I sank onto the couch, Liam beside me, and for the first time in days, I felt something like calm. The apartment was quiet, the shadows of the past slowly fading, replaced by the warmth of someone who just… understood me.
“You okay?” Liam asked softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. His touch was gentle, grounding, and I realized I was leaning closer to him before I even noticed.
“I… yeah,” I whispered, a small smile tugging at my lips. “Better than I have in a while.”
Liam’s eyes softened. “I’m glad. I just want you to feel safe, Elle. That’s all I care about.”
And in that moment, it felt like nothing else mattered. Aiden, the notes, the shadows, the fear… it all felt like it belonged to another life. My chest tightened slightly as a fleeting memory of him flashed in my
