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He was controlling, manipulative, and emotionally abusive, but I never imagined he’d escalate to something like this.
Yet here I was, haunted by black roses and the knowledge that Marcus knew exactly where I lived.
“I don’t like the idea of having someone watching me,” I said finally, my voice steady but quiet.
“But… I think you’re right. Marcus has become unpredictable. For now, it’s probably a good idea,” I added.
Cole’s expression softened, relief flickering in his eyes.
“Okay,” he said. “But only for now.”
I nodded, meeting his gaze. “Only for now.”
“I know how much you value your independence,” Cole added, his voice gentler now. “But this is just a temporary measure.”
“Alright,” I said. I passed, hesitated, “Thank you for hearing me out. For being patient.”
“Of course.” Cole smiled faintly, but there was still a tension in his posture. “Do you know why Marcus is pursuing you after all these years?”
I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping me.
“I genuinely don’t. The last I heard, he had a girlfriend or fiancee. Maybe they broke up, and now he’s fixated on me again. It wouldn’t be the first time he’s rebounded by trying to crawl back into my life,” I said.
Cole’s expression darkened again, his protective instincts kicking in.
“He doesn’t get to do this to you, Tori. He doesn’t get to scare you,” Cole said.
“I’m not scared,” I said quickly, but the words felt hollow.
Cole raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced.
“Okay, maybe I am,” I admitted. “But I’m also angry. I rebuilt my life after him. I worked hard to get to where I am, and I won’t let him take that away from me.”
“He won’t,” Cole said firmly. “We’ll make sure of it.”
Cole sounded so confident.
Honestly, I felt safer knowing he was there. Marcus had already taken so much from me—I didn’t have to face this battle alone.
The waiter approached then, breaking the tension as he set our plates down.
The smell of fresh pasta and garlic filled the air, but my appetite had vanished.
I picked at my food, my thoughts spinning in circles.
Cole didn’t push me to eat or speak, and for that, I was grateful.
Instead, he reached across the table again, his fingers brushing against mine.
The small gesture was enough to ground me.
For the rest of the evening, we talked about lighter things—work, favorite books, childhood memories.
But even as I laughed at one of Cole’s stories, the weight of Marcus’s presence lingered in the back of my mind.
By the time we left the restaurant, the tension had eased slightly, but I knew this was far from over.
Marcus wasn’t done with me but for the first time in years, I felt like I had someone in my corner, and that…wasn’t too bad.