Rowan leaned in, whispering so quietly the night itself seemed to hold its breath. "Everything changes… but not in a way you should fear." His breath warmed my ear for half a second before he straightened, his expression protective again. Elias watched us both, unreadable but fully aware of every detail happening between us. He pushed the front door open, a soft click echoing into the still air. "Inside," he said. "Both of you." Rowan gently guided me forward, his hand steady on my back. The moment I stepped over the threshold, something shifted not outside, but inside me. The house was dim but warm, lit by soft amber lights that made the walls glow. The place felt lived-in, intentional, like a secret space they never let the world see. Rowan locked the door behind us. Elias set my bag on a nearby table, then turned to face me fully. "Ava," he said, "before we go deeper into this house, you need to understand something." Rowan folded his arms, leaning against the wall. "Yeah, this part is important." My chest tightened. "What is it?" Elias took a slow step toward me, his eyes steady but not unkind. "You're safe here… but this house is not just for hiding." Rowan nodded. "It's for watching. Listening. Protecting." Elias added, "We have surveillance around the property. Alerts. Sensors." I swallowed. "For stalkers?" "For worse," Rowan said quietly. Elias's voice softened. "Nothing will touch you here. But you must listen to everything we say. No exceptions." I nodded. "I understand." Elias studied my face for a moment longer, as if trying to decide whether I truly meant it. Then he stepped aside, revealing the hallway behind him. "Come. There's something you need to see." Rowan pushed off the wall and fell into step beside me, close but not overwhelming. Elias led the way down the hallway. The deeper we went, the quieter the house felt like the walls themselves were holding secrets. He stopped at a closed door. My breath caught. Rowan glanced at me, voice gentle. "Don't worry. This is the good kind of surprise." Elias opened the door. Inside was a small room simple but warm. A bed. A soft lamp. A dresser. A single window overlooking a forest so dark it looked like an ocean of shadows. Rowan smiled faintly. "We set this up earlier. Just in case." "In case?" I repeated. Elias nodded. "In case he escalated tonight. And he did." My pulse quickened. "So this is where I'll stay?" "Yes," Elias said. "If you're comfortable." Rowan added, "And if you're not, you can stay near us. The living room. The office. Anywhere you want. You won't be alone." The room felt small suddenly not because of fear, but because both of them were looking at me with something protective and heavy and indescribable. "I can stay here," I whispered. Elias's expression eased. "Good." Rowan stepped around me and placed my bag on the dresser. "There's clothes in here if you need them. Blankets too. Elias overpacks." "I don't overpack," Elias said. "I prepare." Rowan smirked. "Same thing." Elias ignored him and turned back to me. "Ava, tonight one of us will sit outside your door. The other will monitor the cameras." My eyes widened. "That's… a lot." Rowan shook his head. "Not for us." Elias looked at me closely. "This man is playing a long game. Tonight was only the beginning." A small chill ran down my spine. "Do you really think he'll come here?" Elias stepped closer, his voice low but certain. "He doesn't know this place exists. And he won't find it. Not unless we bring him here." Rowan added, "And we won't." I let out a slow breath, the tension in my shoulders loosening just a bit. "Okay." Elias watched me carefully, as if checking every flicker of emotion. "You should rest. You've been in fight-or-flight all day." Rowan gently touched my wrist. "If you need anything water, company, reassurance ,you call us. No matter the hour." I nodded again. Elias moved toward the hallway. "I'll set up the monitoring system. Rowan, stay with her." Rowan smiled softly. "Wasn't planning on leaving." Elias paused in the doorway, his eyes lingering on me one last time before he disappeared down the hall. Rowan tilted his head slightly. "You okay?" "I… think so." "Good." He stepped closer, not touching, just close enough that I could feel the warmth of him. "You're safe now. And we don't break promises." I met his eyes. "What happens tomorrow?" Rowan's expression deepened, something darker and warmer flickering in it. "Tomorrow," he murmured, "we start figuring out why he chose you… and what he wants." He hesitated. "But for now? For tonight?" His voice softened like a whisper against the quiet room. "You rest. And we'll keep watch."
