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“What is it?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “What are you hiding from me?”

Vice’s jaw clenched, his eyes avoiding hers. The old military headquarters built into the side of a mountain back in the 1940’s was their new sanctuary; it now had become a prison of his own making. He knew he couldn’t keep the secret much longer. It was eating away at him, a festering wound that threatened to consume them both.

“Vice, what’s going on?” Ivy began, her voice tentative, “Is everything alright?”

He remained silent, his gaze distant and haunted. “It’s nothing,” he finally said with a sigh, his voice a low rumble.

“Don’t lie to me,” Ivy said, her tone firm. “I can see it in you're eyes. You’re hiding something, and it’s tearing you and us apart.”

Vice’s anger flared, his eyes flashing with a fire that had not been there before. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he snarled, his voice a low growl that seemed to resonate through the very air.

“I know you,” Ivy retorted, her voice shaking slightly with the effort to remain strong. “And you’re not acting like yourself.”

Vice turned away from her, his back rigid with tension. “You think you know me,” he said, his voice cold and hard. “But you don’t. You never truly did.”

The words hung in the air like a storm cloud, heavy with accusation and pain. Ivy felt a chill run down her spine. She had seen glimpses of the monster beneath the mask, but never like this. His eyes, once filled with tenderness, now burned with a rage that scared her.

“Why are you pushing me away?” she asked again, her voice stronger this time. She took a step towards him, her hand reaching out to touch his arm, but he flinched at her touch.

He whirled around, pinning her against the wall. His hand around her throat “Because I’m not the hero you think I am,” he said, his voice cracking. “I’m the villain of this story, Ivy. I’ve made deals with creatures you can’t even imagine getting what I want.”

Tears started to stream down Ivy’s face as she searched his eyes, looking for the man she had come to love amidst the monster she had feared. “You’re not a villain to me,” she choked out.

Vice’s grip on her throat loosened, and he stepped back, his eyes never leaving hers. “Ivy, I wish it were that simple,” he said, his voice a broken whisper. “But the world we live in…it’s not a fairy tale. I’m not a prince. I’m the beast, and I’m going to ruin you.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks, her voice shaking as she spoke. “Then why did you save me?” she demanded, the words catching in her throat. “Why did you bring me back if you’re just going to push me away?”

Vice’s expression was torn, his eyes a tempest of regret and anger. “Because I love you,” he said, the admission ripping from him like a wound.

Ivy’s heart skipped a beat, his words a dagger to the heart. “Then why,” she sobbed, “why are you pushing me away?”

Vice’s grip on her softened, his eyes searching hers. “Because I’m afraid,” he admitted, his voice a low murmur. “I’m afraid that if you know the truth, you’ll leave.”

Ivy’s eyes searched his, a mix of confusion and anger swirling in their depths. “Why would you say that to me?” she whispered. “I can’t leave, you saw to that when you accepted my deal. I’m you're prisoner.”

Vice released her throat, his hands now framing her face. “You’re not my prisoner anymore,” he murmured, his thumbs gently wiped her tears from her cheeks. “

Ivy’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What do you mean?” she breathed. Vice’s grip on her face tightened, his thumbs lingering on her cheekbones.

“Your death caused our deal,” he paused, his voice hoarse with emotion. “To become null and void. You’re free, Ivy.”

For a moment, she just stared at him, not comprehending his words. Then, as the words sank in, her eyes widened with hope. “Free?” she whispered.

Vice nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. “The deal is broken,” he said, his voice filled with sadness and pain. “You can go. You can live you're life without fear of me.”

For a moment, Ivy was speechless, the gravity of his words crashing over her like a tidal wave. She had never thought she would hear those words from him, that she would be given the choice to leave. But she knew, deep in her heart, that she couldn’t.

Ivy looked into his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said firmly, her voice steady despite the tremor of emotion that ran through her. “I love you, Vice. I don’t care about the deal. I’m staying prisoner or not.

Vice’s expression softened, his eyes searching hers for any sign of doubt. “But you should,” he said, his voice cracking. “You should leave me before I destroy you.”

Ivy reached up, placing her hand over his heart. “Maybe you will destroy me,” she assured him. “But I’d rather be destroyed with you than be whole without you. Because I know how much you love me and I love you all of you. The good, the bad, the broken, and the powerful.”

He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling beneath her hand. “You can’t stay,” he began, his voice tight with tension. “You need to leave and go live you're life. Find someone who deserves you.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his fear. Ivy’s eyes searched his, her heart aching for the man who had saved her life and stolen her heart. “Vice,” she said softly, “I know you’re not perfect. But I also know that you’re not the monster you think you are.”

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Ivy,” he whispered, “you don’t know what I’ve done. You don’t know the things I’ve seen, the lives I’ve taken.”