The apartment was silent except for the faint hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of the wooden floorboards. The night outside was still, the city lights casting long, wavering shadows against the walls. Claire stood by the kitchen counter, gripping a glass of water between her hands, but her mind was far from the mundane act of drinking it.
She could still feel Christopher's presence behind her-his gaze heavy, his posture unreadable.
The moment between them had stretched, thick with something she wasn't ready to name.
"You think I sent someone to watch you?" Christopher's voice cut through the silence, controlled yet laced with an edge of something sharper, something she couldn't quite decipher.
Claire exhaled through her nose, her fingers tightening around the glass. "You showed up at the hotel, furious and demanding answers. Then, suddenly, I start feeling like someone's watching me. You tell me-should I be suspicious?"
A ghost of a smirk flickered at the corner of his lips, but it was cold. "I don't need to follow you to know what kind of trouble you get yourself into."
Her eyes snapped to his. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Christopher leaned against the counter across from her, arms crossing over his chest. The low kitchen light cast deep shadows along his jawline, accentuating the quiet intensity in his features.
"You draw people in, Claire. Even the wrong ones."
Her stomach twisted, but she masked it with an unimpressed scoff. "And you're implying you're one of the wrong ones?"
Something flickered in his expression-something quick, unguarded-but it disappeared as fast as it came.
He tilted his head slightly, as if considering her words. "I never said that."
But he didn't deny it either.
A heavy silence settled between them. Claire's pulse thrummed in her ears, an erratic beat she hated acknowledging. She hated the way he always managed to make her feel cornered-like she was the one playing catch-up in a game she never agreed to.
But before either of them could speak again, a door creaked open down the hall.
Claire turned her head just as Chloe padded into the kitchen, her hair a tangled mess, eyes bleary with sleep. She squinted at the dim lighting before her gaze landed on Christopher.
Professor Miller, you're still here," Chloe drawled, her voice hoarse with sleep.
Claire rolled her eyes.
Chloe ignored her, shifting her attention to Christopher, with an arched brow.
Christopher arched a brow, unfazed. "I was just leaving."
Claire felt an inexplicable pang at that.
Chloe smirked. "Oh? That's a shame. I was just about to make popcorn. Maybe I should stay and watch this unfold instead."
Claire groaned, rubbing her temples. "Go back to bed, Chloe."
Chloe only laughed but grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before making her way back to her room. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she teased over her shoulder.
As soon as her door clicked shut, Claire turned back to Christopher, but whatever tension had existed between them moments ago had shifted-morphed into something heavier, something unresolved.
He pushed off the counter. "You should get some sleep."
She crossed her arms. "That's what you're leaving me with?"
Christopher studied her for a long moment, his gaze searching hers. Then, as if making a decision, he took a step closer, closing the space between them. Claire's breath caught, but she held her ground.
His voice was lower when he spoke. "I didn't send anyone to follow you, Claire. But if someone is watching you-if something isn't sitting right, you tell me."
She swallowed, hating how his proximity made her pulse stutter. "Why?"
His gaze darkened, but not in anger. "Because I don't like being left in the dark."
There was something unspoken in his words, something that sent a shiver down her spine.
Before she could respond, he stepped back, retreating towards the door.
"Lock your doors," was all he said before slipping out into the night.
Claire stood there long after he was gone, her heart hammering against her ribs.
And for the first time, she wondered-truly wondered-if she was as safe as she had convinced herself she was.
The next morning, Claire sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the floor, still processing the night before. Christopher had stayed longer than she expected, quiet but present, leaving only when he was sure she was okay.
Chloe, of course, had given her the look before going to bed-the one that said We're talking about this later.
And now, with sunlight streaming through her window, reality settled in. She had classes to attend, and she couldn't afford to let paranoia mess with her routine.
She got ready quickly, throwing on a fitted sweater and jeans, tying her hair in a loose bun. When she stepped out of her room, Chloe was already at the kitchen counter, sipping coffee and scrolling through her phone.
Claire grabbed an apple and leaned against the counter.
Chloe didn't look up. "So, are we just not talking about last night?"
Claire sighed. "Chloe-"
"No, seriously." Chloe put her phone down. "You were freaked out. You called Our Professor. And now what? You're just gonna pretend it didn't happen?"
Claire bit into her apple. "I wasn't freaked out."
Chloe gave her a deadpan look. "Right. That's why you called him instead of me?"
Claire paused, guilt creeping in. She hadn't even thought about that. But something about Christopher's presence last night-his controlled, unwavering calm-had made her feel safer.
Chloe sighed, shaking her head. "Look, I get it. You're weirdly drawn to him. But just... be careful, okay?"
Claire rolled her eyes. "I work with him. That's it."
Chloe smirked. "Yeah, sure. Just work."
Before Claire could argue, her phone buzzed. A message from Christopher.
Professor Miller: Come to my office when you get to campus.
Her stomach twisted.
"What?" Chloe asked, eyeing her reaction.
Claire locked her phone. "Nothing."
Chloe hummed, unconvinced, but let it go.
They left the apartment together, taking a cab to campus. Everything felt normal-students walking to class, groups chatting near the library-but Claire couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
Was she imagining it?
She glanced over her shoulder.
Nothing.
She exhaled and quickened her pace.
***
Christopher
Christopher leaned back in his chair, hands clasped together, as Claire walked into his office.
She looked guarded, as if she was already preparing for a fight.
Good. He needed her to be alert.
"You wanted to see me?" she asked, closing the door behind her.
He nodded. "Lock it."
Her brows furrowed, but she did as he said.
Then she crossed her arms. "What's this about?"
Christopher studied her for a moment. "I need to know exactly when you started feeling watched."
Claire hesitated. "I told you-it started at the club."
"Details," he pressed. "When? Who did you notice? What changed after that night?"
She exhaled, rubbing her temple. "I don't know, Christopher. It was just a feeling. A few times at the hotel, then again yesterday-"
His gaze sharpened. "Yesterday?"
She nodded. "At the café. I was with Chloe, and I just... felt it."
His jaw tensed. He had already started looking into it, but this confirmed something for him-someone was keeping tabs on her movements.
Christopher leaned forward, voice low. "And you didn't think to mention this sooner?"
Claire's eyes flashed. "What do you want me to say? 'Hey, I think someone's watching me, but I have no proof'?"
"Yes," he said evenly.
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Why do you even care?"
Christopher didn't answer right away. He could give her the logical response-that it was a security concern, that her being involved in anything dangerous was an unnecessary risk-but that wasn't the real reason, was it?
He cared because it was her.
Instead, he masked his thoughts with indifference. "Because I don't like loose ends."
She scoffed. "Right. Of course. Always so pragmatic."
Christopher stood, moving toward the window, hands in his pockets. "You need to be careful, Claire."
She rolled her eyes. "Wow. Great advice. Thanks."
He turned, stepping closer. "I'm serious."
Claire stilled, caught off guard by the intensity in his eyes.
She swallowed. "So what? You're just going to follow me around now?"
Christopher smirked. "Tempting. But no."
"Then what?"
He exhaled. "If you notice anything-anything-you come to me. Understood?"
Claire hesitated, then nodded. "Fine."
A knock on the door interrupted them.
Claire stepped back as Christopher moved to unlock it.
The door swung open, revealing one of his colleagues. "Miller, we have a meeting in five."
Christopher nodded. "I'll be there."
As the professor walked away, Claire grabbed her bag, heading for the door.
She hesitated before leaving, glancing back at him.
"Thanks," she muttered.
Christopher simply nodded, but as she walked away, he knew-
This wasn't over.