All Chapters of Torin-Shattered: Way Down We Go (Part 1): Chapter 101 - Chapter 106

The city outside was quiet but alive, each faint sound amplified in the walls of the house. I sat cross-legged on the floor, notebook open on my lap, scribbling every thought, every plan, every possible scenario I could imagine. My fingers trembled slightly, not from fear, but from anticipation, from the adrenaline that refused to leave me. Lucien was out there, somewhere, and the tension in the air felt almost suffocating.Torin leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching me like a hawk. “Still overthinking,” he said, his tone teasing but sharp, a razor edge beneath the warmth.“I have to,” I muttered, not looking up. “We can’t leave anything to chance. He’s smart, patient, and he’s watching. I need to anticipate him before he anticipates me.”He pushed off the doorframe, moving closer, and crouched beside me. “Planning is good. Obsessing isn’t.” His hand hovered near mine, a silent offer of grounding. I reached for it instinctively, letting his fingers curl around mine. The s

The city felt different that evening, darker somehow, even with streetlights flickering along the sidewalks. I moved cautiously, keeping my hands in my pockets and my head low, every instinct alert. Lucien was out there, somewhere, and I could feel the weight of his obsession pressing in, like a shadow I couldn’t shake.Torin followed a step behind, his gaze scanning every alley, every doorway. His presence was both comforting and grounding, a reminder that I wasn’t alone, yet it made my own heartbeat echo even louder in my chest. I could sense his tension radiating off him, a low hum of readiness that mirrored my own fear.“He’s close,” I whispered, voice barely audible over the faint hum of traffic.Torin’s jaw tightened. “I know,” he said, his tone sharp. “I can feel it too. That’s why we stick to the plan. Stay visible, stay unpredictable. We make him think he can’t predict our moves.”I nodded, gripping the strap of my bag tightly. Every instinct screamed at me that Lucien was wa

Even with the safe house secured and Torin at my side, the city outside never felt less like a threat. Each sound, a car door, the distant bark of a dog, the hum of traffic, set my nerves on edge. Lucien’s presence was invisible, yet it pressed on my skin like heat from a flame I couldn’t see.Torin noticed my tension immediately, his hand finding mine and squeezing it in silent reassurance. “Hey,” he murmured, voice low, almost a growl, “we’ve prepped for this. Focus on what we can control, not what we can’t.”I nodded, leaning against him, the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear providing a temporary calm. I had to trust him; I had to trust us. And yet, every fiber of my being screamed that Lucien was waiting, watching, calculating.Torin flipped open his laptop again, scanning the screens with the precision I had come to rely on. “I’ve checked the traffic cams, the usual patrol routes, even the rooftops in this block,” he muttered. “Nothing yet. But that means he’s patient. He’