Chapter 116

The day had dragged into a gray, overcast afternoon, the city streets glistening from a lingering drizzle. I sat at the edge of the worn couch, knees drawn to my chest, eyes flicking toward every sound outside the apartment. Even with Torin beside me, his presence a solid, grounding weight, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Lucien was closer than we realized. He’s calculating. Watching. Waiting for a crack.

Torin was across the room, meticulously reviewing maps and surveillance photos, each movement precise, each expression taut with concentration. I wanted to reach across and touch him, to feel that anchor, but part of me feared that any distraction could cost us. My chest tightened, and I let out a quiet sigh, pressing my hands against my temples.

“Hey,” Torin murmured, his voice low but firm, drawing my attention. He set down the folder of papers and walked over, placing a steady hand on my shoulder. “You can’t carry this alone, Marlowe. I know you’re scared, but that fear can’t blind you. Not now.”

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I know,” I whispered, voice small. “But every shadow, every movement...he could be anywhere.”

Torin crouched to meet my gaze, eyes locking with mine. “He is anywhere,” he admitted, voice tight with frustration. “But that doesn’t mean he wins. It doesn’t mean we lose. And it certainly doesn’t mean you face this without me.”

I let a shaky breath escape, pressing my forehead against his chest for a brief moment. I wish it were that simple, I thought, though the warmth of him eased some of the tension. The pounding rhythm of my pulse matched his heartbeat beneath my hands, a silent reminder that we were alive, that we were together, and that, at least for now, the storm outside couldn’t reach the walls we’d built around ourselves.

Torin straightened, running a hand through his dark hair, eyes scanning the room once more. “We need to anticipate him. Think like him. Predict his moves. Lucien is patient, manipulative, and meticulous. But he’s never accounted for us, for our bond, our instincts.”

I tilted my head, trying to absorb his words, my fingers fidgeting in my lap. “And if we guess wrong?”

He stepped closer, voice dropping to a husky whisper. “Then we adapt. We survive. That’s what we’ve done all along. But we don’t guess blindly. We watch, we wait, we strike strategically.” His hand found mine, squeezing it firmly. “And we make sure he never forgets that he underestimates us at his own peril.”

A soft chime from my phone startled me, and I quickly grabbed it, scanning the message with a sudden surge of adrenaline. It was anonymous. Short. Precise. “She’s moving. Don’t let her slip.”

I froze, heart hammering in my chest. Torin’s eyes narrowed instantly, every muscle in his body tensing like a coiled spring. “He’s close,” he muttered, jaw tight. “Lucien’s watching, and he’s escalating. We’ve got to move...now.”

I nodded, swallowing hard, adrenaline mixing with fear. “What do we do?” I asked, trying to steady my voice.

Torin grabbed his coat, hand brushing over mine once more. “We follow the plan. Stick to the safe routes, maintain contact with the team, and keep your head down. Nothing flashy, nothing risky. We act like we’re just another couple in the city, not targets in someone else’s obsession.”

Even as he spoke, I could feel the tension in the air, thick and unyielding. The thought of Lucien out there, unseen, calculating, pressing forward in his obsession, made my stomach twist. But Torin’s presence, the steady strength of him, made me believe we could navigate it. We’ll survive him. We have to.

We moved quickly, slipping out of the apartment, coats pulled tight, blending into the gray drizzle. Every glance over my shoulder made me jump slightly, each unfamiliar figure on the sidewalk raising suspicion. But Torin’s hand was always there on my back, guiding me, grounding me, a silent vow that he wouldn’t let anything happen to me.

We reached the car, parked under a flickering streetlight, and I slid into the passenger seat. Torin was already behind the wheel, eyes scanning the street, mind racing with contingencies. “How long until we get confirmation?” I asked, gripping the edge of the seat.

“Shouldn’t be long,” he said, voice clipped but controlled. “We’ve got eyes on the right person. Casey’s feeding me updates in real-time. Lucien’s trying to predict our moves, but we’re staying ahead for now.”

As we drove through the slick streets, I couldn’t help but feel the city itself had turned against us. Every shadow seemed sharper, every alley more menacing. My nerves were raw, every instinct screaming that danger was closer than it appeared. But Torin’s calm, deliberate movements behind the wheel were a tether, a reminder that we weren’t powerless.

We parked several blocks away, moving on foot to avoid drawing attention. I kept close to Torin, my hand brushing against his as we passed through narrow streets, the city murmuring around us like a living, breathing entity.

Finally, we reached a small café where our contact was waiting, a nondescript man in his forties who slid a folded envelope across the table. Torin took it, eyes scanning quickly before tucking it into his coat. “He’s watching someone close to us,” Torin muttered. “Details in here. Timing, locations, patterns. He’s escalating faster than we expected.”

I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of the table. “Can we stop him?”

Torin’s gaze met mine, steady and unwavering. “We will. We have to. But we need to be smart. We need to anticipate, not react. Lucien thinks he controls the game, but he hasn’t accounted for us working together.”

I nodded, determination mingling with fear. Every instinct screamed that Lucien was dangerous, that he had crossed lines we couldn’t fully measure. But I also knew that with Torin at my side, I had a chance, a fighting chance, to navigate the storm.

He reached across the table, covering my hand with his, thumb brushing over my knuckles. “We’ll stay ahead. We’ll protect the people we care about, and we’ll make sure he never touches you. Not physically. Not emotionally. Not ever.”

I let out a shaky breath, finally allowing myself a fragment of calm. We’ll survive him. Together. The words felt like a mantra, a promise, a lifeline. Lucien may be patient, calculating, obsessive, but he hadn’t counted on us. On our unity, our shared instincts, or the strength of our resolve.

As we left the café and slipped back into the rainy streets, I realized something: the danger would never fully vanish, the obsession would never fully fade. But as long as Torin was by my side, as long as we moved as one, we had a chance.

And that was enough. For now.