The night air was sharp with cold as Adrian Blackwood carried Lila through the snow-dusted streets, his pace unhurried but determined. The marble floors of the ballroom had felt so distant just moments ago, as if they belonged to another lifetime. Now, the world outside was blanketed in quiet, the only sound the steady crunch of his boots in the fresh snow.
He gently varied her inside his carriage and they rode back to the Hart estate in silence, one lost in their own thoughts of the event from earlier. After some time they arrived at the Hart Estate.
He got off the carriage and waited for her to get off but he suddenly carried her inside; their early arrival worried Cedric as he rushed to the front of the manor and was surprised to see Adrian carrying Lila in his arms, he decided to not further disturb them and quietly went back to his chambers.
Lila's thoughts, however, were anything but calm.
As they passed through the grand gates of the estate and the towering manor came into view, she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Her heart was still racing from the whirlwind of events, from the sting of Marianne's deliberate misstep to the way Adrian had reacted.
Adrian.
Her eyes flickered up to him. His features were set, his jaw taut, and there was something dangerous in the way he held her. He was furious—furious for her, for the humiliation, for the injustice. It was undeniable, that protective instinct he had. He hadn't hesitated for a moment. He'd stormed into the ballroom, publicly confronting Lady Evelyne, and now he carried her away like a prize, with no care for the whispers that followed.
It should have felt… overwhelming.
And yet, there was a strange comfort in it.
The warmth of his body against hers, the safety in his arms—it was a strange paradox. A man like Adrian Blackwood, feared and respected by all, caring for her in such an obvious, possessive way. It was an enigma she didn't fully understand.
She couldn't even begin to process everything that had just happened. The way the nobles had reacted when she'd lost her shoe. The sympathetic glances. The judgment. The gossip that would no doubt flood the airwaves before the sun even rose. All of it was too much.
But the way Adrian had spoken—no hesitation, no second thoughts. He had made it clear that Lila mattered to him. That she was someone worth protecting, worth fighting for.
And that thought unsettled her more than the ball ever had.
They reached the entrance of the manor, and Adrian paused just long enough to push open the large oak doors with one hand, still cradling her in his arms.
The warmth of the hearth greeted them, the crackling fire casting dancing shadows on the stone walls. The butler and maids rushed forward, their eyes wide with surprise as they took in the sight of their master carrying Lila like a treasured artifact.
"Your Grace, Lady Hart, is everything…" The butler began, but Adrian's cold glare silenced him.
"I'll be in the drawing room," Adrian said, his voice firm, and then he strode past them, carrying Lila as if the rest of the world had ceased to exist.
Lila's stomach twisted. She should say something, thank him, ask if he was all right, express some gratitude for his protection. But the words caught in her throat. Instead, she allowed herself to be carried, her body stiff in his arms, her mind spinning.
In the drawing room, Adrian set her down on the plush velvet chaise by the fire, but he didn't immediately step back. He stood over her, his eyes burning with the intensity of his earlier anger, and for a moment, they simply stared at one another.
Lila didn't know what to say. Her chest felt tight. Was it from the shock of the night? The drama? Or was it something else?
Adrian was still angry—she could see it in the sharpness of his gaze, in the way his hands clenched at his sides. But there was something else there too, something softer, something more uncertain. And for the first time since he had swept her away from the ballroom, she felt the full weight of his presence—the duality of him. A man who could be both dangerous and deeply, almost possessively caring.
"You didn't have to do that," she said quietly, breaking the silence at last. "You didn't have to confront Lady Evelyne like that. It wasn't your fight."
Adrian exhaled sharply, his gaze flicking away for just a moment as if trying to collect his thoughts. When he spoke, his voice was low, rough around the edges. "It was my fight the moment she decided to touch you. Don't mistake my actions for anything else, Lila. If anyone—anyone—hurts you, I'll make sure they never breathe again."
Her heart skipped a beat, and she stared at him as her mind raced. "Adrian, I'm not some fragile thing you need to protect," she said, her voice trembling, though she hated it. "I can handle myself."
"I know you can," he replied, his voice surprisingly gentle. "But that doesn't mean I'll stand by while people try to tear you down." His eyes darkened slightly, and he took a step closer, his presence looming over her like a shadow. "You matter to me. And that's enough to make me do whatever it takes."
She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm the storm inside her, but it only made the emotions more intense. Everything inside her was a whirl of confusion. Why? Why did he care so much?
She had expected this evening to be one of those nights she'd lock away in her mind, a fleeting moment of insignificance. But now everything had changed. Adrian Blackwood had shown up at her door—and had effectively made her his.
Lila's breath hitched. "I… I don't understand," she whispered. "Why are you doing this? Why are you protecting me like this?"
Adrian's lips tightened as if he were struggling with his own thoughts. He reached down, taking her hand in his with surprising tenderness, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "Because I can't stand the thought of anyone hurting you. I… I've never felt this way about anyone before, Lila. It's scaring me yet it's equally thrilling…"
Her heart raced, thundering in her chest. "Adrian…"
Before she could say more, he leaned down, his face close to hers, his lips only inches away. His voice was barely a whisper, but the sincerity in it made her pulse quicken.
"I'll never let anyone treat you like that again. Never."
She felt the weight of his words press against her chest like a stone. His declaration, raw and honest, was not something she was prepared for. It made her stomach twist and her heart race all at once.
But then, as quickly as it had all started, Adrian pulled back, standing to his full height again.
"I'll have someone bring you new pairs of shoes," he said, his tone regaining its usual command. But his eyes never left hers, and there was something unspoken there, something more than just protection.
Lila nodded silently, the words she couldn't speak lodged somewhere deep inside her.
Adrian's eyes softened slightly before he turned toward the door, his steps purposeful. "Get some rest, Lila. Tomorrow is another day."
Lila remained in the drawing room, her hand resting in her lap, her thoughts tumbling over each other like a whirlwind. The room was silent, save for the crackling of the fire.
Her mind wouldn't stop replaying Adrian's words, the intensity of his emotions, the way he had declared his protection over her as if it were a vow.
What was she supposed to do with that?
For the first time in a long while, Lila didn't feel alone. And yet, she didn't know what this connection between them meant.
But one thing was certain. She couldn't go back to the way things were. And neither could he.