Short Fiction Anthology

Between the Pages of Secrets 6

Alex's POV:

I couldn't focus at work. Every email, every phone call, every little task seemed pointless compared to the growing storm in my head. The message from earlier had left me more rattled than I wanted to admit, and it was making everything feel unstable. My past was like a noose tightening around my neck, and the closer I got to Lily, the tighter it got.

I had to see her again. If I didn't, I knew I'd lose my nerve and shut her out completely, and I wasn't sure I could do that. She deserved to know something-maybe not everything yet, but enough to stop her from walking away.

With a heavy breath, I grabbed my jacket and left the office. I needed to talk to her now, before I lost my chance.
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Lily's POV:

Later that evening, I was still trying to decide whether or not to follow through on my little plan to dig into Alex's past. It wasn't fair to him, I knew that, but I also couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming, something big.

I had just opened my laptop when there was a knock at the door.

When I opened it, Alex was standing there, looking as conflicted as I felt. "Hey," he said, his voice quiet, almost cautious. "Can we talk?"

I stepped aside, letting him in, my heart racing. "Yeah, sure."

We stood in awkward silence for a moment before he finally spoke. "I've been... thinking about what we talked about last night. About trust."

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"There's more I haven't told you," he admitted, running a hand through his hair. "A lot more. And it's not just personal stuff. It's... dangerous. And I've been trying to figure out if telling you is the right thing to do."

My breath hitched. "Dangerous? What do you mean?"

He looked away, as if gathering his thoughts. "Before we met, I got involved with some people. Bad people. I didn't have a choice at the time, but now I'm trying to get out of it. And it's... complicated."

I felt a cold chill run down my spine. "What kind of people, Alex?"

He sighed, his gaze finally meeting mine. "People who don't let go easily. And now, they're after me."
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Alex's POV:

Saying it out loud felt like ripping open an old wound, one that hadn't healed properly. I watched Lily's face, looking for any sign that she was going to bolt. But she didn't. She just stood there, staring at me with wide, concerned eyes.

"I didn't want to drag you into this," I said, my voice low. "I tried to keep you out of it, but... it's getting harder. They're getting more persistent, and I don't know how much longer I can keep them away."

Lily took a deep breath, processing everything. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want you to feel like you had to be involved."

She was silent for a moment, and I could see the gears turning in her head. Finally, she looked at me and said, "I don't care how dangerous it is, Alex. I'm not going anywhere."

I blinked, not expecting that. "You don't understand-"

"No, you don't understand," she interrupted, stepping closer. "I've been trying to figure out why I feel this way, why I keep coming back to you, even when I know you're hiding things. And I think... I think it's because I care about you. So if you're in danger, then we figure it out together."