Page 76 of His By Contract

Georgia ran her fingers through his soft hair, letting the familiar texture ground her in the moment.

The front door opened with a soft click, and Adrian filled the entryway. Georgia met him there, her feet carrying her forward with practiced calm. His jacket hung loose, tie slightly askew: signs of a long day at the office.

“There was a car,” she said, keeping her voice low enough that Theo wouldn’t hear from the living room. “Dark sedan. Circled the block twice.”

Adrian’s gaze sharpened, but his posture remained relaxed. He pulled out his phone, fingers moving across the screen as he typed out instructions to his security team.

“They’ll check the cameras,” he said, slipping the phone back into his pocket. His hand found the small of her back, warm through the thin fabric of her shirt. “Show me where you saw it.”

Georgia led him to the window, describing the vehicle’s path and timing. Adrian absorbed the information with the same focused attention he gave to business dealings, asking questions about the car’s speed and the intervals between passes.

The sky darkened to deep purple before Adrian returned from his security briefing. Georgia sat on the couch, a book open but unread in her lap. He settled beside her, close enough that their shoulders touched.

“The car’s been here before,” he said. “Different vehicles, same pattern. Always during daylight hours, always multiple passes.”

Georgia’s fingers tightened on the book’s spine. “How long?”

“About a week.”

A flutter of unease stirred in her chest. They’d barely settled into this new rhythm of family life, and already shadows crept at the edges. She drew in a slow breath, pushing back against the familiar urge to run.

Adrian outlined the new security protocols, installing additional cameras, arranging more frequent patrols, establishing a direct line to his personal security team. His voice carried the same steady confidence that had built his empire.

His hand found her shoulder, thumb tracing small circles against her skin. Georgia leaned into his touch, drawingstrength from the solid warmth of his fingers against her skin. They’d weathered worse storms than this, she reminded herself. Whatever threat lurked in those passing cars, they would face it together.

Georgia eased the car down the quiet residential street, raindrops dotting the windshield in a gentle pattern. The soft patter created a soothing rhythm, almost musical in its consistency. Through the rearview mirror, she caught glimpses of Theo in his car seat, his dark head bent over the sticker book he’d insisted on bringing. His small fingers carefully peeled and placed each sticker, accompanied by quiet humming that made her heart swell.

The gray clouds hung low, casting a gentle gloom over the neighborhood, but Georgia couldn’t help smiling as she watched Theo’s concentrated expression. A simple grocery run shouldn’t feel this peaceful, yet here she was, treasuring the moment. She pictured their evening ahead, Theo standing on his step stool by the stove, helping her stir the pasta, his inevitable attempt to sneak a taste when he thought she wasn’t looking.

Taking the familiar turn toward her mother’s house, Georgia adjusted the wipers as the drizzle intensified. Theo’s soft voice drifted from the backseat. “Rain song, Mommy.”

She chuckled, the sound warm in her throat. “Yes, baby. The rain’s singing today.”

As they approached the house, Georgia slowed, already planning the dash inside before the drizzle turned serious. Her hands rested easily on the wheel until suddenly the wheel jerked rightwith shocking force. Her fingers clenched instinctively, knuckles whitening as she tried to correct their course. The wheel fought against her, refusing to respond.

The car swerved toward a parked vehicle. Georgia’s foot slammed the brake, but the wet pavement offered no grip. Her heart thundered as they slid, the sickening crack of the side mirror breaking off against the parked car cutting through the rain’s steady rhythm.

“Mommy!” Theo’s frightened cry pierced through her rising panic.

Georgia wrestled with the unresponsive steering, forcing herself to breathe steadily even as fear clawed at her throat. The curb rushed toward them. She yanked the wheel hard, arms straining with the effort. The tires skidded, and the car shuddered to a stop mere inches from a lamppost.

Rain drummed against the roof. A small whimper from the backseat broke the frozen moment. Georgia twisted around, her hands shaking as she reached toward her son.

“Theo? Baby, are you okay?”

Georgia’s ears rang in the sudden quiet, her heart hammering against her ribs. The steady patter of rain felt distant, disconnected from the terror still coursing through her veins.

“It’s okay, baby. We’re fine. Just a little slip on the wet road.” The words came out steady despite the tremor in her hands. Theo’s bottom lip quivered, but he nodded, clutching his sticker book closer to his chest.

Cold sweat beaded along her hairline as her mind raced through what had happened. The steering wheel hadn’t just slipped—ithad fought against her, pulled right with deliberate force. Her fingers found her phone in her pocket, Adrian’s contact lighting up the screen. She pressed call before doubt could creep in.

“The car—something’s wrong with it. We’re okay, but…” She kept her voice level, though her fingers gripped the phone tight enough to ache. “We almost hit a lamppost.”

Adrian’s response came sharp and immediate. “Where are you? Don’t move. I’m coming.”

Georgia ended the call, her grip on the phone loosening as she turned back to Theo. “Baby, show me which dinosaur sticker you’re putting in next.” Georgia forced brightness into her voice. He held up a green sticker, his earlier fear gradually giving way to distraction. But Georgia couldn’t shake the cold weight settling in her stomach. Through the rain-streaked windows, the familiar street felt suddenly alien and threatening.

Black SUVs appeared first, security teams emerging. They circled the car, examining the broken mirror and the wheels. Adrian’s vehicle pulled up moments later, and he strode through the rain, his suit darkening with water as he yanked open the back door.

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