Chapter 106

~MARLOWE~

Even with the safe house secured and Torin at my side, the city outside never felt less like a threat. Each sound, a car door, the distant bark of a dog, the hum of traffic, set my nerves on edge. Lucien’s presence was invisible, yet it pressed on my skin like heat from a flame I couldn’t see.

Torin noticed my tension immediately, his hand finding mine and squeezing it in silent reassurance. “Hey,” he murmured, voice low, almost a growl, “we’ve prepped for this. Focus on what we can control, not what we can’t.”

I nodded, leaning against him, the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear providing a temporary calm. I had to trust him; I had to trust us. And yet, every fiber of my being screamed that Lucien was waiting, watching, calculating.

Torin flipped open his laptop again, scanning the screens with the precision I had come to rely on. “I’ve checked the traffic cams, the usual patrol routes, even the rooftops in this block,” he muttered. “Nothing yet. But that means he’s patient. He’s waiting for the perfect opening. And that’s dangerous.”

I exhaled shakily. “How do you even plan for someone like that?”

He looked at me, eyes dark, intense, unwavering. “We plan for patterns, for mistakes. And we watch each other. That’s our edge, Marlowe. We can’t let him see any cracks between us.”

I swallowed, trying to quell the anxiety pooling in my chest. It wasn’t just the fear of Lucien…it was the memory of every confrontation, every threat, every moment I had thought we might lose each other. And now, that fear was back, sharper, more pressing than ever.

Torin shifted closer, brushing a kiss along the top of my head. “We can handle this,” he whispered. “No one touches you. Not him, not anyone. And if he thinks he can scare you into being alone… he’s wrong.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. “I’m scared,” I admitted softly. “But I’m also… ready. Ready to face whatever he throws at us.”

He smiled faintly, but there was steel behind it. “Good. Because he will throw something. And we’ll be ready.”

Hours passed in tense preparation. We reviewed the city layout, potential escape routes, every building that could serve as a vantage point for Lucien. We checked and double-checked our communication lines, tested secure phones, and mapped out contingencies. Each new plan was another shield, another layer of control in a situation that felt increasingly chaotic.

As evening approached, we allowed ourselves a brief reprieve. Torin lit a small fire in the fireplace, the warm glow spilling into the room. I sank onto the couch, watching the flames dance and listening to his soft hum as he traced patterns on the floor with his fingers.

“You’re thinking too much,” he said suddenly, voice teasing but firm. “You’ve been on edge all day.”

I looked up at him, eyebrows furrowed. “And you haven’t?”

He chuckled, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “I’m always on edge. But I know I can protect you. That gives me focus.”

I leaned against him, letting the tension of the day flow out in slow exhalations. Focus on what we can control, I reminded myself, echoing his earlier words. Focus on him, not the shadow.

The first sound of movement outside the window made me jump, heart hammering. Torin was already on his feet, moving to the blinds, scanning the street. “Nothing,” he muttered, though his muscles remained tense. “Just a car passing. But keep sharp.”

I nodded, letting my hands rest in his, feeling the reassurance in the warmth of his touch. “I hate this waiting,” I murmured. “The uncertainty… the not knowing when he’ll strike.”

Torin’s jaw tightened, and he leaned down to press a kiss to my temple. “I hate it too. But he doesn’t get to control us. Not now, not ever. We decide when and where we fight. And if he comes for you… he’ll regret it.”

I rested my head against his shoulder, the tight coil of fear loosening slightly. For all the danger, for all the uncertainty, there was still this, Torin, present, unwavering, alive. This is what I fight for, I thought. Not just survival, but him, us.

The night deepened, and we stayed vigilant, reviewing maps and strategies while sharing small silences that were heavy with unspoken words. Every glance, every touch, every fleeting smile was a reminder of the bond we had, of the fire that Lucien could never extinguish.

At one point, he brushed my hair behind my ear, his thumb grazing my cheek. “Even if it’s impossible, even if the odds are against us… we’ve got this,” he said softly.

I nodded, letting the warmth of him seep into my skin, giving me courage I hadn’t realized I still possessed. “Together,” I whispered.

“Always,” he replied, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead.

The hours stretched on, the threat of Lucien looming ever-present, but inside the safe house, there was a fragile rhythm to our movements, a careful dance of preparation and quiet intimacy. We were readying ourselves for the storm, and even as fear pulsed through me, the certainty of Torin’s presence grounded me.

Outside, the city remained alive, indifferent to the battles playing out within a single, small apartment. But inside, we carved out our own space of control, of safety, of connection. Lucien could plan, could wait, could threaten, but he couldn’t take this from us.

And when the time came, we would face him head-on, together, unbroken, and unafraid.