15/09/2025
Chapter Five: A Glimpse of Shadows
The rain poured down hard as Julie walked home from the grocery store, her umbrella flipping inside out with every gust of wind. She hurried along the street, muttering under her breath.
She noticed them then—two dark figures across the street, pacing with her steps. Her stomach twisted. At first, she thought they were just strangers, but when one of them kept glancing in her direction, her pulse quickened.
She picked up her pace. So did they.
“Great,” she muttered, gripping her bag tighter.
Before she could react, a black car screeched to a halt beside her. The back door swung open.
“Get in,” Owen’s deep voice commanded from inside.
Julie froze. “What—?”
The men across the street had already started walking faster. One reached into his jacket.
“Julie, now!” Owen’s voice thundered.
Her instincts took over. She dove into the car, the door slamming shut behind her. The vehicle roared forward, leaving the men behind in the rain.
Julie’s chest heaved as she turned to him. “What was that? Who were they?”
Owen sat back, calm but deadly, his jaw tight. “Enemies. People who would use you to get to me.”
Her hands shook. “Enemies? I didn’t sign up for this, Owen! I just wanted a normal life.”
He leaned closer, his voice low, dangerous yet protective. “Normal ended the moment you carried my child. You’re part of my world now, whether you like it or not.”
Julie glared at him, tears brimming. “I don’t want your world. I don’t want guns, enemies, or shadows following me everywhere.”
For a moment, his eyes softened, but only for her. “And yet, it’s only in my world that you’ll be safe.”
The car went silent. The hum of the engine filled the space between them. Julie pressed her forehead to the window, watching the rain blur the city lights.
She hated it. She hated the danger, the control, the way he barged into her life. But deep inside, buried beneath the fear, was the tiniest spark of something else—trust. Because in that terrifying moment on the street… she knew he had saved her.
Owen’s voice broke the silence, softer this time. “You think I live in shadows because I want to? I live there because it’s the only place I know. But you… you might just be the one thing that pulls me out.”
Julie turned, startled. His eyes weren’t cold now. They were searching, almost pleading.
Her heart skipped. For the first time, she wondered if the monster everyone feared… was really just a man aching to be loved.
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To be continued…