MY ALPHA BODYGUARD

CHAPTER 12: DOUBT AND FEAR

Eris hadn't slept well, his mind spinning with the images and videos he had seen on the camera from the mysterious package. Every time he closed his eyes, the footage replayed—Adam, watching him, lurking in the background at different points in his life. The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that Tom had sent the camera, hoping to manipulate him into reaching out. The photos were a clear attempt to make Eris doubt Adam, to believe that his own bodyguard was stalking him. Part of Eris wanted to contact Tom, to demand an explanation, but the other part, the rational side, refused to give in to what might be another twisted scheme.

'But how can I ignore this?' Eris thought, his body tense with anxiety. Adam was there—at the mall, at the grocery store, in the parking garage where he had approached him that first time. The footage Tom sent from the condominium was especially damning. Adam had been the one to rescue him the night Tom abducted him, but now it didn't seem like a coincidence at all.

'Was this all part of some elaborate plan?'  Eris's thoughts raced. Adam had always shown up at the right time, always appeared to save him. But now, the evidence suggested something more sinister. Was he just another obsessive fan? One of those stalkers who got too close?

Eris couldn't stop his mind from spiraling. 'Was Adam working with Tom?' The idea felt absurd, yet the mounting evidence filled him with unease. Every scene flashed in his mind—the photos, the videos—all pointing to Adam's constant presence. And yet, Adam had always been kind, protective, and reliable. How could he reconcile that with what he was seeing?

The footage of Adam outside the condominium, the night Tom abducted him, was the most unsettling, he just broke the door with his bare hands. It proved beyond a doubt that Adam had been following him for a long time. Eris's stomach churned with uncertainty. Had Adam orchestrated all of this from the beginning? The realization felt like a punch to the gut. 'Was Adam part of Tom's plan all along?'

Eris sat up in bed, his head pounding. The questions were relentless, circling in his mind like vultures. 'What is Adam's motive? Is he dangerous?' He didn't want to believe it, but the evidence was too damning to ignore. Every instinct told him that he needed to distance himself, at least until he had some clarity.

'What if he's dangerous?' Eris's heart raced as he imagined the possibilities. Adam's strength, his sheer physical power—if he wanted to, he could easily overpower Eris. The thought made him shudder. He had to be careful. 'If he really is dangerous, I need to be smart about this.'

Eris rose from the bed, his body tense with nervous energy. He couldn't keep thinking like this—he needed a plan. His morning exercise routine was a good excuse to clear his head, but he knew he would have to avoid Adam until he had figured out what was really going on. He couldn't risk confronting him without knowing the full story. 'What if he reacts violently?' The thought sent a shiver down his spine.

He quickly got dressed, preparing for his usual M-TH-SAT morning routine, but his mind remained preoccupied. His hands still trembled slightly as he left his room. Eris knew he had to be cautious—Adam was too strong, too capable. If he really was hiding something, Eris had to keep his distance until he could unravel the truth. 'I'll stay away from him for now,'  Eris thought, forcing himself to focus on his breathing, to stay calm. 'Until I know for sure.'

"Good morning!" Adam's voice startled Eris, pulling him from his thoughts. He hadn't even noticed Adam standing there, let alone that he was already dressed for the gym. Eris's heart raced as he took in the sight of him. Adam's gym attire—an all-too-fitted dirty white tank top and black spandex shorts—did nothing to hide his perfectly sculpted physique. His broad shoulders, muscular arms, and defined calves and round hills-like glutes seemed to demand attention. His pecs and abs were visible even through the fabric, like carved stone beneath the surface.