Bryan's POV
Someone had broken into Alice's apartment two weeks ago, before she had moved in. The police report was there, but nothing was taken; someone had been inside and had gone through her things.
And there were photos. Surveillance photos of Alice leaving her apartment, going to work, walking down the street, and someone who had been following her for weeks.
I picked up my phone and called Alice.
It rang four times before she answered.
"Hello?" She said from the other end.
"Where are you?"
"At work," she said, sounding confused. "In my office. Why?"
"Stay there." Don't leave the building. I'm coming to you."
"Bryan, what's going on?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.
"Just stay there," I repeated.
"Lock your door. Don't open it for anyone except me."
I hung up and grabbed my jacket. Antonio was at his desk down the hall and looked up when he saw me.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Alice is in danger." Sterling & Cross has been watching her. They know everything."
Antonio stood up immediately.
"How do you know?"
"Private investigator. They've been surveilling her for weeks."
"Jesus," Antonio muttered. "Does she know?"
"Not yet. But I'm about to tell her."
I practically ran to Alice's office and knocked hard on her door. "Alice, it's me. Open up."
She opened the door, and I could see the worry on her face. "What's happening?"
I walked in and closed the door behind me, making sure to lock it.
"We need to talk. Now."
She sat down slowly, her hands gripping the arms of her chair. "You're scaring me."
"Good. You should be scared."
I pulled out my phone and showed her the photos. Her face went pale as she looked through them.
"Oh my God," she whispered. "When were these taken?"
"Over the past few weeks. Someone's been following you, Alice. Watching you. And I'm guessing it's Sterling & Cross."
She looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear. "What do they want?"
"The evidence. They want to know if you still have it and where you're keeping it. They're probably waiting for the right moment to make a move."
"A move?" she repeated. "What kind of move?"
I didn't want to say it, but she needed to know the truth. "The kind that makes sure you can never use that evidence against them."
She stood up quickly, pacing to the window.
"So, what do I do? Go to the police?"
"And tell them what?" I asked. "That you stole documents from your former employer and now they're following you? The police won't help you, Alice. Sterling & Cross will just say you're paranoid, that you're making it up because you're bitter about being fired."
"So, I'm just supposed to wait until they kill me?" she said, her voice breaking slightly.
I walked over to her and turned her to face me. "No. You're going to accept my proposal."
She shook her head. "Bryan, I can't..."
"Yes, you can," I said firmly.
"You marry me, you become a Hale. Sterling & Cross won't touch you because they know what I'm capable of. They know I have the resources to bury them if they try anything." I added, looking directly into her eyes.
"But it's fake," she said. "It's just a contract."
"They don't know that. All they'll know is that you're under my protection. And that's enough to keep you safe."
She looked up at me, tears forming in her eyes. "And what about the evidence? You still want it, don't you?"
"Yes, I'm not going to lie to you about that. But right now, keeping you alive is more important."
"Is it?" she asked quietly. "Or is it because you need me to get what you want?"
"Both. I need the evidence. But I also need you alive to give it to me."
She pulled away from me and walked back to her desk, and she stood there for a long moment, her back to me.
"Fine," she finally said, turning around.
"I'll do it. I'll marry you."
"We'll do it this weekend," I said as soon as she said that, because I was already expecting a positive answer.
"Quietly. Just us and Antonio as a witness." I added
"This weekend?" she repeated. "That's in two days."
"We don't have time to wait. The sooner you're legally my wife, the sooner you're protected."
She nodded slowly. "Okay. But I have conditions."
"Name them."
"Separate bedrooms," she said. "No one can know it's fake except Antonio. And when this is over, when Sterling & Cross is dealt with, we get divorced immediately."
"Agreed."
"And one more thing," she added, her eyes meeting mine.
"Last night, that kiss. It can't happen again."
"Fine," I said. "I'll have Antonio draw up the contract. You'll sign it tomorrow, and we'll get married on Saturday."
I walked to the door but stopped before leaving. "Alice?"
"Yes?" she replied.
"You're making the right choice."
"Am I?" she asked. "Because right now, it doesn't feel right. It feels like I'm trading one prison for another." I didn't have an answer to that. So, I just left.
Back in my office, I called Antonio.
"Draw up the marriage contract. Alice agreed." I said over the call.
"She did?" he sounded surprised. "Why?"
"Because she doesn't have a choice. Sterling & Cross is coming for her, and I'm the only one who can protect her."
"And you're sure this is the right move?" Antonio asked.
"No," I admitted. "But it's the only move we have."
After we hung up, I sat at my desk and pulled up the files on Sterling & Cross. I'd been building a case against them for five years, and this seemed like the right time to strike.
And now, with Alice's evidence combined with what I already had, I could finally destroy them.
But first, I had to keep her alive long enough to use it.
My phone buzzed with a text from Alice.
"I need to get some things from my apartment. Can your security guy take me?"
I texted back immediately.
"I'll take you myself. Be ready in an hour." I replied because there was no way I was letting her out of my sight now.
Not when Sterling & Cross were watching, and one wrong move could get her killed.