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1

MARIANA

I wiped my hands on my apron, glancing out the window of my little bookshop.

The late afternoon sun bathed the streets of Mexico City in a warm, golden light, making everything seem peaceful.

But peace felt far away from me these days.

Lately, I couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me, lurking just out of sight.

Maybe it was my imagination.

My shop wasn’t exactly a bustling place—just a quiet corner where people occasionally wandered in looking for something old and forgotten.

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and went back to organizing the pile of books on the counter.

The scent of paper and ink was comforting, familiar.

Books were my world, my escape, my safety.

I loved getting lost in the stories of other people’s lives, far removed from the city’s chaos.

But today, something felt different.

There was a heaviness in the air, like someone had been standing just outside the shop and disappeared the moment I looked.

I paused, looking out again, my heart beating faster than it should.

No one was there.

Just the usual pedestrians, cars honking in the distance, the sound of the city humming around me.

I tried to shake off the feeling, forcing a smile as I greeted the next customer.

A tall man in a dark coat entered, barely looking at me as he walked by.

His presence made the tiny shop feel even smaller.

“I’ll be in the back if you need anything,” I said quietly, stepping away to give him space.

I tried to keep myself busy, but I couldn’t stop glancing at him out of the corner of my eye.

There was something about him, something unsettling.

He moved slowly, carefully, as if he was measuring every step, every glance.

His fingers trailed over the spines of the books, but he wasn’t really looking at them.

He was watching me.

2

AMIR

I stepped into her bookshop, breathing in the scent of old books and dust.

It felt like her—a place where time slowed, where nothing from the outside world mattered.

Quiet, almost too quiet.

Just like her.

I’d been watching her for weeks now, learning her routine, studying her movements.

She had no idea I existed, no clue how deeply she’d captured my attention.

But soon enough, she would.

From the moment I saw her, I knew she was different.

Innocent.

Untouched by the world I lived in.

There was a purity in her, something I hadn’t seen in a long time.

I didn’t belong in places like this, places that smelled of peace and quiet.

My world was full of noise, danger, and darkness.

But that’s what made her so irresistible.

She didn’t belong in my world, but I would bring her into it.

I let my fingers drift over the old leather bindings, pretending to be interested in the books.

But really, I was watching her.

Every small movement, every nervous glance.

I saw the way her eyes flickered toward me, the way she hesitated.

She was scared, but she didn’t know why yet.

Not fully.

That would come later.

I had been patient, giving her space, observing from the shadows.

But now, I wanted more.

I wanted her to see me, to feel me near her.

She didn’t know it yet, but she was mine.

3

MARIANA

The man was still there, his back to me as he moved toward the far corner of the shop.

My fingers fidgeted nervously, pretending to arrange a few books on the nearest shelf, but my attention kept returning to him.

Something about him made me uneasy, like I’d seen him before but couldn’t remember when or where.

 The way he moved—it felt too familiar.

I forced myself to approach, clearing my throat. "Can I help you find something?"

He turned slowly, and for the first time, I saw his face clearly.

His eyes were dark, intense, piercing through me in a way that made my breath catch.

There was a stillness about him, like a predator waiting for the right moment.

He was handsome, but in a dangerous, unsettling way.

“No,” he said, his voice low and smooth, sending a shiver down my spine. “Just browsing.”