LOGINNatashaFor a second, I honestly thought I had heard him wrong, because the words did not just settle into my mind the way normal things did, they hit something deeper and stayed there, heavy and sharp in a way that made it hard to breathe properly, and even though I could see Victor standing right there, holding that device like it was just another piece of evidence, nothing about it felt ordinary to me, because there was no way, absolutely no way, that he could be standing there telling Alan that there was a recording with my voice on it.“My voice?” I repeated, and I hated how steady I sounded, because it did not match what was happening inside me at all.Victor did not look away from Alan immediately, like he was waiting for him to react first, but Alan did not say anything either, and that silence stretched for a second too long before Victor finally gave a small nod.“Yes.&rdq
AlanFor a moment after the words left my mouth, I did not look away from her, not because I wanted to force a reaction out of her, but because I needed to see it for myself, needed to know if there was even the smallest flicker of recognition in her eyes, something that would tell me whether this was another one of Matt’s games or something far worse than I had prepared for.Natasha did not speak immediately.She just stood there, her gaze fixed on me, and I could see the shift happen slowly, not panic, not guilt, but something quieter and harder to read, like her mind had gone somewhere else entirely for a second before coming back to me.“That’s not funny,” she said at last.“I’m not joking.”Her eyes narrowed slightly. “I didn’t say you were.”“Then don’t dismiss
NatashaThe walk back inside should have felt like a small thing, just a few quiet steps and a door opening, but everything about it felt heavier than it should have, and the closer we got to the hallway, the more certain I became that whatever Alan had found outside had not stayed out there, because even though he said nothing, the silence around him felt too full, like he was carrying something that had already started changing the shape of the night.He did not let go of my hand after we stepped in, and if anything, his fingers seemed to close around mine a little more firmly, enough for me to feel that quiet insistence in him, that same one he used whenever he wanted me close without saying it out loud. I looked up at him as he led me down the corridor, and his face was calm in that way only Alan could manage, controlled enough that anyone else might have believed it, but I had seen the look in his eyes outside, and now I could not unsee
NatashaI did not like the way Alan’s voice changed, it was subtle, so subtle that anyone else might have missed it, but I didn’t, because I had started to learn Alan in ways I had not planned to, noticing the small shifts, the quiet changes that said more than anything he actually spoke out loud, and the moment he told me to stay where I was, I knew something was not right.“What do you mean nothing yet?” I asked, my voice calm even though my chest had tightened slightly, because there was something about the way he was looking ahead that made it clear he had already seen something.He did not answer immediately, and that alone told me enough.“Alan,” I said again, softer this time, not pushing, but not letting it go either.“I just need to check something,” he replied, his tone controlled, too controlled, like he was choosing every word carefully.I stepped closer instead of staying back like he had asked, my fingers brushing lightly against his arm. “Then I’m coming with you.”His
AlanI did not say anything as we walked back, not because I did not have something to say, but because I knew that if I spoke too soon, I might say it the wrong way, and the last thing I wanted was to turn what had just happened into something heavier than it already was, especially when I could still feel the tension clinging to Natasha even though she was trying to act like she was fine.She kept her pace steady beside me, her steps quiet against the floor, but I noticed the way her fingers curled slightly at her sides like she was holding something in, and that alone told me more than any words would have, because Natasha was not the kind of woman who let things slide easily, not when something did not sit right with her.“You shouldn’t have asked her like that,” I said after a while, my voice calm, not harsh, because I was not trying to scold her, I just needed her to understand what she had stepped into.She glanced at me, not defensive, just thoughtful. “So I should just ignore
NatashaSleep never came, not even close, because no matter how still everything around me seemed, my mind refused to settle, replaying every second from earlier, the gun, the car, the way it all ended too cleanly, and even as I sat there in Alan’s office with the glass of water resting untouched in my hand, I knew that staying in one place was only making it worse.“I need some air,” I said quietly.Alan, who had been standing not too far from me, looked up immediately, his gaze searching my face like he was trying to decide if this was something he should allow.“I’ll come with you,” he replied.I shook my head gently. “I won’t go far, I just… I need a minute to clear my head.”His jaw tightened slightly, like he did not like the idea at all, but after a short pause, he nodded.“Stay within the compound,” he said firmly. “And keep your phone on you.”“I will,” I promised.He stepped closer then, his hand lifting briefly to my arm, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin in a quie







