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The cabin had fallen into an eerie stillness after the confrontation. The man—the stalker—lay unconscious on the floor, a reminder of how close Harper had come to losing everything. She could still feel the weight of the iron lamp in her hands, could still hear the sickening thud as it connected with his skull. But even now, as Damien’s arms encircled her, she couldn’t shake the fear that had taken root deep inside her chest.
The man had found them. He had been inside their sanctuary, in the place where Harper was supposed to be safe. And despite Damien’s reassurances, despite the fact that the stalker was now immobilized and handcuffed, Harper couldn’t help but feel like the nightmare wasn’t over. Not yet.
Damien gently pulled away from her, his eyes scanning her face with concern. "Are you okay?" he asked softly, his voice rough from the adrenaline of the fight.
Harper nodded, though the tremble in her body betrayed her. "I think so. Just... shaken."
Damien’s eyes darkened with a mixture of anger and guilt as he glanced down at the unconscious man. "I should’ve been faster. I should’ve stopped him before he got that close."
"You did," Harper whispered, placing a hand on his chest. "You saved me, Damien. Again."
His jaw clenched, and Harper could see the weight of his guilt pressing down on him like a physical force. He had taken so much responsibility onto himself, shouldering the burden of protecting her from the very beginning. And though he had done everything right, though he had kept her alive, Harper knew that Damien wouldn’t forgive himself for letting the stalker get so close.
Before Damien could respond, the silence of the cabin was broken by the sound of sirens in the distance. Relief flooded through Harper’s veins as she realized that the police were finally on their way. She had never been so glad to hear that sound.
"They’re coming," Damien muttered, his eyes hardening as he moved toward the door. "Stay here. I’m going to meet them outside."
Harper watched as Damien stepped out onto the porch, his tall frame silhouetted against the darkening sky. The fear that had gripped her for so long was slowly ebbing away, replaced by a numbness that she wasn’t sure how to process. It was like her body had shut down, refusing to let her feel the full weight of what had just happened.
She glanced down at the man on the floor, his chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. He looked so different now—weak, vulnerable. But Harper knew better than to be fooled by appearances. This man was dangerous. He had been following her for weeks, maybe months, and his obsession had nearly cost her her life.
Why? The question gnawed at her, refusing to be ignored. Why had he chosen her? Why had he fixated on her with such intensity? And what had she done to make him hate her enough to want her dead?
The front door creaked open, and Harper looked up to see Damien reentering the cabin, followed closely by two uniformed police officers. They moved quickly, their expressions professional but tense as they approached the unconscious man on the floor.
"Is this him?" one of the officers asked, his voice low and authoritative.
Damien nodded, his posture rigid with tension. "Yes. He’s the one who’s been stalking Harper. He broke in, tried to attack her."
The officer knelt beside the man, checking his pulse before reaching for his radio to call for backup. "We’ll take him into custody. You both should head to the hospital to get checked out, just to be safe."
"I’m fine," Harper said quickly, though her voice lacked conviction.
Damien shot her a look, his brow furrowed with concern. "You’re going to get checked out," he said firmly. "No arguments."
Harper opened her mouth to protest, but the exhaustion in Damien’s eyes stopped her. She could see how much he was struggling, how hard he was trying to keep it together, and she knew that this wasn’t just about her safety. He needed the peace of mind that came with knowing she was okay.
"Okay," Harper whispered, her voice softening. "I’ll go."
Damien’s shoulders relaxed slightly, and he turned back to the officers. "I’m going to take her to the hospital. Make sure he’s secured before you transport him."
The officers nodded, one of them already reaching for his handcuffs as they prepared to move the stalker. Harper tried not to look, tried not to let the sight of the man—her attacker—unsettle her even more than she already was. But it was impossible to ignore the reality of what had just happened.
She had almost died.
The thought sent a fresh wave of nausea crashing over her, and Harper quickly looked away, focusing instead on Damien as he led her toward the door. His hand was steady on the small of her back, guiding her outside and toward the SUV. The sun had already dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the ground, and the air was thick with the smell of pine and earth.
Damien opened the passenger door for her, waiting until she was settled inside before shutting it and moving around to the driver’s side. He climbed in, his expression tight with worry as he started the engine.
The ride to the hospital was quiet. Harper could feel the weight of the day pressing down on her, a suffocating heaviness that made it hard to think, hard to breathe. She stared out the window, watching the dark trees blur past, but her mind was elsewhere—still trapped in the cabin, still reliving the moment the door had burst open and the man had come for her.
"Harper."
Damien’s voice was soft, but it pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to look at him, her chest tightening at the sight of his worried expression.
"We’re almost there," Damien said, his eyes scanning her face. "How are you holding up?"
Harper swallowed hard, unsure of how to answer. How was she supposed to be holding up? She had just been attacked by a man who had been hunting her for weeks, and if it hadn’t been for Damien, she might not even be alive right now.
"I don’t know," Harper admitted, her voice trembling. "I’m... I don’t know how to feel."
Damien’s eyes softened, and he reached over, gently taking her hand in his. "You don’t have to feel anything right now," he said quietly. "Just focus on breathing. One step at a time."
Harper squeezed his hand, the warmth of his touch grounding her in the moment. She didn’t know how Damien always knew what to say, how he always seemed to know exactly what she needed, but she was grateful for it. Without him, she wasn’t sure how she would have made it through this ordeal.
By the time they reached the hospital, the parking lot was mostly empty, the fluorescent lights casting an artificial glow over the building’s entrance. Damien parked the SUV and quickly exited, moving around to Harper’s side to help her out of the car.
Harper’s legs felt weak as she stood, and for a moment, she thought she might collapse. But Damien’s arm was there, steady and strong, guiding her toward the entrance with a gentle but firm touch.
The hospital staff moved quickly once they were inside, ushering Harper into a private room where a nurse began checking her vitals. Harper answered the questions on autopilot, her mind still numb from everything that had happened. She barely registered the nurse’s words, barely felt the cold pressure of the stethoscope against her chest.
"Your vitals are stable," the nurse said with a reassuring smile. "I’ll leave you two for a moment. A doctor will be in shortly to check for any injuries."
Harper nodded, her voice too weak to respond. As the nurse left the room, Damien moved to sit beside her on the small hospital bed, his eyes filled with concern.
"Do you need anything?" Damien asked softly, his voice gentle.
Harper shook her head, her throat tight with emotion. She didn’t need anything—except for this to be over. For the fear to go away. For the nightmare to end.
"Damien, I..." Harper’s voice broke, and she closed her eyes, trying to steady herself. "I’m scared."
Damien’s hand found hers, his grip warm and comforting. "I know," he whispered. "But you’re safe now. He’s not going to hurt you again."
Harper opened her eyes, her gaze locking onto his. "How can you be sure?" she asked, her voice trembling. "How can you be sure he won’t come back? That someone else won’t...?"
Damien’s expression tightened, and for a moment, Harper saw a flicker of something vulnerable in his eyes. "I can’t promise that nothing bad will ever happen again," he admitted quietly. "But I can promise you this—I will never stop protecting you. I won’t let anyone hurt you, Harper. Not ever."
Harper’s heart swelled at his words, tears welling in her eyes as she looked up at him. Damien had been her rock through all of this, and despite the danger, despite the fear, he had never faltered. He had stood by her side, protecting her, fighting for her, and Harper knew that he would continue to do so for as long as she needed him.
"Thank you," Harper whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "For everything."
Damien’s eyes softened, and he gently cupped her face in his hands, his touch warm and reassuring. "You don’t have to thank me," he said quietly. "I’m just glad you’re okay."
But Harper knew it was more than that. Damien wasn’t just doing his job—he cared about her. Deeply. And as much as she had tried to deny it, as much as she had tried to keep her own feelings at bay, Harper cared about him too.
Before she could say anything else, the door to the room opened, and a doctor stepped inside, her expression professional but kind. "Good evening, Ms. Waters. I’m Dr. Lee. I’ll be doing a quick exam to make sure you’re not injured."
Harper nodded, though her mind was still reeling from the intensity of her conversation with Damien. As the doctor began her exam, Harper answered the questions automatically, her thoughts drifting back to the man who had attacked her.
"How did he find us?" Harper asked suddenly, her voice filled with frustration. "We were in the middle of nowhere. How did he know we were there?"
Damien’s expression darkened, and he leaned forward, his voice low. "I don’t know yet. But I’m going to find out."
Harper’s stomach churned at the thought. The man had been so methodical, so calculated in his actions. He had known where they were hiding, had tracked them to the cabin without anyone noticing. And now, he was in police custody—but Harper couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t over.
"Is he going to prison?" Harper asked, her voice trembling.
Damien’s jaw clenched, and he nodded. "The police will charge him with breaking and entering, stalking, and attempted murder. He’ll be locked up for a long time."
Harper swallowed hard, relief flooding through her at the thought of the man behind bars. But the fear still lingered, a gnawing sense of unease that refused to fade.
"Do you know who he is?" Harper asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Damien hesitated, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and guilt. "Not yet," he admitted. "But I’m working on it. The police are going through his records now, trying to figure out who he is and why he targeted you."
Harper’s heart sank at his words. She had hoped that with the man in custody, the mystery would be over—that she would finally get the answers she so desperately needed. But it seemed like there were still pieces of the puzzle missing.
As the doctor finished her exam, she gave Harper a reassuring smile. "You’re in good health, Ms. Waters. No physical injuries, though I would recommend taking it easy for the next few days. Trauma like this can take a toll on your body, even if you don’t feel it right away."
"Thank you," Harper whispered, though the exhaustion in her voice was clear.
The doctor nodded and left the room, leaving Harper and Damien alone once again. The weight of everything pressed down on Harper like a heavy blanket, and she felt tears welling in her eyes as the reality of the situation settled over her.
"I just want this to be over," Harper whispered, her voice trembling. "I just want to feel safe again."
Damien’s hand tightened around hers, his voice filled with quiet determination. "It’s going to be over soon," he said softly. "I promise you, Harper. We’re going to figure this out. You’re going to be safe."
Harper looked up at him, her heart aching at the sincerity in his eyes. She wanted to believe him—she needed to believe him—but the fear that had taken root inside her refused to let go.
"I don’t know what I’d do without you," Harper whispered, her voice filled with emotion.
Damien’s eyes softened, and he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "You’ll never have to find out," he said quietly. "I’m not going anywhere."
Harper closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, and for the first time in days, she allowed herself to believe that maybe—just maybe—things would be okay.
Hours later, after Damien had made sure that Harper was checked out and had signed all the necessary paperwork, they finally left the hospital. The night air was cool against Harper’s skin, a stark contrast to the warmth of Damien’s presence beside her as they walked to the SUV.
The drive back was quiet, but the tension that had gripped them earlier had begun to ease. Harper could feel the exhaustion pulling at her, the emotional and physical toll of everything that had happened finally catching up to her. She rested her head against the window, her eyes heavy with fatigue as the familiar rhythm of the road lulled her into a half-conscious state.
"You should sleep," Damien said softly, his voice a soothing balm against her frazzled nerves. "We’re safe now."
Harper nodded, though she wasn’t sure if sleep would come easily. The events of the past few days had left her feeling raw and vulnerable, and even though the immediate danger had passed, she couldn’t shake the feeling that there were still unanswered questions—still unresolved threads that needed to be tied up.
But for now, she trusted Damien. He had kept her safe, had risked everything to protect her, and she knew that as long as he was by her side, she would be okay.
"I’m so tired," Harper whispered, her voice barely audible as her eyes drifted shut.
"I’ve got you," Damien murmured, his voice filled with quiet reassurance. "Just rest."
Harper let out a soft breath, the tension in her body slowly melting away as she allowed herself to relax. She trusted Damien—more than she had ever trusted anyone—and in this moment, that was enough.
