Grey Matter

Chapter Eighteen - Yes

My heartbeat was the only sound I could hear. It thumped in my chest as if it were ready to jump out. My eyes went from the gun in my hands to Adrian's crystalline blue eyes. Adrian wore an austere expression as he stared back at me.

"You won't shoot me, Serena. You're not a killer." Adrian's lips twitched at the corners.

"Don't play with me, Adrian. I will shoot if I have no other choice." I say just as I hear the elevator doors open behind me.

"Serena?" I hear Sebastian's voice behind me, though I don't move an inch. I keep the gun and Adrian's face in focus.

"Sebastian call the police!" I say shakily as I take a step backward.

"What's going on? Why is he here?!" Sebastian's hands cup my shoulders and his face appears beside me.

"It was him. He's the one whose been following me. He's the one who broke into my house. It's him. It's always been him." I breathe.

Sebastian's eyes move from my face to Adrian's and then back to me, "Lower the gun, love."

I do as he says slowly and as soon as I place the gun on the floor, Sebastian's fist collides into Adrian's face. Domino then appears behind Adrian. His swift arms placing him into a chokehold and knocking him out.

"He won't be a problem anymore, Miss Kelly." Domino says as he stands up from Adrian's slumped body.

"He killed Smith and Harker." I pointed towards the couch and tears began to stream down my cheeks.

Sebastian engulfed me in his safe arms as my body trembled.

"It's okay, Babe. You're safe now." Sebastian whispered as he kissed my forehead.

The police came and went, taking Adrian and my dead security guards with them. I changed into one of Sebastian's Seattle Seahawks T-shirts and grey pajama shorts before walking out of the bathroom. I found Sebastian seated next to the burning fire pit in one of the two lounge chairs on the terrace. He downed the remnants of his glass as he noticed my presence and stood.

"How are you feeling?" He asked with genuine concern as he pulled me into his chest.

"Exhausted. Relieved. Battered." I said as I winced from the pain of my split lip that Adrian caused from the blow.

"I should've thrown him from this balcony." Sebastian says as he squeezes my waist gently.

"No. We handled it well. A lot better than I thought it would have turned out." I sighed.

We both sat on the lounge chair, Sebastian pulling me onto his lap and as we stared out at the winter night skyline of Seattle.

"How did you think it was going to turn out?" He asked after a long moment of silence.

"I was going to kill him. There wouldn't have been any other option. Adrian wasn't going to leave willingly and I couldn't just live my life knowing he was out there plotting to attack me again." I said as I traced the smooth skin on Sebastian's arm.

"I'm glad I got here when I did. I should've been here sooner-" he started to say, though I cut him off.

"Don't do that. Don't blame yourself, you came right on time." I reassured him. I didn't want to think about an outcome where Sebastian had been home and Adrian would've harmed him in any way. That thought was too painful.

"You're my whole world, Serena. I wouldn't forgive myself if something had happened to you. Don't you know that?" He leveled his eyes to mine and I nodded.