Fatally Yours

Chapter 71

•INDIANA•

The elevator doors slid open, and I stepped out into the dimly lit hallway, exhaustion weighing down my every step.

My feet carried me automatically toward my apartment, my mind numb from the events of the day. I fumbled in my bag for my keys, pulled them out, and unlocked the door. 

As I stepped inside, I dropped my keys into the ceramic bowl on the entryway table—but froze mid-step. A shadowy figure stood in the middle of my living room. 

My hand instinctively flew to my side, reaching for the gun in my holster, but my fingers grasped at empty air. The crushing realization hit me: I no longer carried it. 

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I reached for the light switch and flicked it on, flooding the room with warm light. Relief washed over me when I saw who it was.

Dominik stood there, his hands casually tucked into his pockets, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips. 

"You scared me," I said, exhaling sharply as I walked toward him. "What are you doing here? Someone could've seen you." 

He wrapped his arms around me without hesitation, pulling me close as he kissed the top of my head.

"Don't worry," he murmured. "I was careful this time." 

I sighed, leaning into him, letting his familiar scent and the warmth of his embrace soothe my frayed nerves.

"You really need to stop breaking into my apartment," I muttered against his chest. "There's a spare key in the drawer you could use, you know." 

"I know, I know," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Last time, I promise." 

I hugged him tightly, my arms clinging to him as though he were the only thing anchoring me.

"Are you okay?"  He softly asked.

The word "no" slipped out of me before I could stop it. 

He pulled back just enough to scan my face, his brows furrowing in concern.

"What's wrong?" he gently asked. "Talk to me."

Overwhelmed, I looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

"I don't even know where to start," I admitted, my voice trembling. 

"Come here," he said, leading me to the couch.

We sank into the cushions, and he pulled me into his arms, holding me close. I nestled into his chest, letting his steady heartbeat fill the silence. 

Staring blankly across the room, tears blurred my vision. The events of the day weighed on me heavily—the confrontation with my uncle, the choice I had made to leave my badge and gun behind at the station. 

I had never felt so hollow, so incomplete. That badge, that gun—they had been a part of me for so long.

Without them, it was as though I had left a piece of myself behind, and the void they left inside me was growing with every passing moment. 

I shifted slightly in Dominik's arms, my head still resting against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. For a moment, the silence was comforting, but the weight in my chest refused to lift. 

"I quit my job today," I said quietly, my voice breaking the stillness. 

Dominik froze, and I felt his breath hitch before the silence stretched between us again. Finally, he asked, his voice calm but curious, "Why did you do that?"