The city lights flickered through Mia's apartment window as she sat on the edge of her bed, phone clutched tightly in her hand. Dallas' call from earlier that evening replayed in her mind.
"Have you succeeded?" he had asked, his tone smooth but insistent, a mix of charm and menace threaded in every word.
Mia had swallowed hard. "No," she replied quietly, forcing her voice to remain steady. "I… I'll do it tonight."
Dallas' smirk seemed to echo even through the phone. "Good. Don't delay. Time isn't on your side, Mia. Remember what's at stake."
Hanging up, Mia felt the familiar churn of anxiety and guilt twist in her stomach. Her mother's life depended on the money. Every second she delayed, every moment she hesitated, felt like a betrayal of the only person she had left in the world.
But as the night deepened, the thought of entering Aiden's study, sneaking through his office, rifling through confidential files, made her pulse spike with unease. She loved him no, she cared for him deeply and the thought of harming him, of betraying his trust, gnawed at her relentlessly.
Pushing aside her conflicted thoughts, she crept out of her apartment, moving silently through the quiet streets toward the Lawrence mansion. The night was still, only the distant hum of traffic and occasional bark of a dog breaking the silence. Each step toward the mansion seemed heavier than the last, laden with guilt, fear, and anticipation.
As she approached Aiden's door, she froze. A faint sound reached her ears low murmurs, ragged breaths, the unmistakable rhythm of someone in distress. She pressed her ear lightly to the door, heart hammering in her chest.
It was Aiden.
Her chest tightened. She had imagined him confident, controlled, untouchable. But now, hearing his muffled groans and the tremor in his voice, her heart ached.
Quietly, she pushed the door open, careful not to make a sound. Inside, Aiden was sprawled across his bed, his face pale, sweat glistening on his forehead. His hands clutched at the sheets, and his breaths came in short, ragged pants. He murmured incoherently, repeating phrases that made her stomach knot.
"M… Mae… no… don't…"
Her throat tightened. She recognized the nightmare him reliving the car accident, the same one that had taken Mae from him and left him broken. The raw pain, the memory of the crash, still haunted him.
Mia's feet moved of their own accord as she approached the bed. "Aiden… it's okay… it's just a dream," she whispered softly, placing a trembling hand over his. The warmth of his skin grounded her in a way she hadn't expected.
He flinched at first, then relaxed slightly against her touch, his breathing heavy but slowing. "M… Mia…" he murmured, his eyes squeezed shut. "Don't… don't go…"
Her chest constricted, and for a moment she forgot the files, forgot Dallas' pressure, forgot everything except the vulnerable man before her. She squeezed his hand gently. "I'm right here, Aiden. You're safe. I'm not going anywhere."
Aiden's fingers curled around hers, holding on as if her presence could anchor him to reality. "I… I… thought… she…" His voice cracked, words faltering as the nightmare's echoes trembled in his mind.
Mia swallowed hard, forcing herself to remain calm, to be the one steady in the storm. "Shh… it's over. It's gone. You're safe now. Nothing can hurt you here."
He shivered against her touch, his breaths still ragged but gradually evening out. Slowly, the tension in his body relaxed, the harsh lines of terror softening. Mia remained at his side, keeping her hand over his, feeling his pulse gradually slow, each beat steadying her own racing heart.
Minutes passed. She let herself imagine what it would have been like to hold him through all of this pain, to be there in every nightmare, every dark memory that haunted him. And for a fleeting moment, guilt mixed with longing, her heart aching with emotions she wasn't ready to name.
Finally, Aiden's breathing became slow, steady, and his body sank into the mattress, exhausted but calmer. Mia moved her hand to smooth back his damp hair, whispering softly, "I'm here. I won't leave. Ever."
She thought to step away, to leave the room quietly and continue with her plan. But before she could, his voice hoarse, soft, and filled with lingering fear stopped her.
"Don't… don't go…"
Her heart skipped a beat. The weight of his words, the vulnerability in his tone, made her knees feel weak. "Aiden…" she murmured, unsure how to respond, unsure what he expected.
"I… thought… you were… Mae," he whispered, eyes still closed. "I… don't want to be alone…"
Her chest ached. This was the man she had come to care for so deeply, the one whose trust she was planning to betray. And now, seeing him like this broken, haunted by the past, searching for comfort her resolve to steal the files faltered completely.
Swallowing the knot of panic and guilt in her throat, Mia lowered herself beside him, careful not to disturb him further. Her hand remained entwined with his, her body close enough to offer warmth and presence without crossing boundaries… at least for now.
Hours seemed to slip by in quiet stillness. She whispered soothing words, sometimes recounting mundane things to distract him from the nightmare's grip. Slowly, the tension left his muscles, the rapid panting slowed, and eventually, he sank into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Mia stayed beside him, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing, the small shifts of his body as he settled into sleep. For the first time since Dallas' call, she forgot the files entirely, forgot the dangerous plan that weighed on her conscience, and simply allowed herself to be present for Aiden, the man she had come to care for more deeply than she could admit.
Her own exhaustion began to take hold. She shifted slightly, careful not to disturb him, and soon her eyelids drooped. The warmth of his hand in hers, the gentle rise and fall of his chest, and the quiet hum of the mansion lulled her into a rare, peaceful slumber.
For the moment, the world outside the pressure from Dallas, the looming threat of her mother's medical bills, the looming betrayal ceased to exist. There was only this fragile, fleeting moment of trust, of closeness, of shared humanity between them.
As she drifted into sleep, a single thought lingered in her mind: I'll protect him. Even if it costs me everything else.