All Chapters of Where fear ends: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Kim Pov.Maja came again.With donuts.That’s how she always shows up—like a storm wrapped in sugar and teasing smiles. I heard her at the door before I even made it out of the bedroom. That knock-knock-knock rhythm, followed by her voice calling, “I brought reinforcements, open up!”I liked it. The familiarity. The certainty. The way she always came back.The scent of fresh donuts drifted into the hallway as soon as I opened the door. I stared at the box in her hands, then at her face, and raised a brow.“Chocolate glazed,” she grinned. “I know you liked them last time, even if you only took one bite.”She walked past me like she lived here and dumped the box on the kitchen counter. I closed the door and followed her quietly, brushing my fingers through my hair, still a little messy from the late nap I’d taken on the couch.“Let’s talk about you and Erik,” she said cheerfully, sliding a donut onto a napkin and handing it to me like I didn’t have a choice.I blinked. “What?”“Don’t ‘w

Erik Pov.The apartment was dark when I stepped in.Late sunlight spilled through the curtains, casting long shadows across the living room. I dropped my keys into the bowl by the door with a little more force than necessary. The sharp clink echoed too loud. I didn’t care.I was tired.Not from work—not just from work. My head throbbed from thoughts I didn’t want to have, and my jaw was tight from clenching it all the way home. I didn’t even remember most of the drive. Just flashes of traffic lights and the same three questions looping in my head.Did she like him?Did she laugh?Did she look at him the way she sometimes looks at me, like she’s about to fall apart and put herself back together in my arms?I scrubbed a hand over my face and exhaled, trying to steady myself. This was my idea. My damn idea. I was the one who told Maja to take her out. To show her the world, give her the freedom she never had.Introduce her to other men, I’d said, like some noble martyr.Now all I could t

Kim pov. After I get out of the taxi—because yes, I can now take a taxi by myself—I walk through the main entrance of the precinct building without freezing at the automatic doors. My heart pounds a little, but it’s more from excitement than fear. That alone makes me smile. The same kind lady at the front desk recognizes me and waves. “You’re getting braver every day,” she says kindly, and I feel a small flutter of pride. I thank her and head toward Erik’s office. It still feels a little surreal—that I can just walk in here now. That this place doesn’t terrify me like it once did. That he makes me feel like I belong. I don’t knock. It’s silly, maybe. But there’s something comforting in that. I trust that he won’t yell or get angry. Erik is not like the others. I know that now, deep down. The moment I push open the door and step inside, my breath catches. He’s sitting at his desk, shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, thick veins running down his forearms like rivers carved in

Kim Pov. Erik's birthday is today, and he still went to work, like it was any other Thursday. Typical Erik. I asked him yesterday if he wanted to celebrate, and he just shrugged and smiled like always. “Not really a fan of birthdays,” he’d said. But that didn’t stop me. Maja showed up a little after noon with a bag of groceries and a big grin. “He’s going to love it,” she said, waving a bunch of parsley like a flag of victory. We made a plan. We'd cook his favorite dishes—chicken with rosemary, mashed sweet potatoes, and the chocolate mousse he once told me he dreamed about after a hospital fundraiser. I didn't even know you could dream about mousse, but Erik could. That’s just the kind of man he is—quiet, strong, and a little strange in the sweetest way. While Maja chopped vegetables with practiced ease, I focused on the marinade. The kitchen smelled of garlic, herbs, and warmth. She kept teasing me the entire time. “I’m curious,” she said, licking some mousse off her spoon and

Kim Pov.God knows what got into me after I finished breakfast.Maybe it was the way he smiled when I told him I liked watching him cook. Or the way he looked at me when I said I wanted to study Child Protection—as if I’d just told him I wanted to save the world.Or maybe it was just the soft, slow warmth blooming in my chest every time he was near.After we ate, Erik went to change into his detective clothes. I stayed behind to wash the dishes, humming quietly to myself while warm water ran over my fingers. I was smiling for no reason.When he came back, he looked so... official. His white shirt fit a little too well over his chest and arms, the collar open just enough to show a hint of the strength beneath. His gun holster hung over one shoulder, and I couldn't stop staring.“I’m heading out,” he said, adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves.I turned to him, wiping my hands on the towel. “Be careful today.”He gav