save me - taylor swift

9

-

Ruby leaned against the wall outside the studio, exhaling slowly. She had expected today to be difficult, but nothing could have prepared her for the way Taylor had looked at her just now.

Suspicious.

That was the only word for it.

Taylor had hesitated when she saw the scratches, her gaze lingering a beat too long, as if a thought had crossed her mind that she didn't want to entertain. Ruby had seen that exact look before—on targets who realized too late that the person standing beside them was their downfall.

And for the first time, that thought made her stomach churn.

She was losing control.

Taking a slow breath, Ruby pushed off the wall and strode down the hallway, heading toward the security office. She needed something to ground her, something to focus on other than the way Taylor's skin had burned under her fingertips, or the way her own chest had tightened at the sight of those bruises.

She reached the office and found Elijah hunched over a set of reports, his jaw tight. He barely looked up as she entered.

"Chandler," he greeted, though it was more of an acknowledgment than a greeting.

"Grant." Ruby slid her hands into her pockets, scanning the room. A few other security members were stationed at their desks, monitoring live feeds. "Anything new on the break-in?"

"Still reviewing the footage," Grant said gruffly. "Nothing useful so far. Whoever did this knew what they were doing. They bypassed the perimeter alarms like a damn professional."

Ruby kept her expression neutral, even as something dark curled inside her chest. Of course they knew what they were doing. I trained for this.

"They took anything?" she asked.

Grant shook his head. "No. Not a single thing was stolen."

Ruby frowned, feigning confusion. "Then why break in?"

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Grant muttered, rubbing his temple. "A stalker maybe. Someone trying to scare her. Hell, maybe a fan who just wanted to be in the same room as her."

Or maybe a hired assassin testing the waters.

But Ruby didn't say that.

Instead, she nodded. "If they didn't take anything, then it means their objective wasn't material. Which means they might try again."

Grant sighed. "Exactly what I was thinking. That's why I called this meeting in the first place. We're reinforcing security. No more holes, no more blind spots. Every shift will be doubled. And from now on, she doesn't go anywhere alone."

Ruby tensed slightly. "Who's assigned to her?"

Grant finally looked up, narrowing his eyes. "You, obviously."

Ruby kept her face unreadable. "Right."

It was what she had expected. She was Taylor's personal security detail, after all. But now, it felt suffocating in a way it hadn't before.

Ruby stayed in the security office for another fifteen minutes, reviewing reports and going over the adjusted security measures with Grant. Every conversation felt like walking a tightrope, balancing between appearing competent and avoiding scrutiny.

She could tell Grant was on edge. A break-in with no stolen items meant one thing: whoever did it had an objective that hadn't been met yet.

Once she finished reviewing the new security placements, she excused herself and made her way back toward the studio. The halls were quieter now, the morning rush having settled. As she walked, she found herself adjusting the cuff of her jacket, ensuring that the scratches on her wrist were fully hidden.