"Whatever it takes."
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Eve

The morning light streamed through the window, painting the room in soft, golden hues. I slipped out of Carson's bed as quietly as I could, careful not to wake him. His face, relaxed in peaceful slumber, tugged at my heart. For a fleeting moment, I hesitated. The warmth of his arms still lingered on my skin, and the thought of crawling back into bed, into him, tempted me.

But the clock on the bedside table ticked on relentlessly, pulling me back to reality. I had to leave. I had class, responsibilities, a life that demanded my attention beyond this stolen sanctuary.

Pausing in the doorway, I turned to glance at him once more. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, and the sight of him filled me with a quiet ache. Carson was different—grounded and calm, a stark contrast to the chaos that had shaped me. He was my shelter in a world that always seemed intent on breaking me. For the first time in what felt like forever, I believed I might deserve something good.

I scribbled a quick note and left it on his nightstand, the words clumsy but heartfelt: Had to head back to get ready for class. See you later. –E.

Outside, the crisp morning air nipped at my cheeks, but I barely felt the cold. My heart was too full, my thoughts consumed by him. I clutched the memory of his warmth tightly as I made my way to my car. The drive back to my dorm was uneventful, the streets unusually quiet, but a faint unease curled in my stomach, a shadow I couldn't quite shake.

When I climbed the stairs to my floor, I paused mid-step. My door was ajar.

My pulse quickened. My heart stopped.

Pushing the door open, I stepped inside—and froze.

I am not afraid. I am not afraid, I repeated in my head.

My father stood in the center of my dorm room.

He's here, he found me. He found me

The stench of his cologne hit me like a physical blow, dragging me back to memories I had fought to bury. Nights of whispered prayers to the stars, begging for him to be the father I needed, crashed over me. But I wasn't that helpless girl anymore. I had fought too hard to claw my way out of that darkness.

He turned at the sound of the door creaking, his expression hard and unyielding. His presence drained the air from the room, turning my sanctuary into a trap.

Katie wasn't here I realised, I was glad of it.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the tremor in my hands.

He didn't answer immediately. His eyes roamed over me, sharp and judgmental, as if he were sizing me up and finding my weaknesses. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and cutting. "What am I doing here? Maybe the better question is what you've been doing."

A chill ran down my spine. I tightened my grip on the strap of my bag. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He took a deliberate step toward me, his presence suffocating. "Don't play games with me, Eve. I know about him. You thought you ran away from me" he let out a laugh "Wherever you go, I will fucking find you." He stepped closer, close enough that he was able to reach out and graze his fingers on my cheek.

Don't touch me! I wanted to shout, I wanted to fight but I couldn't. Instead I was trapped there, on that spot, my insides burning and screaming at the coldness of his touch.

"About who?" I asked, though my voice faltered.

His eyes narrowed, and his tone sharpened. "You know exactly who I'm talking about. That boy. Carson."

A lump formed in my throat. "What about him?" Carson, my Carson. He wouldn't touch him, he wouldn't. He could do anything to me, but not him never him.

His laugh was bitter, cruel. "What about him?" he repeated mockingly. "Do you think I'm blind? Do you think I don't see what's going on? You've been parading around with him like you've forgotten who you are. Where you come from. What you fucking deserve!"

Anger surged, hot and fierce, momentarily eclipsing my fear. "You don't get to say his name. You don't get to touch him!"

He interrupted me with a sharp slap that snapped my head to the side. My cheek stung, the pain radiating through me, but the shock hit harder.

"You will not speak to me like that," he hissed, his voice a dangerous growl.

I am not afraid.

I straightened, refusing to let him see the tears brimming in my eyes. "What do you want?"

"I want you to end it," he said, his words cold and final. "Whatever this... relationship is, it ends now."

My heart sank. "Why? What does it matter to you who I'm with?"

"It matters," he snarled, stepping closer, "because I won't have you jeopardizing everything I've worked for. Do you have any idea what would happen if someone like him started poking around where he doesn't belong? You think he wouldn't start asking questions, digging where he shouldn't?"

I stared at him, the truth hitting me like a freight train. "This isn't about me at all, is it? This is about you. You're afraid."

His expression darkened, and before I could react, he grabbed my arm with a bruising grip. "Watch your mouth," he warned, his tone icy. "You don't know what you're talking about."

I yanked my arm free, my chest heaving. "I know enough. And I'm not breaking up with him just because you're scared of whatever skeletons you've got in your closet."

His lip curled into a sinister smirk. "If you don't," he said, his voice low and deliberate, "I'll make sure he's taken care of. Permanently."

The room tilted, his words cutting through me like a blade. My stomach churned, the enormity of his threat sinking in.

Carson, my Carson.

"You wouldn't," I whispered, though my voice lacked conviction.

He tilted his head, his smirk widening. He knew it, I knew it. He'd found my weakness. "Try me. I've done worse for less."

The weight of his words crashed down on me, suffocating and inescapable. He wasn't bluffing.

He adjusted his jacket, his casual demeanor in stark contrast to the storm he'd just unleashed. "You have until tomorrow," he said as he turned to leave.

"End it, or I will."

The door closed behind him, the sound echoing in the silence he left behind.

I stood there, frozen, as tears blurred my vision and spilled down my cheeks. My legs gave out, and I sank to the floor, wrapping my arms around myself as sobs wracked my body.

How could I protect Carson from this? From him?

For Carson, for the love I felt, I'd tear myself apart if it meant keeping him safe.

I had to.

For him, for Carson I would rip my heart and soul into shreds.

I loved him.

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.......

That's all I have to say☺️