Page 54 of Shattered Obsession

“No,” she whispers. “I shouldn’t. But I also shouldn’t feel like I have to justify why I’m scared.”

I step closer. “You don’t. Not to me.” Each word she utters hits me like a blade, sharp and unwavering in its reality. She’s been carrying this burden alone, hiding her fear and pretending to be fine while it slowly tore her apart from the inside. My fingers instinctively cup her face lightly, urging her to meet my gaze.

“Why did you feel like you had to hide this from me?” I ask, my voice rough and raw with emotion.

Her eyes widen, shimmering with tears just beneath the surface. “I didn’t want to make you worry.”

“I want to worry if it keeps you safe!” The anger raging within me isn’t directed at her—it’s always aimed at him—but I can’t seem to rein it in quickly enough. I take a deep breath, struggling to soften my tone as I lower my voice. “Baby, you don’t understand. Every time you don’t tell me, he wins. He feeds off your silence. And I swear, I won’t let him take another damn thing from you.”

Her throat bobs as she swallows, the tears finally spilling over, glistening on her cheeks. “I’m sorry.”

The weight of her apology cuts deeply, and I shake my head, pressing my forehead to hers, trying to connect our thoughts in an unbreakable bond of support.

“No. I’m sorry you thought you had to carry this alone. That ends now.”

I take her trembling hands into mine. Her breathing is shallow and fast, like her ribs are being squeezed. She tries to hide it, but I notice every detail.

“Hey,” I murmur. “Breathe with me.”

She shakes her head. “I— I can’t. I feel like my chest is closing.”

“Then let me breathe for both of us.” I inhale slowly, loud enough for her to hear, exaggerating the rise and fall of my chest. After a few seconds, she mimics me, her shoulders loosening by millimeters. I guide her hands to rest over my heart. “Feel that? I’m not going anywhere.”

Her eyes close, and she leans her head against my shoulder, letting the cadence of my heartbeat anchor her. For a moment, she isn’t running from anything. She’s just here. And if I have to be her oxygen until she can breathe on her own again, I will.

For what feels like an eternity, we simply stand here, her body trembling beneath my touch as I hold the pieces of her shattered composure together. I feel her heart beat steadily against mine, and my resolve hardens like steel. If Damian is circling us again, haunting her every step with his presence, then it’s war. And this time, I’m more than ready for him.

-Thalia-

There’s a shift inside me, small but undeniable. For weeks, I’ve been reacting. Panicking. Running. But as I watch Xander clean up the security tools, a strange fire ignites in my chest.

I’m tired of being afraid. Tired of being hunted. Tired of letting Damian dictate my heartbeat.

He took enough from me already. My fear fed him. My silence fed him. No more.

If he wants to watch me, fine. Let him watch me grow stronger. Let him witness what happens when prey learns how to bare its teeth.

I won’t be his victim.

Not again.

CHAPTER TWENTY

-Thalia-

Xander has been industriously working since the crack of dawn. His tools are scattered across the floor and the lights half-installed, each clatter and whirr a reminder of his dedication. I should be grateful for his efforts—I truly am—but beneath my gratitude, an insidious fear whispers. What if I’m too broken? I silently observe his movements. Each dull thrum of the drill feels like a gunshot in my head, harsh, final, and terrifying.

Xander sets the drill down, crouching so our eyes meet.

“Talk to me, baby. What’s going on in your head?”

The question almost breaks me completely. My throat tightens, words clogging like stones.

“I feel like I broke something, Xander. Like you see me differently now.” I saw the turmoil etched across his face when I confessed.

He shakes his head sharply before cupping my hands in his rough, calloused ones, allowing warmth to seep into my cold, trembling fingers.

“No. I look at you and see the strongest damn woman I’ve ever met. You’ve been living with this agony alone, and yet you kept moving forward. That doesn’t break us, Thalia. It shows me how much I need to ensure you never fight alone again.”