Sabrina, the sweet, bubbly girl next door, never imagined being pulled into a world of danger. But meeting Julian, a captivating mafia member with a dark past, changes everything.
As she falls for him, she's torn between love and the dangerous secr...
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I nestle deeper into Julian's shoulder, his warmth grounding me amid the surreal sense of leaving everything behind.
The cabin lights are dim, and outside, clouds float by like a slow-moving river, endless and freeing. It's the exact opposite of how I've felt the past few days—trapped, judged, torn apart by the people I thought would always protect me.
Here, though, it's different. With Julian beside me, I feel... safe.
He hasn't let go of my hand since we boarded, his fingers drawing gentle circles over my knuckles. I don't think he realizes how comforting that is, but it's like he's tethering me, silently telling me he's here, that I'm not facing this alone.
It's strange—I never thought I'd be on a plane, flying away from my family, from the life I thought I knew. But maybe that's what makes Julian different.
He shows up when I least expect it, and somehow he always seems to know what I need, even when I don't.
I glance over at him, and he's looking at me with that familiar, steady gaze of his, his eyes soft but serious.
I hesitate, not knowing quite how to put everything I'm feeling into words, but I try anyway. "I don't think I ever thought I'd be doing something like this," I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. "Running away from everything."
He takes a deep breath, his thumb brushing lightly over my hand. "You're not running away, Sabrina," he says quietly, but with such certainty that it surprises me. "Sometimes it's not about leaving things behind. Sometimes it's about finding space to... figure out what's worth holding onto."
I blink, letting his words sink in. I've never thought of it that way, but maybe he's right. Maybe getting away, even just for a little while, is what I need to clear my mind and decide what really matters.
It's like he can see a bigger picture that I can't, and I feel this small, grateful smile tugging at my lips.
"Thank you," I say softly, trying to keep my voice steady even though my heart is aching with a mix of gratitude and sadness. "For all of this. For... being here."
He looks at me, his expression softening. "You don't have to thank me, Sab," he says, his voice gentle but firm. "I'd do it a thousand times over."
There's something in his eyes when he says it that makes me feel like I could melt into him. Like he's speaking not just with words, but with every bit of himself, showing me he'd really do anything to see me happy.
And that's why, I feel like things might actually be okay, at least for a little while.
I let out a long breath, resting my head back on his shoulder, and he slips his arm around me, pulling me closer.
As the jet hums along, I close my eyes, breathing in his familiar scent and listening to his heartbeat. I feel the knot in my chest loosening, like a tight coil that's finally unwinding.
