Ruthless Empire (Royal Elite 6)

He doesn’t move. Not even an inch.

My heart is about to stop beating. What if he has other plans instead of letting me go?

Maybe I should call for help or Cole?

“Sure.” Adam moves away, still holding the door open.

I release a breath as I step out, carrying my bag and the food containers. “Thank you.”

He closes the door for me, his smile sinister at best. “No, thank you, Silver.”

I offer him a nod and walk as fast as I can down the car park without actually running. I keep peeking over my shoulder, expecting Adam to be following me.

My only relief is when one of Mum’s neighbours exits his car and uses the lift with me.

On the way up, I can’t erase the disturbing look on Adam’s face from my brain. Or the fact that the first person I thought about when it came to getting help was Cole.

I would’ve hit my head if my hands weren’t full.

Then I recall Adam’s reason for being here. He said he was visiting his uncle, but he didn’t come up.

In Mum’s building, you can’t go up unless you have the floor’s code.

Besides, I know all the residents in this building from when Frederic was screening them prior to Papa’s campaign. There’s no one with the last name Herran in the tenants’ list.

Of course, Adam could’ve meant an uncle from his mother’s side, but there’s only a slim chance of that.

I throw him and that thought at the back of my mind as I step out of the lift and go into Mum’s flat.

She squeezes me in a hug as soon as I’m inside, and I close my eyes, breathing her scent in.

Safe.

It feels safe to be here.

She pushes away, staring at what I’ve brought. “What are those?”

“Food and my special tea.”

Mum scowls, folding her arms. She’s wearing a blue satin gown and a robe. Her hair is wet, which means she recently came out of the shower. “Helen made them?”

“She just gave me pointers.”

“Yeah, right. You’re as hopeless as me when it comes to cooking.” She scoffs. “Sebastian must be delighted to have a wife who can cook. Good for him.”

“Come on, Mum. It’s just food.”

“Helen must think I’m a charity case that she can make food for.”

“That’s not true. She only helped when she saw me struggling.”

“Saint Helen.” She rolls her eyes. “I’m telling you, she’s a snake underneath it all.”

“Mum!”

“Whatever.” She hugs me again. “Don’t let her take you away from me, too, Babydoll.”

“You’re my mum. No one will take me away from you.”