Chapter 5 THANKFUL

Lena's POV

The day had been strange, but in a way I wasn't entirely mad about. Adrienne was... different. Cold and unreadable one moment, then unexpectedly soft the next. She still made me nervous, but not in the way she should.

Not in the way someone like her-powerful, dangerous-should.

No, Adrienne made my stomach flutter for entirely different reasons, and I hated it.

That's why, when she suggested going for a drive-to "clear my head"-I agreed without hesitation. I needed a break from the heavy tension hanging between us in her house.

Except now, sitting in the passenger seat of her sleek black car, I was starting to regret it.

Because we weren't just going for a drive.

We were stranded.

The rain had started as a drizzle, a soft tapping against the windshield. Then, within minutes, the sky had split open into a downpour, the kind that made it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.

Somewhere along the winding road through the hills, Adrienne's car had sputtered, jerked, and then completely died.

Now, we were stuck on the side of a dark, empty road, surrounded by thick trees and a sky that seemed determined to drown us.

I let out a slow breath, gripping the edge of my seat.

"So," I said, glancing at Adrienne, "do billionaires not believe in roadside assistance?"

She exhaled through her nose, amusement flickering across her otherwise unimpressed face. "I do. My phone, however, does not believe in service this far out."

"Great."

We sat in silence for a moment, the only sounds being the rain hammering against the car and the occasional rumble of thunder in the distance.

I glanced at Adrienne again.

She looked... unfazed. One hand resting lazily on the wheel, the other tapping idly against her thigh. The dim glow from the dashboard cast sharp shadows on her face, highlighting the smooth angles of her jaw, the curve of her lips.

I swallowed.

She really had no business looking this good while we were stranded in the middle of nowhere.

"This is your fault," I muttered, mostly to distract myself.

Adrienne turned her head slightly. "Oh?"

"You're the one who wanted to go for a drive."

"You agreed."

"I didn't think we'd get stuck in a d*mn horror movie scenario."

She smirked, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.

"You scared, Whitmore?"

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "No."

Adrienne hummed like she didn't believe me. Then, without warning, she reached for the handle of her door.

"Where are you going?" I asked quickly.

She gestured outside. "To check the engine."

"In the rain?"

"It's just water, princess."

I scowled at the nickname, but before I could snap back, she was already out of the car.

I watched as she walked around to the front, her white button-up quickly darkening under the rain. She popped the hood, disappearing partially from my view, and I groaned.

What was I supposed to do? Sit here in silence while she played mechanic?

With a huff, I pushed open my own door and stepped out. The rain was freezing, instantly soaking through my clothes, and I regretted my decision immediately.

Adrienne glanced up as I approached. "What are you doing?"

"Supervising," I said, crossing my arms.

Her lips twitched. "Right."

I had no idea what I was looking at, but Adrienne seemed to. She poked at something, muttered something under her breath, and then slammed the hood shut.

"Well?" I asked.

"Battery's dead," she said simply.

"Cool. Fantastic. Love that for us."

Adrienne just chuckled.

She started toward the car, but just as she reached for the door handle, a sudden gust of wind blew through the trees. It was strong enough to make the branches sway violently, enough to make a strange, creaking sound echo through the woods.

I shivered.

Adrienne noticed.

"Let's get back inside," she said, her voice lower now, almost soothing.

I didn't argue.

The moment I slid into my seat, I rubbed my arms, trying to ignore the cold. Adrienne, still wet from the rain, ran a hand through her damp hair before sighing.

"We'll have to wait for the storm to pass before I can get a signal," she said.

"How long will that take?"

She glanced out the windshield. "Could be an hour. Could be all night."

I blinked. "All night?"

"Relax, Whitmore. I don't bite."

I pressed my lips together, trying very hard not to think about what her biting me would entail.

Jesus, get a grip.

I cleared my throat. "Okay. Fine. But if we're stuck here all night, we need ground rules."

Adrienne tilted her head, amused. "Rules?"

"Yeah," I said, shifting in my seat. "No weird staring."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You do that a lot," I clarified.

"Do I?"

"Yes."

She smirked. "Noted. Anything else?"

I hesitated. "No touching."

Adrienne's smirk deepened, but she said nothing.

"And..." I hesitated. "And no-no flirting."

Her eyes darkened slightly. "You think I'm flirting with you?"

I exhaled sharply. "You-You have that vibe."

Adrienne leaned back in her seat, stretching slightly, before turning her head toward me.

"You're cold," she observed.

I frowned. "That's not the point-"

Before I could finish, she reached into the back seat, grabbed a jacket, and tossed it over my lap.

I stared at it.

I stared at her.

"Put it on," she said simply.

I hesitated, but my shivering won over my pride. I pulled it over my shoulders, and instantly, I was wrapped in warmth-wrapped in her.

The scent clung to me. Something dark and expensive, mixed with the lingering smell of rain.

I swallowed.

"Better?" she asked, her voice softer now.

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

Silence settled between us, but it wasn't tense this time. It was... something else. Something I didn't know how to name.

I could feel her watching me. Not in an uncomfortable way, but in a way that made my pulse jump.

I bit my lip.

She let out a breath, shifting slightly. "Try to get some sleep. I'll wake you when the storm clears."

I hesitated, then finally nodded, closing my eyes.

But sleep didn't come easy. Not when all I could think about was the woman beside me, the warmth of her jacket, and the way my body seemed to hum in her presence.

And worse?

I liked it.

I barely slept.

Even with Adrienne's jacket draped over me, even with the soft lull of rain against the car, my mind wouldn't shut up.

Not when I could still feel her presence beside me.

Not when her scent clung to my skin.

Not when my stupid heart kept skipping at the thought of her.

I wasn't supposed to feel like this.

Adrienne was a stranger. A dangerous stranger. A woman who had literally gunned down men without flinching.

I should be afraid of her.

I should be wary.

Instead, I was sitting in her car, wearing her jacket, stealing glances at her while she sat back against the driver's seat, eyes closed, arms crossed, looking like she didn't have a care in the world.

God, she was infuriating.

I exhaled softly, shifting. I wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually, the storm outside had started to quiet. The rain had turned into a soft drizzle, and the wind no longer howled through the trees.

Adrienne stirred beside me.

Her eyes fluttered open, hazy with sleep before they sharpened as she glanced around.

She turned to me.

"Storm's clearing," she murmured, voice husky from rest.

My stomach did something it absolutely should not have done at the sound of her voice.

"Yeah," I said quickly, looking away. "Guess we won't be stuck all night after all."

Adrienne reached for her phone, checked it, and nodded. "Signal's back. I'll call for a tow."

She was so casual about everything. Like she hadn't just spent hours in a car with a woman who was actively fighting off very inappropriate thoughts.

I needed help.

While she made the call, I shoved the jacket off and hugged my arms.

I wasn't cold anymore.

I was something else entirely.

A mess.

Adrienne finished the call and glanced at me. "You okay?"

"Fine," I said way too quickly.

She tilted her head, studying me like she could see right through me.

I cleared my throat. "So, uh, how long until we're rescued?"

"Half an hour."

"Right. Cool. Great."

She leaned back, smirking slightly. "You're acting weird."

I scowled. "I am not acting weird."

Adrienne hummed, unconvinced.

I turned away, pretending to be interested in the windshield wipers.

I wasn't sure how much longer we sat in silence, but eventually, bright headlights pierced through the misty road. The tow truck had arrived.

Adrienne stepped out first, speaking with the driver, and I took a deep breath before following.

I needed to get myself together.

I needed to stop whatever this thing was before it spiraled further.

But as we drove back to the city, Adrienne's presence beside me-solid, steady, effortlessly confident-made it impossible.

---

By the time we reached Adrienne's place, it was past three in the morning.

I was exhausted, but something about being in her house again made me... oddly safe.

Not that I'd admit it.

Adrienne poured herself a drink, leaning against the kitchen counter as I stood awkwardly by the couch.

"You should get some sleep," she said.

I scoffed. "Says the woman drinking whiskey at three a.m."

She smirked. "Fair point."

I hesitated, shifting on my feet. I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't sure why I felt the way I did.

I should thank her. For everything.

For saving me.

For letting me stay.

For-

"Why are you helping me?" I asked before I could stop myself.

Adrienne's smirk faded slightly. She took a slow sip of her drink before setting the glass down.

"I don't know," she admitted.

Something about the way she said it sent a shiver down my spine.

I swallowed. "Well... thanks. For everything."

Adrienne studied me for a moment.

Then, to my complete and utter horror, she smiled.

It wasn't smug or amused.

It was soft.

And it did things to me.

"Go to bed, Whitmore," she murmured.

I nodded quickly, turning on my heel and practically bolting to the guest room.

As soon as I shut the door behind me, I exhaled sharply.

My hands were shaking.

Not from fear.

Not from exhaustion.

From her.

From the way she is