A Dangerous Smile
Marco avoided her for two days.
Not completely.
He still replied to messages.
Still waved if they passed each other across campus.
But something had changed after the library incident.
Lia noticed it immediately.
He looked cautious now.
Like Adrian had unsettled him more than he wanted to admit.
Honestly—
Lia understood.
Because Adrian unsettled everyone.
The problem was...
he was starting to unsettle her differently.
—
Friday evening arrived colder than usual.
Rain clouds crowded the sky above Blackthorne while students flooded toward the annual literature mixer being held inside the old humanities building.
Lia almost didn't go.
But attendance counted toward participation grades.
And unfortunately, survival required grades.
"This better have free food," Sienna muttered while adjusting her coat beside her.
"If it doesn't, I'm leaving."
"You say that every event."
"And one day I'll mean it."
Lia smiled faintly as they entered the building together.
The atmosphere inside felt warmer than expected.
Soft jazz drifted through the halls while strings of golden lights hung across bookshelves and old paintings. Students gathered around long tables filled with wine glasses and catered food.
More relaxed than the Monteverde gala.
Less intimidating.
Until Lia noticed him.
Adrian stood near the far side of the room speaking quietly with Professor Hale.
Black suit again.
Dark gray tie tonight.
One hand resting inside his pocket while older faculty members listened carefully to everything he said.
Lia's pulse betrayed her instantly.
Sienna followed her gaze.
"Oh no."
"What?"
"You looked for him automatically."
Lia looked away immediately.
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
Before she could argue further, Adrian glanced across the room.
And immediately found her.
Always.
It didn't matter how crowded places were.
His attention landed on her like instinct.
The conversation around him continued, but his eyes remained on Lia for one lingering second too long.
Then slowly—
his gaze moved over her appearance.
Black sweater dress.
Loose hair.
Silver ring twisting nervously against her finger.
The intensity behind his expression darkened slightly.
"You're wearing black," Sienna whispered dramatically beside her.
"So?"
"So he's also wearing black."
Lia stared at her.
"That means literally nothing."
"Sure."
Ignoring her completely, Lia moved toward the drinks table.
She grabbed sparkling water instead of wine and tried very hard not to feel Adrian's gaze following her through the room.
Unfortunately—
she absolutely could.
And worse—
part of her had started recognizing the difference between Adrian looking at her casually...
and Adrian watching her.
Tonight felt like watching.
Heavy.
Focused.
Possessive.
Like he noticed every person who stopped near her.
Every conversation.
Every glance.
It made warmth crawl uncomfortably beneath her skin.
"You came."
Lia turned slightly.
Marco stood beside her holding two paper cups of coffee.
His smile looked softer tonight.
Careful.
"I thought you were avoiding me."
He winced slightly.
"Sorry about that."
Lia leaned lightly against the table beside him.
"You were scared of Adrian."
Marco looked toward the far side of the room instinctively.
Adrian still stood there.
Still watching.
Marco lowered his voice immediately.
"Can you blame me?"
Lia sighed softly.
"He's not dangerous."
The second the words left her mouth—
she questioned them.
Because honestly?
She wasn't completely sure anymore.
Marco handed her one of the coffees.
"You say that," he murmured, "but he looks at people like he's deciding whether they're useful."
Lia accepted the coffee slowly.
Warm.
Comforting.
Normal.
Unlike everything involving Adrian lately.
"He's just intense."
Marco laughed quietly.
"Lia, intense people don't memorize your eating schedule."
Fair point.
Before she could respond, another student approached their table.
Daniel Cho.
One of the graduate assistants from the literature department.
Tall.
Charming.
Slightly arrogant in the way attractive men usually were when they knew it.
"Lia Valencia, right?" he asked with an easy smile.
She nodded politely.
"Daniel."
"I've seen your essays before. You're brilliant."
Marco immediately made a dramatic vomiting gesture.
Lia elbowed him lightly.
Daniel laughed.
"You free after this? Some of us are heading to a bar nearby."
Lia opened her mouth to answer politely—
then suddenly felt it again.
That shift.
That heavy silence beneath crowded noise.
Slowly, she looked up.
Adrian stood across the room now.
Watching.
Except this time—
there was absolutely nothing soft in his expression.
His eyes rested directly on Daniel.
Cold.
Sharp.
Unreadable in a way that made her stomach tighten immediately.
Daniel noticed too.
His smile faltered slightly.
"...Uh."
Marco physically looked away.
"Yep," he muttered quietly. "That's terrifying."
Adrian started walking toward them.
Not rushed.
Not dramatic.
Worse.
Controlled.
The closer he got, the quieter the atmosphere around them became.
Students noticed.
Of course they noticed.
People always noticed Adrian Monteverde.
Daniel straightened slightly beside Lia.
Trying to appear confident.
It almost made Lia nervous for him.
Adrian stopped directly beside her.
Close enough that warmth radiated from his coat sleeve against her arm.
His attention settled on Daniel first.
"You're blocking the refreshments table."
The calmness in his voice somehow sounded colder than anger.
Daniel blinked once.
"Oh. Sorry."
But Adrian didn't move.
Neither did Daniel.
The tension between them became almost unbearable.
Lia stepped in immediately.
"Daniel was just inviting us out after the event."
Silence.
Adrian slowly looked at her.
Then at Daniel.
Then at the coffee in her hand.
"You don't drink coffee this late."
Daniel frowned slightly.
Marco closed his eyes like he was spiritually exhausted.
Lia inhaled slowly.
"We've discussed this," she muttered. "You monitoring my caffeine intake is weird."
"You'll stay awake until three in the morning."
"You cannot possibly know that."
"You tap your fingers when overstimulated. You're already doing it."
Lia immediately stopped tapping the cup.
God.
Daniel stared openly now.
"How long have you known each other exactly?"
Neither of them answered immediately.
Because honestly—
that question had become difficult somehow.
Not long.
And yet Adrian already occupied too much space in her life.
In her thoughts.
In her routines.
In her breathing.
Adrian's gaze returned toward Daniel calmly.
"She won't be joining you tonight."
Lia blinked hard.
"...Excuse me?"
Daniel looked uncomfortable now.
"Actually, it's fine—"
"No," Lia interrupted immediately.
Her pulse spiked.
Because suddenly—
something inside Adrian's expression changed.
Not jealousy exactly.
Worse.
Control.
Like he genuinely expected people to listen when he decided things.
Lia slowly turned toward him.
"You don't get to answer for me."
The room felt quieter now.
Students nearby openly pretending not to listen.
Adrian held her gaze steadily.
"No?"
"No."
A pause.
Then Adrian smiled.
And for the first time since meeting him—
that smile genuinely frightened her.
Because there was nothing warm in it.
Nothing soft.
It looked calm.
Polite.
Beautiful even.
But beneath it—
something dark moved quietly behind his eyes.
Something possessive.
Something dangerous.
Daniel took one careful step backward.
Marco muttered:
"Okay, yeah. That's serial killer energy."
Lia barely heard him.
Because Adrian's attention never left her face.
"Interesting," he said softly.
The way he said it made her heartbeat turn uneven.
Not flirtation.
Not affection.
A warning.
And suddenly Lia understood something terrifying.
Adrian Monteverde didn't get angry loudly.
He got quieter.
Colder.
More controlled.
Which somehow felt far more dangerous than shouting ever could.