ADANNA P.O.V (point of veiw)
The city around us woke slowly, but the quiet streets gave the illusion of safety. I tightened my grip on Darian's hand, feeling the heat of his skin against mine, the steady pressure of his palm keeping me grounded. Every instinct in me screamed that danger was still near, but being beside him made it bearable.
"We can't stay here," I said softly, glancing down the empty street. "They're still out there..... watching."
"I know," he replied, voice low but firm. "We move fast, stay in the shadows, and we stay alive."
My stomach twisted. I had followed him into uncertainty before, but now it was different. I wasn't just chasing answers..... I was running toward him. Every step I took, every dark alley we crossed, brought us closer to each other and closer to the dangers we'd been avoiding for months.
Darian guided me through the narrow streets, his body always just a heartbeat away. I could feel his attention on me, the subtle shifts of his stance, the careful way he watched the rooftops and corners. Every time I caught his eye, my chest fluttered. This was different from before. Now, every look carried relief, longing, and the unspoken promise that we'd survive this.....together.
We paused behind an abandoned storefront, and I pressed my back to the cold wall, trying to steady my breathing. "Tell me more," I whispered, eyes searching his. "About the organization… about the mission… everything you've hidden."
He exhaled slowly, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. "You want the truth?"
I nodded, heart pounding. "I can handle it. I can handle you."
DARIAN P.O.V (point of veiw)
I studied her face in the dim morning light. Her eyes, bright and steady despite the fear, made it impossible to lie. Every time I tried to protect her by keeping the truth hidden, I saw the hurt it caused. I couldn't do that anymore. Not with her here, standing beside me, fierce and determined.
"The organization… they're relentless," I began, voice low. "They train people to disappear, to erase their existence. I was one of them..... My mission… it was to protect certain secrets, to neutralize threats, but when I met you, everything changed. You weren't supposed to be involved, you weren't supposed to see… any of it."
Her hand found mine again, squeezing it. "I'm here now. I'm part of it whether you like it or not."
I swallowed hard. "You don't understand. Once they know you're involved… they won't stop, not for a second..... They'll come after you, and if I'm not there…"
"I'll fight," she said firmly. "I'll survive, but I want the truth. I need it from you."
Her resolve was intoxicating, and I realized that I'd been holding her back not to protect her from me, but because I was terrified of losing her completely.
"Okay," I murmured, letting my voice soften. "I'll tell you everything. But you have to promise me… no matter what you hear, no matter what you see, you won't walk away."
"I promise," she said.
The weight of her words settled between us. For a moment, it was just us.....no danger, no enemies, no shadows....just Darian and me, tethered together by trust, love, and months of longing.
ADANNA P.O.V (point of view)
I leaned closer to him, feeling his warmth brush against me. "Then start from the beginning," I whispered. "I'm ready."
He exhaled, closing his eyes for a second before speaking. "Before I met you, my life… it was all missions, all orders. I had no attachments, no one I trusted completely. You… changed that, you made me feel something I wasn't supposed to feel. Love! Care..... Vulnerability and I couldn't risk it. I couldn't risk anyone taking you away from me, so I disappeared. I left because I thought it was the only way to keep you safe."
My heart ached at his words. "And the explosion… the night before our wedding?"
Tears pricked my eyes, but I blinked them away. "You left me, and I almost… I thought I lost you forever."
"You didn't," he said, pressing a hand to my cheek. "I was always here. Watching, protecting, waiting for the right moment. And now… now we move forward together."
I leaned into his touch, letting the ache in my chest ease slightly. "Together," I echoed.
DARIAN P.O.V (point of view)
The city felt alive with threats, but in that quiet alley, I let myself focus on her... her hair, messy from the wind, her eyes full of fire and longing, the way she pressed close as if to absorb my strength… it was all consuming. I had been patient for months, hiding in shadows, avoiding her gaze. Now, I could hold her. Now, I could tell her everything, and she would still stay.
Without thinking, I leaned down, capturing her lips with mine. The kiss was slow, deep, and all consuming, a release of months of longing, fear, and desire. Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, and I felt her body press against mine, solid, alive, real.
"Darian…" she whispered against my lips, voice trembling. "Don't leave me again."
"I won't," I breathed. "Not ever."
We stayed like that, pressed together under the dim morning sky, until the world seemed to disappear. There was danger, yes, and there were enemies we'd face..... but for this moment, there was only us, and that was enough.
ADANNA P.O.V (point if view)
When we finally pulled apart, breaths mingling, I rested my forehead against his chest. I could feel the steady beat of his heart, strong and unwavering, and it anchored me. "Whatever comes next," I said softly, "we face it together."
He nodded, voice low and certain. "Together..... Always."
And as we stepped forward, hand in hand, shadows brushing against our feet, I realized that no matter what the organization threw at us, no matter the lies, the missions, the danger… we had each other.
That was enough to fight..... that was enough to survive... that was enough for love to exist, even in the darkest shadows.