TEMPORARY PLEASURE

Eyes Open

Fatima's words hung in the air like smoke.

If Dre's really watching me, he's about to find out I don't scare easy either.

Laureyn studied her for a long second, then nodded once. "That's my girl."

Zac didn't speak right away. He was still by the window, eyes scanning the street like he was memorizing every shadow, every parked car, every flicker of movement. Something about his silence made Fatima's chest tighten more than any threat Dre had thrown her way.

Finally, Zac turned.
"Okay," he said calmly. Too calmly. "Now I'm asking for real—what's going on?"

Fatima felt her pulse kick up. This was the moment she'd been avoiding. The moment where pretending stopped working.

Laureyn crossed her arms. "You want the truth or the polite version?"

Zac's gaze never left Fatima. "I want her truth."

That did it.

Fatima stood, rubbing her palms against her jeans like she could wipe the fear away. "There's stuff from my past," she started carefully. "Stuff I didn't finish dealing with. And tonight... it caught up."

Zac stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Is that why someone might've been outside?"

She nodded.

"How dangerous?"

Fatima hesitated—just long enough for him to notice.
"Enough that I don't want you involved."

Zac exhaled through his nose, a sharp, frustrated sound. "That's not your call."

Laureyn snapped her fingers. "See? Told you he wasn't soft."

Zac shot her a look, then turned back to Fatima. "You don't get to decide I'm safer not knowing. If somebody's watching you, if someone's threatening you—" his jaw clenched, "—that makes it my business."

Her throat burned. "Zac—"

"I care about you," he said, cutting her off gently. "I don't need details tonight. I just need to know one thing."

She met his eyes.

"Are you in immediate danger?"

The honesty in his voice scared her more than Dre ever could.

Fatima shook her head. "Not tonight."

"Okay," Zac said. "Then tonight, we breathe. We lock the doors. We stay inside."

Laureyn nodded approvingly. "Look at you, bein' all sensible and fine at the same time."

Fatima almost laughed—almost—but the relief hit her too hard. She sat back down, suddenly exhausted.

Minutes passed in quiet. Laureyn took the first watch near the window like it was second nature. Zac sat beside Fatima, close but not touching, like he was giving her space to decide what came next.

After a while, he spoke again. "You don't have to push me away to protect me."

Her eyes filled despite her best efforts. "I don't know how to keep you safe and keep you close at the same time."

Zac finally reached for her hand. His grip was warm, solid. Real.

"Then we learn," he said. "Together."

Outside, somewhere down the block, a car engine turned over.

Laureyn stiffened.
Zac's eyes sharpened.
Fatima's heart started racing again.