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The night had a suffocating stillness to it, like the air was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. Harper lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, her heart pounding in her chest as the silence pressed in around her. She hadn’t been able to sleep, not with everything that had happened, and the knowledge that the person who had been stalking her was still out there, watching her every move, made it impossible to relax.
Damien had told her to rest, to try to get some sleep, but how could she? The break-in at the security office had been a devastating blow. Whoever was after her had been one step ahead of them the entire time, and now they had access to all the security footage, all the information Damien had been using to keep her safe. It felt like they were playing a game, and the stalker was winning.
Harper rolled over onto her side, glancing at the empty space in the bed beside her. Damien was in the other room, keeping watch, as he always did. She could hear his soft, steady footsteps as he paced the hallway outside her bedroom, and the sound of him moving gave her a strange sense of comfort, even though she knew he was just as on edge as she was.
She hadn’t realized how much she had come to depend on him—on his presence, his strength, his unwavering determination to protect her. It wasn’t just about the physical danger anymore. Damien had become her anchor, the one thing keeping her grounded when everything else was spiraling out of control. But it wasn’t just about protection. It was more than that, and she knew it.
The kiss they had shared—the way he had held her, the way he had looked at her—had changed everything. There was no denying the connection between them anymore. But Damien was still holding back, still keeping his distance, and Harper didn’t know how to bridge the gap between them.
She wasn’t sure she could handle it if he kept pushing her away.
Harper sat up in bed, swinging her legs over the side as she ran a hand through her hair. She couldn’t stay here, lying in the dark, waiting for the fear to consume her. She needed to see Damien. She needed to talk to him, to figure out where they stood before the weight of everything crushed her.
Taking a deep breath, Harper stood up and padded softly to the door, opening it just enough to peek out into the hallway. Damien was standing near the window at the end of the hall, his back to her, his gaze fixed on the yard outside. His posture was tense, his shoulders tight, and she could tell that he was just as exhausted as she was, even though he would never admit it.
"Damien," Harper said softly, stepping into the hallway.
Damien turned, his expression softening slightly when he saw her. "You should be asleep," he said, his voice low and gentle. "You need to rest."
"I can’t sleep," Harper admitted, walking toward him. "Not with everything that’s going on. I keep thinking about... about what’s going to happen next."
Damien’s jaw tightened, and he glanced back out the window, his voice tense. "I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Harper. I promise."
"I know," Harper said, her heart aching at the weight of responsibility he was carrying. "But it’s not just about that. It’s about us."
Damien’s eyes flicked back to hers, and she could see the conflict in his gaze, the war between what he wanted and what he thought was right. He had been pushing her away for days now, ever since the kiss, and she couldn’t take it anymore. She needed to know where they stood.
"Damien, I—"
Before she could finish her sentence, a loud bang shattered the silence of the night, followed by the unmistakable sound of glass breaking.
Harper froze, her heart leaping into her throat as fear coursed through her veins.
"Get down!" Damien shouted, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her to the floor just as another loud crash echoed through the house.
Harper’s mind raced, panic surging through her as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Someone was in the house. Someone had broken in. The stalker—he was here.
Damien moved quickly, his instincts taking over as he shielded Harper with his body, his voice calm but urgent. "Stay low. Don’t move."
Harper’s hands shook as she pressed herself against the floor, her heart hammering in her chest. She could hear the sound of footsteps moving through the house, heavy and deliberate, like someone was searching for something—or someone.
For her.
Damien pulled his gun from the holster at his side, his movements swift and precise as he positioned himself between Harper and the threat. "We need to move. Stay behind me, and don’t make a sound."
Harper nodded, her throat too tight with fear to speak. She could barely think, barely breathe, as the reality of the situation sank in. The person who had been stalking her, threatening her, was inside her house. They were coming for her.
Damien led her down the hallway, his gun held steady in his hand as he scanned the area ahead of them. Every noise, every creak of the floorboards, sent a fresh wave of terror through Harper, but she forced herself to stay focused. She couldn’t afford to fall apart now. Not when her life was on the line.
They reached the stairs, and Damien motioned for her to stay close as they made their way down, step by step, trying to stay as quiet as possible. But Harper’s heart was racing so fast she was afraid it would give them away.
As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Harper caught a glimpse of a figure moving in the shadows near the front door. Her breath hitched, and she instinctively grabbed Damien’s arm, her grip tight with fear.
"Damien," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Someone’s here."
"I know," Damien said quietly, his eyes never leaving the figure in the shadows. "Stay behind me."
The intruder was moving slowly, methodically, as if they were searching for something. Harper could see the outline of a weapon in their hand, and her blood ran cold. This wasn’t just a random break-in. This was an attack. And they were here for her.
Damien’s grip on his gun tightened, and Harper could see the tension in his body, the way his muscles were coiled, ready to spring into action at any moment. He was focused, calm, but she could sense the fear lurking beneath the surface. He didn’t want to fail her. He couldn’t.
"Stay back," Damien whispered, his voice so low it was barely a breath. "I’ll handle this."
Harper’s heart pounded in her chest as she nodded, her hands shaking as she tried to control her fear. Damien moved forward, his steps silent as he approached the intruder, his gun raised and ready.
The figure in the shadows turned, and for a split second, Harper caught a glimpse of their face. It was a man—tall, broad-shouldered, with a cold, calculating expression. His eyes locked onto hers, and in that moment, Harper knew that this was the person who had been watching her, stalking her. The person who had sent the messages. The person who wanted her dead.
Before Harper could react, the man lunged forward, his weapon raised, but Damien was faster. He fired his gun, the sound deafening in the enclosed space of the house. The intruder staggered back, clutching his side as blood began to seep through his shirt.
"Get out!" Damien shouted, his voice filled with fury as he aimed his gun at the man again. "Leave now, or I swear I’ll kill you."
The man’s eyes flicked to Damien, then back to Harper, a twisted smile curling at the corners of his mouth. "This isn’t over," he hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "Not by a long shot."
And then, before Damien could fire again, the intruder turned and bolted out the front door, disappearing into the night.
Harper collapsed against the wall, her body trembling with shock and fear. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. The man—her stalker—had been inside her house, had come so close to killing her, and if it hadn’t been for Damien...
Damien rushed to her side, his eyes filled with worry as he knelt in front of her. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Harper shook her head, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she tried to calm herself. "No, I’m... I’m okay. I just... I can’t believe..."
Her voice trailed off, and she wrapped her arms around herself, the reality of the situation hitting her like a freight train. She had come so close to dying. So close to losing everything.
Damien’s hand cupped her cheek, his touch gentle but firm. "You’re safe," he said softly, his voice filled with reassurance. "You’re safe now. I won’t let anyone hurt you."
Harper looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. She could see the fear in his eyes, the guilt that had been eating away at him for days. He had saved her—he had done everything in his power to protect her—but she could tell that it wasn’t enough for him. He still blamed himself for letting the intruder get so close.
"It’s not your fault," Harper whispered, her voice trembling. "You saved me, Damien. You saved my life."
Damien’s jaw clenched, and he looked away, his eyes filled with a mixture of anger and guilt. "I should have stopped him sooner. I should have—"
"Damien," Harper interrupted, her voice firm but gentle. "You did everything you could. You saved me. That’s all that matters."
Damien’s eyes flicked back to hers, and for a moment, the walls he had built around himself seemed to crumble. She could see the vulnerability in his gaze, the raw emotion that he had been trying so hard to keep hidden.
"I can’t lose you," Damien whispered, his voice barely audible. "I can’t... I can’t fail you."
Harper’s heart ached at the pain in his voice, and without thinking, she reached out and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.
"You’re not going to lose me," Harper whispered, her voice filled with emotion. "I’m right here, Damien. I’m not going anywhere."
Damien’s arms tightened around her, and for a moment, they just held each other in the darkness, the weight of everything they had been through pressing down on them.
After a few minutes, Damien pulled back slightly, his eyes searching hers. "We need to get out of here," he said quietly. "It’s not safe. He could come back."
Harper nodded, her throat tight with fear. "Where will we go?"
"I have a safe house," Damien said, his voice steady. "It’s secure, and no one knows about it. We’ll be safe there until we figure out what to do next."
Harper swallowed hard, the fear still gnawing at her insides, but she trusted Damien. She knew that as long as she was with him, she would be safe.
"Okay," she whispered. "Let’s go."
The drive to the safe house was tense and quiet. Damien was on high alert, his eyes constantly scanning the road ahead and behind them, his grip tight on the steering wheel. Harper sat in the passenger seat, her heart still racing from the attack, her mind struggling to process everything that had happened.
She had come so close to dying. The man who had been stalking her, threatening her, had been inside her house, just feet away from her. And if it hadn’t been for Damien...
Harper shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself as she stared out the window. The fear was still there, lurking just beneath the surface, but there was something else too—something deeper. She didn’t just feel afraid. She felt violated. The man had invaded her home, her sanctuary, and the sense of safety she had once felt was shattered.
"Are you okay?" Damien asked quietly, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
Harper nodded, but the truth was, she wasn’t sure how to answer that question. She wasn’t okay. She didn’t know if she ever would be again. But she couldn’t let herself fall apart. Not now.
"I’m fine," Harper said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just... I don’t know what to do now."
Damien’s jaw tightened, and he reached over, taking her hand in his. "You don’t have to do anything. I’ll take care of this. I’ll take care of you."
Harper’s heart warmed at his words, but the fear was still there, gnawing at her insides. She didn’t know how much longer she could live like this—constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting for the next attack. But she trusted Damien. She knew that he would do everything in his power to keep her safe.
"Thank you," Harper whispered, squeezing his hand. "For everything."
Damien’s eyes softened, and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze in return. "You don’t have to thank me. It’s my job."
But Harper knew it was more than that. Damien wasn’t just doing his job. He cared about her—deeply. And she cared about him too.
As they drove through the quiet, empty streets, Harper leaned back in her seat, her mind racing with thoughts of what had happened, what could have happened. But she forced herself to focus on the present, on the fact that she was still alive, still breathing.
She wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet.
The safe house was a small, secluded cabin nestled deep in the woods, far away from the city and any prying eyes. It was quiet, peaceful even, but the tension between Harper and Damien was palpable as they entered the cabin and locked the door behind them.
Damien immediately went into protector mode, checking every window, every door, every corner of the house to make sure it was secure. Harper stood in the middle of the living room, her arms wrapped around herself as she tried to calm her racing heart.
"Are you okay?" Damien asked as he returned to her side, his eyes filled with concern.
Harper nodded, though she wasn’t sure if she believed it herself. "I will be."
Damien’s jaw clenched, and he reached out, gently cupping her face in his hands. "I’m sorry, Harper. I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him sooner."
"You did everything you could," Harper whispered, her voice trembling. "You saved me."
Damien’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, she saw the war raging inside him—the guilt, the fear, the overwhelming need to protect her. "I’m not going to let him get near you again. I swear it."
Harper’s heart ached at the pain in his voice, and without thinking, she reached up and pulled him into a kiss. It was soft, tentative at first, but the intensity between them quickly grew as Damien’s arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer.
The fear, the tension, the danger—all of it seemed to melt away as they lost themselves in each other, in the heat of the moment, in the need to feel something other than fear. Harper’s hands tangled in Damien’s hair as he deepened the kiss, his body pressing against hers, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt alive.
But just as quickly as it had started, Damien pulled away, his chest heaving as he stared down at her, his expression filled with a mixture of desire and regret.
"I can’t," Damien whispered, his voice rough with emotion. "Not like this."
Harper’s heart sank, but she understood. The timing wasn’t right. They were both too raw, too vulnerable. But the kiss had been real. The connection between them was real.
"I’m sorry," Damien said, stepping back, his eyes filled with guilt. "I shouldn’t have—"
"Don’t apologize," Harper interrupted, her voice soft but firm. "I wanted it too."
Damien’s gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, they just stood there, the air between them thick with unspoken emotion. Harper could see the conflict in his eyes, the struggle between his need to protect her and his growing feelings for her.
"I can’t lose you," Damien whispered, his voice filled with pain.
"You won’t," Harper said softly, her heart aching for him. "I’m not going anywhere."
Damien’s eyes flickered with something raw and vulnerable, but he quickly buried it, his expression hardening as he stepped back.
"We should get some rest," Damien said quietly, his voice tight. "We’ll need to figure out our next move in the morning."
Harper nodded, her chest tight with emotion. She wanted to reach out to him, to tell him that everything would be okay, but she knew better. Damien wasn’t ready to let her in completely, not yet.
But she wasn’t giving up. Not on him. Not on them.
As they settled in for the night, the tension between them still thick and unresolved, Harper couldn’t help but wonder what the next day would bring. The danger wasn’t over. The man who had attacked her was still out there, still watching, still waiting. But with Damien by her side, she felt stronger, more prepared.
They would face whatever came next—together.
