Page 105 of Safe Place

“Ouch,” I murmur, still looking at Sophie. “Have some faith in me, baby. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to stay.”

Then I glance at Ella—just briefly. “You still here?”

Her jaw tightens before she scoffs and walks off like the conversation’s not worth her time. But she doesn’t say another word.

Grant whistles low. “Damn, Lenny. You had a messy night, and Mic here is grinning like an idiot. What the hell did you do to him?”

Sophie doesn’t say a word. She just reaches over and laces her fingers through mine, holding on tight like she means it.

I grin, pressing a kiss to her hand. “What can I say? We have a lot of fun.”

My phone buzzes while I go through the daily recap email from Marianne.

It's Nico.

I answer before the second ring. “Nico.”

“He's been spotted near her building,” Nico says, his voice low and careful. “Second time this week. Once two days ago, once this morning. I didn't want to call until I was sure, but he’s definitely up to something.”

“Yeah, Nico. He showed up to Boston Brews yesterday.” My blood goes cold. “Is he at the apartment now?”

“No. He’s at a diner in the next town over. We were able to get a tracker on his phone. I’ll text you the details.” A beat. “But Sophie's not at the apartment either, for what it's worth.”

“I know. She's with me.” I glance toward the hallway. The bedroom light is off. “She's asleep.”

“Micah.” His voice turns cautious. “You need to tell her everything you know.”

I don't answer right away.

The thing is—I've thought about it. More than once. I've rehearsed the version where I sit her down and explain everything calmly, where she takes it in and we figure it out together. But every time I try, I see her face the night of the panic attack. The way she couldn't breathe. The way she shook like her body had forgotten how to stop being afraid. And I think—not yet. Not until I have something concrete to tell her—that I’ve already handled it and she doesn’t have to worry anymore.

“I'll handle it,” I say.

Nico exhales. It's not agreement, but he doesn't push.

“I'll be in touch,” I say, and hang up.

I set the phone down on the counter.

Tomorrow should be straightforward. Sophie's moving in. I’ll ask her to wait for me to take my exam so we can go to her place together to get the rest of her things after. She'll be here when I get back. Safe.

My dad's already breathing down my neck. Missing an exam and risking lowering my GPA isn't an option—he'd use it as ammunition for weeks. I can’t give him another reason I'm distracted or another reason Sophie’s a liability. I don't have the energy for that fight right now.

She'll be fine. I'll be quick. I won't let her go there without me.

Still, I don't think I’ll be able to get any sleep tonight.

TWENTY-NINE

My heart splits clean down the middle

MICAH

I completed my exam in record time. I was the first to leave, as always.

I got home as fast as I could. Sophie and I are going to go pick up the last of her things at her place, and close that chapter for good. I need to be there for it—to protect her from that piece of shit in case he’s still lingering.

But the penthouse is quiet when the elevator opens. Too quiet.