A Dance with Danger

Chapter Twenty-Four

**Estelle POV**

I set my makeup bag down on the marble countertop of Tiberius’s bathroom, glancing at the array of grooming products and neatly arranged colognes that lined the dark stone shelves.

The space was impeccably clean, just like everything else in his world—minimalist, modern, and coldly efficient. It was still hard to believe he’d insisted I move into his room. The reality of it hadn’t entirely sunk in yet.

The events of last night still lingered in my mind. The silhouette outside, the overwhelming unease that had taken root deep within me, and then… Tiberius, appearing at my side without hesitation, wrapping me in his quiet, formidable presence.

In those moments, he’d shown me a side I rarely saw—a crack in his otherwise impenetrable armor, revealing a glimpse of protectiveness I hadn’t known he possessed.

But now, with the morning light streaming in through his tall, narrow windows, reality seemed almost surreal. I’d never pictured myself here, setting up my things in his space, sharing a room with him as though we were… well, something more than whatever twisted, complicated arrangement we had.

As I organized my things, I could feel his presence behind me. Tiberius stood in the doorway, his gaze intense as he watched me. He was dressed casually for once, his crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, his dark hair slightly mussed. It was a side of him I’d seldom seen, and for a moment, I was struck by how almost… approachable he looked. Almost.

“You’re settling in,” he observed, his voice low and even, though I sensed something guarded beneath it.

I nodded, offering a cautious smile as I arranged my makeup brushes. “Seems like I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”

He moved closer, and I felt the air shift as he came to stand beside me, his reflection now visible in the mirror. “No,” he replied simply, his gaze unreadable as he met my eyes in the glass. “You don’t.”

A chill ran down my spine at the firmness in his voice. Even though I knew he’d protect me, there was still an underlying tension in him that kept me on edge. Tiberius was a man who moved through life as though he owed no one an explanation, always in control, and rarely swayed. And while I was grateful for his protection, I couldn’t forget the other side of him—the side that could be as cold and ruthless as he was gentle.

“So, what happens now?” I asked, my voice almost a whisper. I turned to face him fully, crossing my arms as I leaned back against the counter.

He considered me for a moment, his gaze intense. “What happens now is that you stay here, where I can keep an eye on you. I’ll ensure the house is secure. Whoever was outside last night won’t return.”

His voice was steady, but the threat was clear. Tiberius wasn’t making an idle promise. He was a man who meant every word, and something told me he’d already set plans in motion to eliminate any threat before it reached me again. A flicker of unease rose within me, wondering just how far he would go to keep his word.

I let out a sigh, feeling the weight of it all. “And if they do come back?”

A dark smile curved his lips, a glint of something dangerous flashing in his eyes. “Then they’ll regret it.”

He said it so simply, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. For Tiberius, it probably was. His life was built on power, on a set of rules that operated far outside the law. He wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty—far from it. This was a man who wouldn’t hesitate to cross any line if it meant protecting what he considered his.

And now, for reasons I couldn’t fully understand, that included me.

He must have noticed the look on my face because his expression softened slightly, and he placed a hand on my shoulder. “I know this is strange,” he said quietly, his voice laced with an unexpected warmth. “But you’re safe here. That’s what matters.”

I looked up at him, seeing that flicker of humanity that surfaced so rarely, buried beneath the layers of control and calculated calm. For a moment, it felt like we were just two people, tangled together by circumstance, rather than whatever else we’d become.

“Thank you,” I murmured, feeling a strange sense of comfort in his closeness.

He nodded, his hand lingering on my shoulder for a beat longer than necessary before he pulled away, as if catching himself. His walls went up almost immediately, and he straightened, his expression turning to stone.

“Valencio and I will be in a meeting most of today,” he said, stepping back and adjusting his cuff links. “You’re free to go anywhere within the house, but keep your phone with you. If you need anything, call me.”

I nodded, realizing how strange this dynamic was—like he was both my protector and jailor. I had little doubt he had the place rigged with security, though he didn’t bother to tell me that. And deep down, part of me couldn’t help wondering if this closeness, this arrangement, was another calculated move on his part.

As he turned to leave, he hesitated at the door, glancing back. For a moment, his gaze softened, his dark eyes meeting mine. “If you need anything,” he repeated, his voice softer this time, “ i Dont care if I. In a meeting with King Charles the third.don’t hesitate.”

Then he was gone, leaving the room and closing the door quietly behind him. I exhaled, realizing I’d been holding my breath.

I moved back to my things, arranging my makeup and a few personal items, though the room still felt foreign. It smelled like him, a mixture of his expensive cologne and something darker, something that made my pulse quicken.

I glanced at the neatly made bed, its dark sheets and pristine pillows, the subtle orderliness that defined every corner of his space. Was this what my life would be like now? Living in this strange limbo, hovering between fear and… something else, something I couldn’t quite name?

Shaking my head, I forced myself to finish unpacking, trying to ignore the lingering feeling that this room was more a cage than a sanctuary. And yet, a part of me felt drawn to the thought of Tiberius just beyond that door, like some dangerous, unpredictable force I couldn’t resist.