로그인CHAPTER 148 — THE WEIGHT OF MORNINGRyder’s POVMorning does not erase what the night leaves behind.It only shows it more clearly.The light coming through the windows was soft, almost gentle, but it did nothing to soften the reality sitting in my chest. I stood by the kitchen counter, staring at a mug of coffee I had poured minutes ago and forgotten to drink. The smell was strong, bitter, grounding. I needed that today.Behind me, the house was quiet. Too quiet.Ollie was still asleep on the couch, wrapped in the blanket like it was the only thing keeping him anchored to this place. He had finally drifted off just before sunrise, his body giving in after fighting fear for too long. I didn’t move him to the bedroom. I didn’t want to disturb the fragile calm he had found.I leaned back against the counter and closed my eyes.For the first time since last night, my mind allowed itself to replay everything.The gunfire.Her voice.The look in Ollie’s eyes when he thought I might not mak
CHAPTER 147 — WHAT WE SURVIVERyder’s POVThe silence after violence is always the worst part.It crept in slowly, heavy and thick, like the world was holding its breath to see what would happen next. The echoes of gunfire were gone. The smell of smoke still hung in the air, mixed with oil, dust, and something sharp that burned the back of my throat. My ears rang faintly, but my mind was clear in a way it rarely was.She was down.Not dead. But finished.That mattered more than blood.I stood still for a moment, my body locked in alert mode, scanning every shadow, every corner. Years of habit refused to shut off just because the fight was over. My hand stayed tight on my weapon, my shoulders tense, my breath slow and measured.Then I felt it.Ollie’s hands.They were gripping my jacket hard, fingers curled into the fabric like he was afraid I might vanish if he let go. He was right behind me, close enough that I could feel his breathing against my back. Fast. Uneven. Alive.That matte
CHAPTER 146 — LINES WE CANNOT UNDORyder’s POVI did not go back to sleep that night.Mason’s spare room was quiet, too quiet, and my body refused to relax. The mattress felt unfamiliar, the walls too thin, the silence too clean. I lay on my back staring at the ceiling, listening for sounds that were not there. My mind kept replaying Ollie’s voice, the way he had said he loved me like it was both a promise and a risk.I had heard those words before in my life.They never came without consequences.At some point before sunrise, I gave up pretending to rest and sat up. I dressed slowly, methodically, like every movement mattered. In a way, it did. Once you crossed certain lines, there was no walking back.I stepped into the kitchen where Mason was already awake, coffee mug in hand, eyes tired but sharp.“You look like hell,” he said.“Feeling matches,” I replied.He slid another mug toward me. “Drink. We’re going to need clear heads.”I took a sip. The coffee was strong and bitter. It h
CHAPTER 145 — MORNING AFTER THE NIGHTRyder’s POVI did not sleep.I stayed awake the whole night, sitting there with Ollie curled against my chest, the blanket wrapped around both of us. His breathing stayed slow and even after a while, but mine never fully settled. My body stayed alert, tuned to every sound outside the cabin. Every creak of wood. Every shift of wind through the trees.I had learned the hard way that danger liked quiet places.The lamp on the side table cast a soft yellow glow across the room. It made everything look calmer than it really was. The couch. The small kitchen beyond it. The door I had locked twice already.Ollie stirred slightly in his sleep, his fingers tightening in my shirt like he was holding onto me even in his dreams. I adjusted my grip and pulled him closer without waking him.He murmured something under his breath.I lowered my head just enough to hear it.“Don’t go.”The words cut deeper than any blade ever had.“I’m not going anywhere,” I whisp
CHAPTER 144 — WHAT WE CARRYRyder’s POVThe road stretched ahead of us like a black scar through the trees.I drove fast, but not reckless. Fast enough to put distance between us and that house. Fast enough to stay alive. My hands stayed steady on the wheel even though my body was still running on pure adrenaline. The engine hummed low, steady, like it knew this was not the time to fail.Ollie sat beside me, pulled in tight on himself, his arms wrapped around his chest. He was quiet. Too quiet. His breathing was shallow, like he was afraid that if he took in too much air, something would grab it away from him.I kept my eyes on the road, but my focus was split. Half of me watched the curves ahead. The other half stayed locked on him, tracking every movement, every breath.“You’re safe,” I said quietly.He didn’t answer right away.The trees blurred past us. The night felt endless, thick and heavy, pressing down on the car. Rain still clung to the air, though it had stopped falling. Th
CHAPTER 143 — THE HOUSE THAT BREATHESRyder’s POVNight fell slowly, like it was afraid of what waited in the dark.I stayed in the car at the edge of the hills long after the sky lost its color. The house sat above me, lights glowing softly behind tall windows. From a distance, it looked peaceful. Expensive. Safe.That illusion made my hands itch.Houses like that always hid rot. They were built to look calm so no one asked what screamed inside the walls.I watched the pattern of lights. One on the left wing stayed on constantly. The rest flickered on and off at irregular times. That told me there were people moving. Guards, staff, maybe watchers rotating shifts.She never trusted stillness.I pulled my hood up and stepped out of the car, keeping low as I moved into the trees again. The ground was damp, soft enough to hide my steps. I had chosen this time for a reason. Shift changes always made people careless. They thought the night would protect them.I circled the property slowly,







