I never took my eyes off Theron. His gaze seemed empty. It met mine for only a brief moment before shifting to Amy.
She was still trying to shout something. But the instant Theron looked at her, she fell silent. Behind me, I heard her slowly lower herself into a chair. The chains of the handcuffs struck the iron table with a dull clang.
Theron did not say a single word to me. He simply walked past and sat down in my seat. Gathering every ounce of my will, I walked out, refusing to let myself look back.
I was escorted to another office. Agent Ron was already waiting for me there.
"Here is the official closure of the investigation into your stepfather's murder." He gestured toward the folder. "But if new evidence comes to light, I won't be able to ignore it. I'll reopen the case."
Just as I had expected. He had never intended to close it for good. What had I been hoping for, anyway? At least I had bought Theron a little time. I hoped it would be enough.
I began leafing through the documents. I didn't take any of it at face value.
As I examined the reports, conclusions, and orders to close and suspend the case, the agent broke the silence.
"Wouldn't you like to work for us?"
The uncertainty in his voice grated on my ears. As though he himself understood how absurd the offer sounded.
I gave a faint smirk.
"Give me back the tie."
Ron opened the top drawer of his desk and held out Theron's tie to me. Without a word, I slipped it into the inside pocket of my jacket.
"My loyalty belongs to Theron. And making me an offer like that is the height of insolence."
He leaned back in his chair, as though he had been expecting exactly that answer.
"Was it just my imagination, or has a crack appeared between the two of you after what happened?"
His composure irritated me even more than outright pressure.
"You knew he wouldn't simply forgive your connection with us. You made an agreement with his personal enemy. With the man who has spent years trying to capture him and strip him of his freedom. Do you really think Theron will be able to turn a blind eye to that?"
I said nothing. I kept looking at the documents, though I had stopped reading them.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe Theron would never forgive me.
Maybe this was exactly where the chasm between us had begun.
The one that, one day, might become our end.
"Protect yourself." His voice took on a feigned note of concern. "We'll take you on as a temporary agent. Or as a freelancer."
"I fulfilled my part of the agreement." Inside, I felt calm, and my voice sounded the same. "I hope we have no further business with each other. Goodbye."
"At least think about my offer." He insistently held out his business card to me.
I gave the faintest smile and, ignoring it, walked out of the office.
On my way to the exit, I paused in the lobby.
Outside, police officers had cordoned off the entrance, and a crowd of reporters had flooded the entire street.
Were they really here because of Theron?
Glancing around in search of another way out of the building, I noticed Theron and Ostin coming from a side corridor, heading toward the exit.
Instinctively, I took a step toward them.
But I froze at once.
What could I say to him?
How could I say it?
And could I even say anything at all?
Everything inside me tightened.
Without thinking, I hurried toward him.
"Theron..."
He stopped immediately, just a couple of steps from the glass doors.
Somewhere behind us, the cameras and reporters stirred like a disturbed swarm. I caught up to him, but he did not turn around. Instead, he took another step toward the exit. I grabbed his arm.
He pulled free at once, shaking my hand off.
Again... What... Am... I... Doing...
My throat tightened. That pain. Again. It pierced straight through me. I stared at my hand.
"You still have unfinished business." His calm, cold voice drove into me like a needle. "Go to the hospital."
He spoke with the same steady composure. As though he were reading from a script prepared in advance.
I curled my fingers into a fist.
Then slowly opened them.
Still looking at the hand he had pushed away once again. Silence. It was all I was capable of in that moment. Without lifting my eyes, I felt them walk outside. At once, the noise from the street reached me. The shouts of the reporters.
I kept clenching and unclenching my fingers.
As though I could not believe that everything could end like this.
I have to accept it. Everything that I myself have done.
The cool air swept through the doors once more. I did not lift my eyes from my hand.
Acceptance...
Theron's hand seized the hand he had just pushed away. With his other hand, he gripped me firmly by the throat, lifting my head so that I could see his face.
Anger. Rage. Fury.
All of it was reflected in his eyes.
"Do you fucking know how hard it is for me to send you to another man? To understand that all you can think about is another man. Even if he was hurt because of you. Or perhaps he even saved you."
His hand around my neck was not squeezing. It was controlling. His voice, filled with fury, remained quiet. That only made it more frightening.
"Can you even imagine what happens to me when I realize that your will to live depends on his life just as much? Like beacons, isn't it..."
I could not say a word. I did not know what would be the right thing to say at that moment.
"I'm sorry."
That was all I managed to force out.
"Fuck. That's not what I want to hear."
His grip tightened. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against him, without removing his other hand from my throat.
"I love you." My voice came out hoarse. Uncertain.
His lips immediately claimed mine.
He kissed me hungrily, fiercely, wildly, drawing me even closer. I felt his brows knit together, as though in pain. His ribs...
The noise beyond the glass doors grew louder, but he did not care in the slightest. He kept kissing me—hungrily, strangely, desperately. Every touch of his tongue echoed through me, tugging at my raw nerves. Everything inside me trembled and seemed to collapse somewhere deep below.
"Theron..." Ostin's calm voice stopped him. "You should continue this somewhere more private," he reminded him, his tone as composed as ever.
Theron merely shot him a venomous glance, and Ostin immediately stepped back.
Theron looked toward the reporters once more, then turned me so that his body completely shielded me from their view. Behind his broad back and long coat, I was almost entirely hidden.
"Say it again," Theron asked, kissing me slowly and tenderly now.
"I..."
His lips covered mine and then immediately drew away.
"Love..."
Once more, he brushed his lips against mine.
"You."
Theron pulled me tightly into his embrace, and an involuntary moan escaped me from the pain. His hold was unbelievably strong.
Behind us, Ostin cleared his throat pointedly.
"All right, let's go home," Theron finally gave in. "And don't you dare intimidate her."
He said the last part while casting Ostin the same furious look. Ostin merely rolled his eyes in response.
"I'll do it anyway if the situation calls for it. You know that," he replied matter-of-factly.
Theron's teeth ground together, but this time he backed down.
He took my hand and headed for the exit. I immediately pulled my hood up.
"Why?" Theron asked and stopped. "Let them see."
He reached for my hood.
But I stopped him at once.
"I don't think this is the best situation right now." The words still stumbled out of me. Everything inside me was turning upside down. "I..."
I did not have time to finish. Theron pulled the hood farther down over my forehead, wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and led me along the cordoned-off path toward his car, instinctively shielding me with his body.
He opened the door and put me into the car, then got in on the other side. The car immediately pulled away. The noise outside the window did not die down for even a second. But Theron did not care in the slightest.
He was greedy for touch. He pulled me toward him and began kissing me again, as though we had not seen each other for months. But I could feel the tension in him.
His ribs...
I immediately tried to pull away, but he would not let me.
"Your... ribs..." I managed to say against his lips.
He yielded to me and let go.
"It has only been a day or two. You need to be more careful."
I placed my palm against his chest.
"I should have broken her neck when I had the chance," he said quietly, looking at me. "This stunt of yours... It nearly broke me. I thought I'd lost you..."
His hands pulled me against his chest again. I did not resist. I wanted to be in his arms too.
"Promise me that you won't give up if Derek..."
He did not finish, but we both understood what he meant.
If he died. Because of me. At the very thought of it, everything inside me became empty again.
"If that happens..." My voice broke. "I don't know how I'll get through it... Because of me..."
"I'll be there."
He held me tighter.
"I'm sorry. I just didn't know what to do. I didn't want you to be torn apart. But I was scared... What if he... and you..."
The words tangled together.
Proper sentences, the right words—all of it had fallen apart.
It was a subject that frightened him just as much as it frightened me.
"I fucking just don't know what to do in a situation like this," his voice dropped to a whisper. "But I'll never push you away again. Not even for your own good. Never..."
His barely audible words calmed me. They pieced back together what had been shattered only minutes ago.
The silence was broken by his phone.
I pulled away, and he answered it.
His gaze immediately darted toward me. He briefly answered in the affirmative and hung up.
"We're going to the hospital," he ordered the driver.
I looked at him in confusion.
"Derek woke up."
Theron squeezed my hand in his.
The mountain that had weighed down on me because of our conversation seemed to collapse, finally allowing me to breathe.
All the way there, Theron held my hand. From the way he looked at me, it was obvious—he could see my impatience.
As soon as we arrived, I immediately got out of the car. Theron did not follow me. I turned around and looked into the open door. He was sitting there, staring straight ahead.
"Wait for me."
I threw the words over my shoulder and immediately ran off, giving him neither the chance to refuse nor the time to find a reason to leave. I understood that going in with me would have been selfish, considering what he had said earlier. I quickly reached the room and saw that Derek was already talking freely with Amy. It seemed she was scolding him.
As soon as I entered, their conversation stopped. Amy merely nodded silently at me and left the room, closing the door behind her.
"How are you?" I asked uncertainly.
"As you can see, alive." A calm, indifferent smile appeared on his face.
I closed my eyes and lowered my head.
"Forgive me."
That was all I could say.
"It's all right..."
"No."
I interrupted him.
"No, it isn't all right. It isn't..."
A cry escaped me involuntarily.
I forced myself to bring my voice under control, and the next words came out more quietly.
"I could never forgive myself if something had happened to you. I will always be indebted to you for this. I owe you..."
Derek looked at me calmly. He was a little thinner than usual. But he was still the same Derek. Just as before.
"Come here."
He held out his hand to me. I approached and took it. He squeezed my fingers a little tighter—as much as he could right now.
"I'll think about forgiving you if you do something for me," he said calmly, holding my hand against himself.
Everything inside me turned upside down.
"All right. Tell me what you want..."