The next morning, I woke up to the scent of coffee and something warm pressing against my back. Clara’s arm was draped over me, her breath steady against my shoulder, her body curled protectively around mine as if, even in sleep, she refused to let go.
I let my eyes drift shut again, savoring the quiet.
This was new.
The peace. The lack of urgency. The way the world didn’t feel like it was crumbling beneath us.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t waking up in survival mode.
And yet, my body still tensed out of habit, as if waiting for the next disaster to strike.
Clara shifted slightly behind me, her fingers brushing against my bare skin as she let out a sleepy sigh.
“Are you thinking again?” she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.
I smiled despite myself. “Maybe.”
She hummed in disapproval, tightening her hold around me. “You should stop doing that.”
I turned in her arms so I could face her, taking in the sight of her in the soft morning light. Her hair was a mess, her lips slightly parted, her eyes still half-lidded with sleep.
She was beautiful.
And mine.
The thought sent warmth curling through my chest.
She reached up, tracing her fingers along my jaw. “What’s on your mind?”
I hesitated. “Everything.”
Her brows furrowed slightly, but she didn’t push. Instead, she leaned forward, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to my lips.
A silent reminder.
We were here. We were safe.
We had made it through.
For now, that was enough.
The adjustment wasn’t easy.
The city moved on as if nothing had changed, as if we hadn’t fought for our lives, as if we weren’t still trying to piece ourselves back together.
Clara seemed to slip into the quiet of our new life with ease. She found comfort in the simple things—buying groceries, cooking dinner, leaving her books scattered across the apartment.
Me? I wasn’t sure what to do with myself.
I had spent so long running, so long preparing for the next battle, that I didn’t know how to live without one.
“Bela, come here,” Clara called from the kitchen one evening.
I pushed myself off the couch and wandered over, leaning against the counter. “What’s up?”
She grinned, holding up a knife. “Cut these onions for me.”
I raised an eyebrow. “You called me over here for onions?”
She rolled her eyes but handed me the knife. “You need to learn how to do something normal. So, congratulations. You’re now my assistant chef.”
I huffed but took the knife. “Fine. But if I cry, I’m blaming you.”
Clara smirked. “If you cry, I’ll comfort you.”
That, somehow, made it worth it.
Two weeks passed. Two weeks of slow mornings, quiet nights, and stolen kisses in between.
And then, reality knocked on our door.
Literally.
I was lying on the couch, flipping through channels, when a knock echoed through the apartment.
Clara was in the kitchen, drying her hands. She shot me a questioning look. “Expecting someone?”
I shook my head, a familiar tension creeping into my muscles.
She frowned but walked over to the door, unlocking it cautiously before pulling it open.
I barely had time to react before I saw who was standing there.
Marcelo.
His presence alone sent a chill through me, not because I feared him, but because I knew—he wouldn’t be here unless something was wrong.
Clara stepped aside, letting him in, and he didn’t waste time.
“I need to talk to you,” he said, his voice clipped.
I stood, my stomach twisting. “What happened?”
Marcelo exhaled heavily, dragging a hand down his face. “It’s about Richard’s people. They’re moving.”
Clara stiffened beside me. “I thought they were lying low.”
Marcelo nodded. “They were. Until now. Someone is trying to take his place.”
I clenched my jaw. “And let me guess—they’re not happy about us walking away.”
His silence was answer enough.
Clara looked at me, her fingers brushing against my wrist in silent reassurance.
I had known peace wouldn’t last forever.
But I had hoped we’d get more than two weeks.
“What do you need?” I asked Marcelo, my voice steady.
He studied me for a long moment before nodding. “I need you both to be careful. We don’t know who’s pulling the strings yet, but whoever it is—they’re watching.”
I swallowed hard, my mind already running through possibilities.
Marcelo turned to leave but paused at the door. “You’ve earned a life outside of this, Bela. But if things get bad again… you know where to find me.”
And then he was gone.
Clara closed the door, letting out a long breath. “Well. That was fun.”
I forced a laugh, but it didn’t quite reach my eyes.
She turned to face me fully, her expression softening. “Hey. We’re okay. No one is coming after us right now.”
I nodded, trying to believe it.
She stepped closer, sliding her arms around my waist. “You’re allowed to enjoy this, you know.”
I exhaled, leaning into her touch. “I don’t know how.”
She smiled, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Then let me teach you.”
That night, Clara made us dinner, and for the first time in weeks, I let myself relax.
We sat on the floor, eating straight from the takeout containers because neither of us had bothered to set the table.
“You never did finish telling me what you want to do now,” Clara said, twirling noodles around her fork.
I glanced at her. “You mean besides staying alive?”
She smirked. “Yes, besides that.”
I hesitated. “I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about life after all of this.”
Clara studied me for a moment before setting her food down. “Then maybe it’s time you start.”
I swallowed. “And what about you?”
She shrugged. “I just want this.”
Her words sent warmth flooding through me.
I set my container aside and reached for her hand. “Then let’s figure it out. Together.”
Clara smiled. “Together.”
And for the first time in as long as I could remember, I let myself believe it.
Later that night, long after Clara had fallen asleep in my arms, I found myself staring at my phone.
Something didn’t feel right.
I opened my messages, scrolling through the ones I had ignored, and then—I saw it.
A single, anonymous text.
No name. No introduction. Just one sentence.
"You think you're safe?"
My blood turned to ice.
Whoever it was, they were watching.
And just like that, the world I had tried so hard to escape came crashing back in.