Chapter 8
1198 Words
Kade didn’t sleep.
He lay on the couch in Alara’s apartment, staring at the ceiling in the dark. The ticking of a cheap wall clock echoed through the silence, every second stretching longer than the last.
His fingers were still curled loosely around the handle of the switchblade tucked under the pillow. Not because he thought Jared would break in—but because he knew men like Jared didn’t need to.
They thrived on being invisible.
On fear. Surveillance. Control.
And Kade could feel it pressing into the apartment like a gas leak—silent, dangerous, choking.
Alara’s bedroom door was half-open. He could just barely make out her sleeping form, curled into herself under the covers. Her breathing had evened out sometime around 3 a.m., her body finally giving in to exhaustion after a day soaked in fear.
She didn’t know he was still awake.
But he couldn’t rest. Not yet. Not while he was the only thing standing between her and a past that had come back with cold eyes and quiet threats.
---
Morning Light
Alara was already up when Kade finally pulled himself off the couch.
She stood at the kitchen counter, her long hair tied in a low, messy bun, wearing a loose gray sweater that hung off one shoulder. She moved slowly, methodically, like every step took effort. Her hands shook just a little as she buttered toast, and her eyes were shadowed, rimmed with a sleepless red.
Kade leaned on the counter, watching her in silence for a moment.
“Sleep okay?” he asked softly.
She gave a half-smile. “Not really. But I think I drifted off. You?”
He shrugged. “I kept the couch warm.”
She chuckled faintly at that, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
She handed him a plate—toast and scrambled eggs, still steaming. He noticed she only made half a slice for herself.
“Appetite’s gone,” she said, reading his look. “I’ll try later.”
He nodded, taking the plate. “I get it.”
A quiet pause.
“I have to go to work today,” she said carefully.
Kade stilled. “You sure that’s a good idea?”
“No,” she admitted. “But I can’t keep hiding in here. He doesn’t get to take my job from me too.”
“You’re not hiding,” he said. “You’re recovering.”
“I’ve done that already,” she whispered. “I rebuilt everything. And now he’s back like it’s nothing. Like I’m still his.”
Her voice cracked.
Kade set his plate down, stepped around the counter, and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.
“You’re not his,” he said firmly. “You never were.”
She nodded slowly, but he could tell her mind was already slipping ahead—to the street, to the walk to the gallery, to the chance of seeing Jared again.
“I’ll drive you,” Kade said.
“Kade…”
“I’m not asking.”
She met his eyes, and something flickered there—gratitude, fear, guilt.
“You’re risking a lot.”
“You’re worth it.”
---
Midday | Outside the Gallery
The streets of downtown were busy with early lunch traffic. Cars honked lazily. People in suits rushed past couples sipping coffee at outdoor cafés. Everything looked normal.
Except Kade couldn’t shake the tension in his chest.
He pulled the car up to the curb outside Arthaus, the small contemporary gallery Alara managed. Its large front windows were filled with color—abstract oil paintings and local sculpture pieces lit by morning sun.
Alara unbuckled her seatbelt slowly, clutching her bag. She stared at the front door of the gallery like it was a finish line she wasn’t sure she’d reach.
Kade leaned across the center console.
“Text me if you feel anything’s off. Even slightly.”
“I will.”
“No,” he said firmly. “Don’t just say that. Call me. If you see him, if he comes near you, if anything feels wrong—you call me. Right away.”
She nodded.
“I’ll be back at six,” he said. “Earlier if you want. I’ll be nearby anyway.”
Alara looked at him, her voice soft. “You don’t have to stay on watch, Kade.”
“I’m not watching. I’m protecting.”
The words lodged in her throat. She reached over and squeezed his hand.
“I’ll be okay,” she whispered, even though neither of them really believed it.
---
Four Hours Later
Alara was in the back of the gallery, helping rearrange a display piece when her phone vibrated. She wiped her hands and checked it.
Blocked number. One message.
> You looked good this morning. Black skirt, gray sweater. But that jacket? That’s not your style, Alara.
Her blood froze.
Her jacket had been in the office all day. She hadn’t been outside. Which meant…
He’d seen her arrive.
Which meant he was close.
Her chest tightened. Her fingers went numb.
Her boss, a kind middle-aged woman named Elise, noticed her pale face. “Hey, you alright?”
Alara forced a nod. “Yeah. Just—just the lighting in here’s warm. I’ll step outside for some air.”
Elise nodded, unconvinced.
Alara walked toward the back exit. Not the front. She didn’t want to risk giving Jared the satisfaction of seeing her panic.
She hit Kade’s name in her contacts.
He answered on the first ring.
“He saw me,” she said, voice shaking. “He sent a message. He described my outfit. Kade, he was here this morning.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t go out the front.”
“I’m already in the back alley. I didn’t want him to see me leave.”
“Good. Stay there. Don’t move.”
---
Ten Minutes Later | Back Alley
Kade’s motorcycle roared into the alley, gravel crunching beneath the tires. Alara stood pressed against the brick wall, arms crossed tightly over her chest.
He cut the engine and climbed off, striding toward her.
She rushed into his arms without a word, and he wrapped her in a tight embrace.
“It’s okay,” he murmured. “I’ve got you.”
“I didn’t know what else to do,” she said, her voice muffled in his chest. “He’s watching me again.”
“I know. But you did the right thing. You called. I’m here.”
Kade gently pulled away, his hands on her shoulders. “You can’t go back in there alone, Alara. Not until we know what he’s planning.”
“What if he comes to the apartment?”
“Then we won’t be there.”
She blinked. “Where will we go?”
He looked at her steadily. “Somewhere safe. Somewhere he can’t follow. I’ve got a place—off-grid, no one knows it but me.”
“Kade…”
“I don’t want to run either. But this isn’t about running. It’s about choosing who gets access to your peace.”
She nodded, tears stinging her eyes. “Take me there.”
---
- Writer
