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Zayn's office was a haven of gentle light and shadows late at night. The desk lighting illuminated the piles of documents and maps that explained our next course of action against Roman Scar with a warm, amber glow. Candles softly flickered, filling the space with a soothing yet unsettling glow. There was a strong sense of anxiety from the day's events.
I stood by the window, feeling the weight of the world bearing down on my shoulders as I gazed out into the darkness beyond. We were all rattled by the recent attack on the mansion. Upstairs, Levi was attempting to recuperate from the shock. The thought of how close we had been to losing everything consumed me. For me, I would lose everything all over again if the worst happened.
And this time, I will not lose anything. Being away from my parents still gave me nightmares. And now that I've found solace in here, it's in jeopardy. Am I the problem? Because wherever I go, problems follow.
Zayn’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Nyx, we need to talk about what happened today.”
I turned to face him. He was seated at his desk, looking more worn out than I had ever seen him. His usually sharp eyes were clouded with worry, and the strong lines of his face seemed etched deeper by the weight of responsibility.
“I know,” I replied, moving to sit across from him. “We can’t let Roman get this close again.”
Zayn nodded, his jaw clenched. “Our defenses were solid, but he’s getting bolder. We need to anticipate his next move.”
“We should increase the surveillance,” I suggested. “Double the patrols around the mansion and the warehouses. And maybe…” I hesitated, unsure if I should voice my next thought.
“Go on,” Zayn urged gently.
“Maybe you should reach out to some of your old allies,” I said. “See who we can still trust, who might be willing to help.”
Zayn leaned back in his chair, considering my words. “It’s risky. Roman has spread a lot of misinformation. We don’t know who’s still loyal.”
“I know,” I admitted. “But we can’t do this alone. We need allies.”
He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “You’re right. We’ll need to be careful, but it’s a risk we have to take.”
For a moment, we sat in silence, the enormity of our situation settling over us. Then Zayn reached across the desk, taking my hand in his. His touch was warm, grounding me in the moment.
“Nyx, I don’t know what I’d do without you,” he said softly. “You keep me sane.”
I squeezed his hand, feeling a surge of emotion. “I feel the same.”
The intensity of the moment was overwhelming. The danger we faced, the uncertainty of our future, it all seemed to blur into a single point of raw emotion. I could see it in Zayn’s eyes too. The walls he kept around himself, the ones that made him such a formidable leader, were crumbling in the face of our shared vulnerability.
“Come here,” he murmured, pulling me into his lap. I settled against him, feeling the solid strength of his body beneath me. His arms wrapped around me, holding me close.
“Everything feels so heavy,” I whispered, burying my face in his neck.
“We’ll get through it,” he promised, his lips brushing against my hair. “We always do.”
His words were a balm to my soul, but they also sparked something deeper, something more primal. I tilted my head up to look at him, my eyes searching his. The worry and determination were still there, but so was something else, something raw and intense.
YOU ARE READING
BLOOD AND HEART
Mystery / Thriller"He had many people's blood on his hands and one woman in his heart." She woke up with a pounding headache, a strange tattoo, and memories of her family being brutally attacked. All because of the documents she stole. Now, protected by one of the wo...
