I laugh, hollow. “He abused me for years, Dad. Nothing stops people like him.”
His expression cracks for a moment—softness, guilt, rage, helplessness flickering through. He crouches in front of me, leveling his gaze with mine.
“I will not let him hurt you again,” he says, low and fierce. “I promise you that. You’re also a different woman. Even if he did manage to get close to you, you’ve had training since then. You know how to fight back.”
I nod, barely. But the chill has already settled in my bones.
When I stand, Lucian pulls me into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head.
“You’re going to get through this, Gracie. We will handle Daniel. You’re strong. I love you.”
One second I’m sitting there, his words still echoing in my skull—Daniel’s been released—and the next I’m standing outside my room, hand trembling as I press my thumb to the lock. The soft click of the door unlocking sounds too loud in the silence, echoing in my bones.
I step inside and shut the door behind me, the seal of it clicking into place like a coffin lid. My breath is tight, shallow. My body moves on autopilot—straight to the control panel by the wall. I open it with a swipe, checking each camera one by one. Hallway feed: clear. Dorm lobby: empty. Exterior motion sensors: quiet. I cycle through again. And again.
I check the backup system on my phone, making sure the data stream is active, that the alerts are functional, and that the feeds are encrypted. I reset my passwords even though I know no one could get in.
He is out.
Free.
The man who carved me open without lifting a knife. Who made my own home a battlefield littered with landmines.
I walk into the bathroom. Close the door. Turn on the hot water until steam fills the room. I don’t step into the shower. Just stand there, staring at my reflection in the mirror as it slowly fogs over, softening my edges until I’m just a blur. I turn off the water.
My hands shake. I go back into the bedroom and recheck the cameras.
Still nothing.
Still safe.
Still, a trapdoor in my chest threatens to open and swallow me whole.
I sit on the edge of the bed and stare down at my hands in my lap. I flex my fingers. Open. Close. Breathe.
The silence is so loud it roars.
I don’t cry. Don’t scream. Don’t punch the wall even though I want to.
Instead, I do the only thing I can—I follow the motions. I clean my already clean weapons. I organize the bag by my door. I recheck the perimeter alerts.
Because if I let myself stop, even for a second, I know the spiral will come. And I can’t afford to drown. Not now. Not when I’ve fought so hard to climb out the last time.
Not when he is out there.
Free.
And I’m not.
The shrill chime of the motion sensor alarm nearly stops my heart.
I freeze where I stand—halfway between the closet and my desk—adrenaline slamming into my veins so hard it makes my vision tunnel. My eyes flick to the monitor on the wall. The camera feed shows the hallway outside my dorm door.
Four familiar shapes.
My heart doesn’t slow, but it shifts—away from panic and into something tighter, heavier. I move to the door and unlock it, not even waiting for the knock before pulling it open.
Jace is in front, flanked by Tex and Noah. Luca trails behind, hishands shoved into the pockets of a worn bomber jacket. They are all still dressed in their uniforms like they dropped everything the second they heard.
