard that night.

Not the soft kind.

Not the romantic kind people read about in books.

But a heavy, relentless storm that soaked everything it touched.

The streets were almost empty.

Cars rushed past.

Streetlights flickered against wet asphalt.

And in the middle of it all stood Noah Parker.

⸻

He hugged his backpack tighter as he walked quickly down the sidewalk.

His hoodie was already soaked.

His hair clung to his forehead.

And his shoes made squishing sounds with every step.

“Of all nights…” he muttered under his breath.

He had just finished his late shift at the bookstore.

He should have left earlier.

But the last customer had kept him behind.

Now he was paying for it.

⸻

Noah turned into a quieter street.

Less traffic.

Fewer lights.

More shadows.

That’s when he noticed it.

A black car parked awkwardly near the curb.

Engine still running.

Hazard lights blinking.

He frowned slightly but kept walking.

None of his business.

He just wanted to get home.

Warm clothes.

Dry bed.

Sleep.

⸻

But then—

A low sound stopped him.

A groan.

Noah froze.

He slowly turned his head toward the car.

Silence.

Only rain.

Then again—

Another sound.

This time clearer.

Someone was inside.

⸻

Against his better judgment, Noah stepped closer.

Each step slower than the last.

The car window was slightly fogged.

He leaned in carefully.

And that’s when he saw him.

⸻

A man.

Slumped in the back seat.

Dark hair damp from rain.

Sharp jawline.

Expensive suit.

And blood on his sleeve.

Noah’s breath caught.

“Oh my God…”

The man’s eyes suddenly opened.

Cold.

Sharp.

Dangerous.

And locked directly onto Noah.

⸻

For a second, neither moved.

Neither spoke.

Just rain.

And tension.

Then the man’s voice came.

Low.

Rough.

“Walk away.”

Noah blinked.

“What?”

“I said… walk away.”

But something about his voice wasn’t just threatening.

It was tired.

Like he was holding on by force.

⸻

Noah should have left.

He knew that.

Every instinct screamed at him to run.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he stepped closer.

“You’re hurt.”

The man’s eyes darkened.

“That’s not your problem.”

Noah swallowed.

“It is if you’re bleeding in a car outside my street.”

Silence again.

⸻

The man studied him.

Carefully.

Like he was trying to figure out what kind of fool would stand in front of danger and not run.

Finally, he spoke again.

“What’s your name?”

“Noah.”

A pause.

Then—

“Leave, Noah.”

But Noah shook his head slightly.

“No.”

That single word changed everything.

⸻

Far away, footsteps echoed.

Shadows moved at the edge of the street.

Men were coming.

Noah didn’t notice.

But the man in the car did.

His expression sharpened instantly.

“Get down.”

Noah frowned.

“What—”

But before he could finish—

A hand grabbed his wrist.

Hard.

Fast.

And pulled him into the car.

⸻

The door slammed shut.

The engine roared to life.

And the black car sped into the rain-covered night.

Noah’s heart pounded wildly.

He turned to the man beside him.

“What is going on?!”

The man didn’t look at him.

His eyes stayed on the road.

Cold.

Focused.

Dangerous.

Then he finally answered.

“You should have walked away.”

Noah’s voice shook.

“Who are you?”

A pause.

Then the man spoke again.

Slowly.

Darkly.

“My name is Adrian Knight.”

And Noah had no idea…

That his life had just changed forever.

To Be Continued

Noah’s heart pounded so hard it hurt.

Rain battered the car windows as the black vehicle sped through the dark streets.

Everything had happened too fast.

One moment he had been walking home.

The next, he was sitting beside a bleeding stranger who looked like he belonged in a crime movie.

And somehow…

That stranger had kidnapped him.

⸻

“What is wrong with you?!”

Noah finally exploded.

Adrian didn’t even look at him.

His hands remained steady on the steering wheel.

“What?”

“What do you mean what?!”

Noah stared at him in disbelief.

“You pulled me into your car!”

“You were in danger.”

“No, I wasn’t!”

Adrian finally glanced at him.

His dark eyes were cold.

Sharp.

Unreadable.

“You were.”

⸻

Noah opened his mouth to argue.

Then closed it again.

Because something about Adrian’s expression made him hesitate.

The man genuinely believed what he was saying.

⸻

“Who were those men?”

Noah asked.

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

“You ask too many questions.”

“Because normal people don’t get chased through the city at midnight.”

Adrian almost smiled.

Almost.

⸻

The car fell silent.

Only the sound of rain filled the space between them.

Noah carefully looked at the man beside him.

Now that he wasn’t standing outside in the storm, he could see more details.

Adrian looked young.

Maybe late twenties.

Handsome.

Dangerously handsome.

The kind of handsome that belonged on magazine covers.

Except magazine models usually didn’t have blood on their sleeves.

⸻

Noah’s eyes drifted to the injury.

The white shirt beneath Adrian’s suit jacket was stained red.

A lot of red.

Too much red.

“You need a hospital.”

“No.”

“You could have internal bleeding.”

“No.”

“You could die.”

“No.”

Noah groaned.

“You are impossible.”

⸻

For the first time, Adrian actually smiled.

A small smile.

Gone almost instantly.

But Noah saw it.

And somehow it made the dangerous man seem human.

⸻

Twenty minutes later, the car finally stopped.

Noah looked out the window.

And froze.

⸻

A massive mansion stood before them.

Three stories.

Iron gates.

Private security.

Luxury cars parked outside.

The place looked less like a house and more like a palace.

⸻

“What is this?”

“My home.”

Noah blinked.

His home?

What kind of person lived somewhere like this?

⸻

Before Noah could ask another question, several men rushed outside.

All dressed in black.

All armed.

All looking terrified.

⸻

“Boss!”

A tall man hurried toward the car.

The moment he saw Adrian’s injury, his face went pale.

“What happened?”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.”

The man looked ready to panic.

⸻

Noah quietly stepped out of the car.

Immediately every guard’s attention shifted toward him.

The atmosphere changed.

Dangerously.

⸻

“Who’s the kid?”

One guard asked.

“Noah.”

Adrian answered simply.

Nothing more.

Yet every single person instantly stopped asking questions.

⸻

Noah noticed.

And it made him nervous.

Very nervous.

Because people didn’t obey someone like that unless they were powerful.

Really powerful.

⸻

The tall man approached Noah.

He had dark hair and a scar running across his cheek.

Despite his intimidating appearance, his voice was polite.

“Thank you for helping him.”

“I didn’t really do anything.”

“You did.”

The man smiled slightly.

“My name is Luca.”

⸻

Noah nodded awkwardly.

Then pointed toward Adrian.

“Is he always this stubborn?”

Luca laughed.

Actually laughed.

A rare sound judging from everyone’s shocked expressions.

⸻

“You have no idea.”

⸻

Meanwhile, Adrian was watching Noah.

Quietly.

Carefully.

⸻

Most people reacted differently after meeting him.

They became afraid.

Nervous.

Desperate to impress him.

Or desperate to escape him.

⸻

Noah had done none of those things.

Instead, he argued.

Complained.

Scolded him about going to the hospital.

⸻

It was…

Interesting.

⸻

Very interesting.

⸻

Several minutes later, a doctor arrived.

Apparently private doctors made house calls here.

Which only made Noah more suspicious.

⸻

The doctor immediately began treating Adrian’s injury.

Luckily, the wound wasn’t life-threatening.

Just deep.

Painful.

But manageable.

⸻

“See?”

Adrian said afterward.

“I’m fine.”

Noah crossed his arms.

“You lost enough blood to fill a water bottle.”

“I’m alive.”

“Barely.”

⸻

Luca covered his mouth.

Trying not to laugh.

⸻

Nobody spoke to Adrian Knight this way.

Nobody.

⸻

Yet Adrian didn’t seem angry.

If anything…

He looked amused.

⸻

Eventually, Noah checked his phone.

His eyes widened.

It was almost 2 a.m.

⸻

“Oh no.”

“What?”

“I need to get home.”

Adrian frowned.

“It’s late.”

“I know.”

“My driver will take you.”

“No need.”

“It wasn’t a request.”

⸻

Noah stared.

“There it is.”

“There what is?”

“The rich-guy attitude.”

Luca nearly choked.

⸻

Adrian’s eyebrow lifted.

“Rich-guy attitude?”

“Yes.”

Noah pointed at him.

“You keep ordering people around.”

⸻

To everyone’s surprise…

Adrian laughed.

A real laugh.

Deep.

Warm.

Unexpected.

⸻

The room fell silent.

Because nobody had heard Adrian laugh like that in years.

⸻

Not even Luca.

⸻

Finally, Adrian looked at Noah.

Those dark eyes locked onto his.

And for a moment, something shifted.

Something neither of them understood.

⸻

“Take him home.”

Adrian instructed.

⸻

Noah grabbed his backpack.

“Good.”

Then he paused.

Turning back.

⸻

“Take care of yourself.”

The words slipped out naturally.

⸻

Adrian froze.

So did Luca.

So did everyone else.

⸻

Because nobody spoke to Adrian that way.

Nobody worried about him.

Nobody told him to take care of himself.

⸻

But Noah did.

Without hesitation.

Without fear.

Without expecting anything in return.

⸻

For the first time in a very long time…

Adrian felt something unfamiliar.

⸻

As Noah disappeared through the mansion doors, Adrian continued watching.

Long after he was gone.

⸻

Luca noticed immediately.

Of course he did.

⸻

“Boss.”

Adrian didn’t answer.

⸻

“You’re staring.”

Still no answer.

⸻

A slow smile appeared on Luca’s face.

One that usually meant trouble.

⸻

“Interesting.”

Adrian finally looked at him.

“What?”

Luca folded his arms.

Then grinned.

⸻

“I think you’ve just met someone you won’t be able to forget.”

⸻

For the first time that night…

Adrian didn’t deny it.

To Be Continued… ❤️🔥

The next morning, Noah woke up convinced the entire night had been a dream.

A very strange dream.

A dangerous stranger.

A luxury mansion.

Armed guards.

A man named Adrian Knight.

It all sounded ridiculous.

⸻

Unfortunately, reality quickly proved otherwise.

⸻

Noah sat up in bed and immediately spotted a black business card resting on his desk.

The same card Luca had handed him before he left.

No logo.

No company name.

Just a phone number.

And two words.

Adrian Knight.

⸻

Noah groaned and dropped back onto his pillow.

“So it wasn’t a dream.”

⸻

A few hours later, he arrived at college.

The campus was crowded as usual.

Students rushed between classes.

Friends gathered around benches.

Professors hurried across walkways carrying stacks of papers.

Everything felt normal again.

⸻

And Noah desperately wanted normal.

⸻

His best friend, Liam Carter, immediately noticed something was wrong.

⸻

“You look terrible.”

Noah rolled his eyes.

“Good morning to you too.”

“I’m serious.”

Liam sat beside him.

“You look like you fought a bear.”

⸻

“Not a bear.”

Noah muttered.

⸻

Liam blinked.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

⸻

Noah had no intention of explaining Adrian.

Because honestly?

He wasn’t entirely sure how to explain Adrian.

⸻

How was he supposed to describe a man who looked like a billionaire, acted like a criminal, lived in a palace, and somehow managed to be both terrifying and attractive?

⸻

Noah nearly choked on his own thoughts.

⸻

“Why are you blushing?”

Liam asked suspiciously.

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

“I’m not.”

“You definitely are.”

⸻

Noah immediately changed the subject.

⸻

By lunchtime, he had almost succeeded in forgetting Adrian.

Almost.

⸻

Then everything went wrong.

⸻

Very wrong.

⸻

Noah finished class and headed toward the campus bookstore where he worked part-time.

The moment he arrived, his manager rushed toward him.

⸻

“Noah!”

“What happened?”

“Someone’s waiting for you.”

⸻

Noah frowned.

“Who?”

⸻

His manager pointed toward the reading section.

⸻

Noah turned.

Then froze.

⸻

Sitting comfortably in one of the chairs was Adrian Knight.

⸻

Wearing a black suit.

Looking expensive.

Looking dangerous.

Looking completely out of place among shelves filled with novels.

⸻

And somehow…

Everyone in the bookstore was staring at him.

⸻

Noah’s heart nearly stopped.

⸻

“What are you doing here?!”

⸻

Adrian calmly looked up from the book in his hands.

As if appearing at someone’s workplace uninvited was perfectly normal.

⸻

“Reading.”

⸻

Noah stared.

⸻

“You’re reading?”

⸻

“Yes.”

⸻

“Here?”

⸻

“That’s usually where books are.”

⸻

Several customers nearby tried very hard not to laugh.

⸻

Noah couldn’t believe this man.

⸻

“You followed me.”

⸻

“No.”

⸻

“You absolutely followed me.”

⸻

Adrian slowly closed the book.

Then stood.

⸻

The movement alone made him seem intimidating.

He was tall.

Broad-shouldered.

Confident.

The kind of man who naturally commanded attention.

⸻

“I wanted to thank you.”

⸻

Noah blinked.

⸻

“What?”

⸻

“For helping me.”

⸻

The simple sincerity in Adrian’s voice caught him off guard.

⸻

Because beneath all the arrogance…

All the mystery…

All the danger…

Adrian actually seemed grateful.

⸻

Noah’s expression softened slightly.

⸻

“You didn’t have to come all the way here.”

⸻

“I know.”

⸻

“Then why did you?”

⸻

For the first time, Adrian hesitated.

Only briefly.

But Noah noticed.

⸻

The truth was simple.

⸻

Adrian wanted to see him again.

⸻

Which was ridiculous.

⸻

He barely knew Noah.

⸻

Yet all morning, he had found himself thinking about him.

The way Noah argued.

The way he smiled.

The way he cared about a complete stranger.

⸻

Nobody had treated Adrian like that in years.

⸻

Maybe ever.

⸻

So he came.

⸻

“Curiosity.”

Adrian finally answered.

⸻

Noah narrowed his eyes.

⸻

“That’s a weird answer.”

⸻

“Maybe.”

⸻

“It definitely is.”

⸻

To Noah’s surprise…

Adrian smiled.

⸻

That small smile again.

⸻

And suddenly Noah realized something dangerous.

⸻

Adrian Knight was much more attractive when he smiled.

⸻

A lot more attractive.

⸻

Which was a problem.

A very big problem.

⸻

Before Noah could say anything else, the bookstore door suddenly opened.

⸻

Three men entered.

⸻

Adrian’s expression changed instantly.

⸻

The warmth disappeared.

⸻

The smile vanished.

⸻

And the cold, dangerous man from the rainy night returned.

⸻

Noah felt it immediately.

The atmosphere shifted.

⸻

The three men stopped when they spotted Adrian.

Fear flashed across their faces.

⸻

Genuine fear.

⸻

Then they quickly turned around and left.

⸻

As if simply seeing Adrian was enough to terrify them.

⸻

Noah watched the entire exchange.

⸻

“What was that?”

⸻

Adrian didn’t answer.

⸻

“What aren’t you telling me?”

⸻

Still no answer.

⸻

And for the first time…

Noah began wondering exactly who Adrian Knight really was.

⸻

Because normal businessmen didn’t make grown men run away in fear.

⸻

And deep down…

Noah was starting to realize that Adrian was anything but normal.

To Be Continued… ❤️🔥