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“What's wrong?” I ask.
“Someone tried to access the building's camera feeds remotely. They didn't get far, but it's concerning.”
My chest tightens.
Dylan's eyes scan the apartment. “I'm going to do another full sweep just to be safe. Bolt the door and stay put.”
As he disappears into the other rooms, I perch on the edge of the couch. I sink onto a barstool, wrapping my arms around myself.
The city's twinkling lights blur through tears I can no longer hold back. I've been trapped by other people's expectations and ambitions all my life. When I finally thought I had found my place in the world, this maniac wants to cage me again.
Dylan's voice cuts through the haze of fear and anger building inside me. “Gemma? Are you okay?”
I shake my head mutely, swiping at the tears streaking down my face. He pulls out the stool next to mine and sits down, the hard lines of his body radiating strength and comfort all at once.
“Talk to me,” he says gently.
The quiet understanding in his voice opens the floodgates. The words pour out of me—my frustration with the restrictions imposed by my father, my dreams of a future filled with freedom and purpose, and my bone-deep terror of what this stalker wants from me.
Dylan listens without judgment, letting me vent it all. His steadfast presence soothes my raging emotions like a balm. When the words finally run out, I feel hollowed out but lighter.
“I know it's not the same,” Dylan says after a moment. “But when my injury forced me out of the SEALs, I felt lost too. Being a soldier was my entire identity. I didn't know who I was without it.”
He pauses, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. “What I'm trying to say is, you're more than just someone's daughter or some psycho's obsession. You're smart, brave, and determined. We're going to stop this guy. And then you'll be free to live the life you choose.”
His fierce conviction sends a shiver down my spine. In his eyes, I glimpse the possibility of the woman I could become when this nightmare finally ends. Assertive, courageous, unbound by fear or expectations.
“We're in this together,” he finishes his voice a promise. “You won't have to face any of it alone. Not anymore.”
Something loosens in my chest at his words. “Thank you,” I whisper.
We stand entwined, drawing comfort from each other. I turn my face into his neck, breathing him in. Before I can overthink it, I rise on my toes and bring my lips to his.
He goes utterly still for a breath. Then, his restraint crumbles. His mouth claims mine hungrily, one hand tangling in my hair. My knees go weak.
This is no tentative kiss. It's a wildfire, an uncontainable blaze. His stubble scrapes my skin; his hands trace patterns down my back. I'm lost in the taste of him, the feel of his hard body pressed to mine.
My voice fails me, but my actions speak volumes. I pull him closer, savoring the safety and security of his arms around me. Winding my arms around his neck, I hold onto him, locked in place as if trying to hold on to this moment forever.
With him, I'm not afraid of the shadows that threaten me or the passions that stir within.
We sit like that as the city lights flicker and dance around us. The lingering tension from the note still whispers of danger in the darkness. But right now, in the circle of light with Dylan's steady strength beside me, I feel safe. Protected. Not alone.
It's enough for now.
Chapter9
Dylan
The room feels smaller tonight,the walls inching closer with every tick of the clock. I'm certain the stalker is an inside man. I need to get Gemma to safety right away.
I close the distance between us, my resolve hardening. “We're taking a road trip,” I declare, grabbing a duffel from the back of Gemma's closet.
Gemma blinks, chestnut waves spilling over her shoulders. “A trip? What's going on? This is so sudden.”
“My buddy has a cabin tucked away upstate,” I say, avoiding her curious eyes. “Super secluded area. I figured we both deserve some R and R.”
Gemma worries the hem of her sweater between restless fingers. “Is everything okay?”
