Page 216 of Villainous Rise

“Says the man who thinks lemon is the pinnacle of cake innovation,” I countered, poking his side gently.

“Because it is,” he insisted with that stubborn certainty that was so quintessentially Cipher. “The perfect balance of sweet and tart. It’s scientifically superior.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop smiling.

I shifted slightly, getting more comfortable against his side. “Dawn and I talked about the apartment too,” I said.

“Oh?”

“She and Hunter want to move in together. Sooner rather than later. Start living their life together.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Cipher said.

“And I’ve decided to move back to the Tower.” I looked up from beneath my lashes to watch his face carefully for his reaction. “The apartment is perfect for Dawn. It’s close to all her favorite places and the museum. And it’s not terrible for Hunter’s work either.”

Cipher’s eyebrows rose slightly. “You’re giving up your place?”

I nodded. “If Dawn moves out, I’d have three bedrooms all to myself. I don’t need that much space.” I shrugged against him. “It makes more sense for Dawn to keep it. Besides, I’ve always had a room at the Tower. It’s not like I’d be homeless.”

“You really want to move back to the Tower?” Cipher asked, his voice carefully neutral.

I sighed, leaning my head back against his shoulder. “It’s not that I want to, exactly. But I didn’t really understand how bad it was when Dawn said the housing market was terrible. She wasn’t kidding. I’ve been looking at listings, and anything decent is either absurdly expensive or gets snatched up before I can even think about scheduling a viewing.”

Cipher remained silent, his fingers still absently playing with my hair.

“I’ll just move back to the Tower until something comes available,” I continued, trying to sound more optimistic than I felt. “It’s not like my room there isn’t comfortable. And the security is unbeatable as long as it’s not you trying to break in.”

Cipher was quiet for so long that I wondered if he’d fallen asleep. I tilted my head to look at him and found him staring at the ceiling, his brow furrowed in thought.

Finally, he took a deep breath. “You’re moving in with me.”

I froze, uncertain if I’d heard him correctly.

“What?”

“You’re moving in with me,” he repeated, turning to meet my gaze directly. “I’m not letting you go back to the Tower. You spent your entire life in that place answering to the Alliance. I am not letting you walk back into a cage.”

“I...” I started, then stopped, unsure what to say.

“You can take your time getting used to the idea, but it’s happening,” he said, watching me carefully.

I shook my head, trying to gather my thoughts. “I just... I don’t want you making this decision because I mentioned my housing situation. You’re already dealing with so much.” I gestured vaguely toward his bandaged arm. “I’ll be fine at the Tower. Really.”

Cipher looked at me with genuine confusion. “Annie, I’m not doing this because I feel obligated or because I pity you. I’m doing this because you’re mine now, and I want you with me.” His directness left no room for argument, yet there was an undercurrent of vulnerability beneath the command.

His fingers found mine, intertwining them. “And if you don’t like the penthouse, I’ve been looking at properties just off the bay. Something on the water.”

I stared at Cipher, trying to process what he was saying. “You’re looking at houses? When did this happen?”

“When I realized I wanted to wake up next to you every morning.” He said it so matter-of-factly.

“But your penthouse⁠—”

“Is mine and lifeless,” he interrupted. “I want something better for you.”

I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. “Cipher, I⁠—”

“I want to give you a home on the bay,” he continued, his gaze intense. “Somewhere with a private beach. Where you can walk barefoot in the sand whenever you want. I want to make a sanctuary for you so secure you’ll never have to look over your shoulder again. The world stays out, and you get to do whatever the hell you want inside.”