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He wanted her to know he was still lurking in the shadows, watching, reminding her she couldn’t shake him off that easily.
Anger flared up in my chest, and I forced myself to stay calm. The last thing I wanted was to make a call that would push Tori away.
She’d made it clear that she valued her independence. But this? It felt like I was balancing on a knife’s edge.
“Did she see them yet?” I asked, keeping my voice as steady as I could.
“Yes, she opened the door after he left and brought them inside,” Aden said. “Her light’s been on the entire night. I doubted she got any sleep.”
I took a slow, deep breath, trying to keep the protective instinct in check.
I could picture her reaction already—the way her face would go pale, her lips pressed into a thin line.
She’d probably try to brush it off like it was nothing, but I knew better.
She’d been through hell because of that man, and the scars ran deep.
“Aden,” I finally said, choosing each word carefully. “Keep a close eye on Tori. But don’t do anything to spook her. She needs to feel in control of this.”
Aden hesitated for a moment.
“Are you sure? I mean… if she knows about me, she could use the support right now. I could make it clear that I’m around.”
“No.” The word came out sharper than I intended. I swallowed, trying to calm myself.
I continued, “No. Tori assumed I called you off. Besides, she’s been doing her best to stand on her own, and she’s just started trusting me. The last thing I want is for her to feel like I’m managing her life. Marcus already did enough of that.”
There was another pause on the line, and I could tell Aden was processing.
“Understood, sir. I’ll stay close but keep my distance,” Aden said.
“Good. Let me know if anything changes,” I told him.
The call ended, but I didn’t feel any relief. If anything, my tension only deepened.
Every instinct screamed at me to grab my keys, get in my car, and drive over to her place.
I wanted to be there for her, to tell her I’d handle this so she didn’t have to. But that wouldn’t do either of us any good.
She didn’t need a man who would coddle her, especially not after everything she’d been through with Marcus.
I dragged a hand down my face and turned back to the window, looking over the city that stretched out beneath me.
All that wealth, all that power—it felt useless when I couldn’t do the one thing I really wanted: protect her without crowding her.
I tapped my fingers on the desk, trying to wrestle with myself. She deserved her space, deserved to feel in control of her life again.
But damn, it was hard not to reach out, to pick up the phone and hear her voice, to know she was okay.
I wanted to tell her I’d handle it, that Marcus would never come close to her again. But Tori? She wouldn’t want that.
She was proud, and I loved that about her.
And even if I couldn’t protect her the way I wanted to, I could respect her enough to let her fight her own battles. For now.
She’d come to me if she needed me. And when she did, I’d be ready.
TORI