Chapter 4 RESIST

Lena's POV

I woke to the soft glow of the morning sun creeping through the curtains, casting long, gentle shadows across the room. For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was. The confusion lasted just a second before everything came rushing back-the chaos, the danger, and... her. Adrienne.

I shifted slightly in the bed, blinking at the unfamiliar surroundings. The sheets felt soft, almost luxurious, and I realized I was in a guest room that was far too pristine for my taste. The reality of my situation hit me with a quiet thud: Adrienne had taken me in. A woman who didn't owe me a thing, who barely knew me, had kept me safe from a group of men who would've hurt me.

My stomach churned. I didn't belong here. There was no way this was real. How had I gotten tangled in all of this? I wasn't a part of her world-this world of danger and power. I was just a college dropout who worked late shifts at a dive bar. A girl with no money, no plans. Nothing.

I sighed and sat up, rubbing my face as I tried to shake off the weight of the uncertainty pressing down on me. This wasn't how my life was supposed to be.

But then... I heard it-the smell of something sweet and warm filling the air. It pulled me out of my thoughts.

Breakfast.

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should just stay in bed. But my stomach growled, and I knew that wasn't an option. Slowly, I got up and padded quietly toward the kitchen. I wasn't sure what to expect, but when I entered the space, the sight before me made me stop in my tracks.

Adrienne stood by the stove, moving with fluid, graceful motions. Her dark hair was messy in the way that only someone who was used to being effortlessly perfect could pull off, and she wore a simple white shirt that looked ridiculously good on her. My breath caught in my throat at the sight.

She looked... so much softer this morning.

I stayed there, leaning against the doorframe, watching her for a moment. Adrienne was a woman who radiated power and confidence. Last night, she'd been a force-taking down those men without hesitation, without even breaking a sweat. But now, she was different. There was something... almost domestic about her, something that made me feel inexplicably drawn to her.

"Good morning," she said, glancing over her shoulder at me with a small, almost unnoticeable smile.

"Morning," I replied, my voice a little quieter than usual.

I couldn't help but feel nervous. Maybe it was because I was standing there, in her kitchen, in her house, a place that felt so foreign to me. Or maybe it was because I couldn't stop thinking about last night, about how she'd stepped in to protect me when I hadn't even asked for it.

"I wasn't sure if you'd be awake yet," Adrienne continued, her tone warm but calm, like she was used to speaking this way. "But I thought I'd make breakfast."

My mouth went dry. I wasn't used to this, to someone going out of their way to take care of me. I didn't know how to react, but I felt a strange mix of gratitude and something else-something I couldn't quite define.

"You didn't have to do that," I said, my voice soft, unsure. I shifted from one foot to the other, suddenly feeling awkward. "You really didn't."

Adrienne glanced at me over her shoulder, her smile widening just a little. It wasn't much, but it made something in my chest tighten. She seemed genuinely pleased to do this, to help me.

"I know," she said simply, turning back to the stove. "But I wanted to."

Her words hit me in a way I wasn't prepared for. There was a sincerity there-a quiet understanding. For a split second, it made me feel like maybe, just maybe, I wasn't completely alone in this.

The awkwardness in the air wasn't as thick now. I stepped closer, settling onto one of the kitchen stools, unsure of what to do with myself. How was it possible to feel so... at ease here? I should've felt out of place, like I didn't belong.

Yet here I was, staring at the woman who had stepped into my life like a whirlwind, saving me, offering me protection when I had nothing to offer in return. I didn't know how to make sense of any of it.

"You don't have to stay here, you know," Adrienne said suddenly, breaking the silence that had settled over us. She still wasn't looking at me, but her voice was softer than I expected. Almost hesitant.

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

Her shoulders tensed slightly as she set a plate of pancakes and fresh fruit in front of me. "I can make sure you're safe, but I can't keep you here forever."

My mind was spinning. She was right. I couldn't stay here. But where else was there to go? I had nowhere to turn. "I... don't know what to do," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "This whole thing has turned my life upside down. I can't just go back to the way things were, not after last night."

Adrienne studied me carefully, her eyes intense but not judgmental. There was a flicker of something in them-something that made my heart beat just a little faster. "You don't have to figure it out right now," she said, her voice softening. "You're safe here, Lena. For now, that's all that matters."

I blinked, a strange sensation bubbling up in my chest. "Thanks," I said, feeling the weight of her words settle on me. It wasn't just the fact that she was offering me safety-it was the way she said it. Like she genuinely cared.

"Anytime," Adrienne replied, her smile now real, and this time, it felt like she wasn't just doing it out of politeness. She was actually smiling because she wanted to.

I looked down at the plate in front of me, trying to focus on something other than the way my stomach fluttered. She was right. I was safe here. But I couldn't shake the feeling that the longer I stayed, the more complicated everything would become.

The way she made me feel-safe, drawn to her, and yet conflicted-was something I didn't know how to handle. I shouldn't be feeling this way. I didn't even know her. She was powerful, mysterious, and likely dangerous in ways I couldn't even begin to understand.

But I felt something, and that made everything so much harder.

I couldn't allow myself to get lost in this. I couldn't allow myself to be pulled deeper into Adrienne's world.

But... how was I supposed to resist when all I wanted was to be close to her?