登入Damien POVI stood reluctantly, my chest tight in a way I hadn't expected as I tried to pull my gaze away from Rachel.She was still holding Leo, tears drying on her cheeks, smiling softly at something he'd said.I didn't want to leave this moment.But Vance was waiting just outside the dining hall, his expression carefully neutral in that way that meant he had information.I stepped out quietly and closed the door behind me.Vance stood a few feet away, hands clasped behind his back."What did you find?" I asked, keeping my voice low.Vance didn't waste time. "Two men attacked Rachel and her father at the cemetery last night. The men were intoxicated and aggressive. They grabbed her and shoved the father."My jaw tightened. "Was she hurt?""Physically? No," Vance said. "Her brother intervened before they could do any real damage."I exhaled slowly, some of the tension easing from my shoulders."However," Vance continued, his tone shifting slightly, "the brother's response was... exce
Rachel POVI closed the door to my room and leaned against it, exhaling slowly.The silence greeted me in the dark room, curtains still closed from this morning.My heart hurt thinking about Leo's worried face downstairs, but right now I couldn't pretend to be fine in front of him.I moved to the bed and sat down, pulling my phone from my purse with trembling hands.It was still Mom's birthday, and the night had ended so badly. The distance between the people I was supposed to spend time celebrating with felt impossibly large now.I opened my photo gallery and started scrolling, looking for something-anything-to ease the emptiness swallowing me.The first few pictures were recent-Leo grinning at the camera, Scout sleeping on the couch, candid shots of the manor grounds.I smiled reluctantly before scrolling further back.And there they were.Photos of Marcus and me. Dad and me. The three of us together.Marcus looked younger in these-his face less guarded, his smiles almost genuine. D
Damien POVThe manor's silhouette cut through the darkness ahead.I kept my eyes on the road, but my attention was entirely on the woman beside me.Rachel hadn't spoken since we left her father's apartment. Not a single word. Instead, she sat curled into herself, arms wrapped tight around her body, staring blankly out the window like she was watching something I couldn't see.I wanted to ask what happened.The question sat heavy in my throat, demanding to be spoken. But I swallowed it down.She'd cried herself out against my chest in that hallway-broken, shaking sobs that had gutted me in a way I wasn't prepared for. Now she needed space. Air to breathe.And whatever had gone wrong tonight, it wasn't about me.I could tell that much.The celebration with her brother must have fallen apart. The tension radiating off her was thick with despair, confusion, grief-emotions I recognised but didn't know how to fix.It made me feel useless.I'd given her my chest to cry on. Let her break in m
Rachel POVThe sound of sirens cut through the cemetery's silence.Red and blue lights flickered through the trees as two police cars pulled up, followed by an ambulance.I stood beside Dad, my whole body still trembling with adrenaline. My wrist ached where the tall one had grabbed me.But that wasn't what had my mind spinning.It was Marcus.He stood a few feet away, hands covered in blood, staring at the ruined cake on Mom's grave. His chest rose and fell slowly, deliberately, like he was forcing himself to breathe normally.Like he was coming down from something.Officers climbed out of their cars, hands on their belts, eyes sweeping the scene.The two men were still on the ground. One wasn't moving at all. The other was groaning weakly, his face so swollen I couldn't make out his features.Blood pooled beneath them both, staining the grass.One of the officers-a middle-aged man with grey hair-approached slowly, his gaze moving from the bodies to Marcus."What happened here?" he a
Warning: Graphic violence aheadRachel POVThe tall one was still holding my wrist, still grinning, when I heard it.Footsteps.I looked up just in time to see Marcus emerge from the darkness. Plates and spoons scattered on the ground around him, forgotten."Let her go," Marcus said quietly, his voice eerily calm.The tall one turned, still grinning. "Or what, man? You gonna-"He never finished.Marcus moved fast-his fist connecting with the guy's jaw in a sickening crack. The guy's head snapped back and he dropped like a stone, his grip on my wrist releasing.I stumbled backwards, gasping.The broader one barely reacted before Marcus was on him. A brutal punch to the gut, then his face. The guy doubled over, choking, but Marcus grabbed him by the collar and slammed him into the ground hard."Marcus-" I started.But he wasn't listening.Marcus was on top of him now, fists flying over and over. Blood splattered across the grass. The broader guy tried to block, tried to crawl away, but
Rachel POVThe bench was cold beneath me, the metal biting through my dress. I sat close to Dad, my arm still around his shoulders as his quiet sobs slowly faded into shaky breaths.The cemetery was eerily silent now. Just the distant rustle of leaves and the faint hum of the city beyond the gates.I glanced toward the parking lot, but I couldn't see Marcus anymore. He'd disappeared into the darkness, heading back to the car.Dad finally lifted his head, wiping at his face with trembling hands."I'm sorry," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "I didn't mean to fall apart like that.""It's okay," I said softly. "It's Mom's birthday. You're allowed to feel however you need to feel."He nodded, but his expression was still heavy-weighted with something more than grief.We sat in silence for a moment. I could hear him breathing-slow, deliberate, like he was trying to steady himself.His gaze drifted to Mom's grave, then to the flowers Marcus had placed so carefully."Your brother..." Dad said
Damien POVMark’s eyes widened, a mix of shock, pain, and fierce determination flooding his features. This wasn't just a job; it was a sacred vow in Damien's eyes. "Yes, sir. My life for theirs. I understand.""Good." Damien's gaze swept over me and Leo one last time, a silent declaration
Leo lay on the large bed in Rachel's chambers, his small face furrowed and twitching as he moved and shook in his sleep. The terror of the night before played on a loop in his dreams: the mean man's snarl, Mama's injury, the loud BANG.He could not take it anymore. He jolted awake with a gasp
Rachel POVHe threw himself at me, wrapping his arms around my legs with a strength born of sheer panic, burying his face in my skirt. His entire body shook with violent, heart-wrenching sobs.My heart shattered. I crouched down, speaking gently. “Don’t worry, Leo. I will be fine. Th
Damien POVI stood from her bed, the movement abrupt. I needed to put physical distance between myself and the vulnerability clinging to the air like a ghost.I had become acutely conscious of our proximity—how the scene might look to an outsider, even if it had been a simple moment of co







