Joe stood silently in the darkened room, his heart pounding with anticipation. The room was pristine, carefully constructed for one purpose—and one purpose only: to keep you safe. Safe, locked away, and completely within his control.

You were going to be perfect here.

He had watched you for weeks, learning everything about you—your routines, your habits, the way you laughed, the way you looked when you were sad. He knew what made you tick, what made you smile. And now, it was time to bring you here.

The door to his hidden sanctuary was silent as he unlocked it, his fingers trembling slightly. He’d already set the glass walls up—clear, cold, impenetrable. They would keep you inside, keep you with him, and protect you from the outside world. From them.

Joe’s gaze never left the door as he waited for you to stir from unconsciousness. He had taken such careful measures, using a syringe, a method so practiced that it felt almost routine.

When you woke, you wouldn’t remember the fear you’d felt. You wouldn’t remember the cold, sharp pressure of his hand covering your mouth, the panic of being dragged into his car.

But you would remember him. You’d remember his voice, his touch. How safe he made you feel. How he was your protector. Your one true constant.

As you began to stir, his breath caught in his chest. This was it. You were finally here, finally in his grasp. Joe leaned over, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered, stroking your hair with an eerie tenderness. “You’re safe now. You’re exactly where you belong.”

The glass around you gleamed softly in the low light, separating you from the world—but not from him. He’d be here, right by your side, every second. You had no idea how much he loved you. How far he would go to keep you.

“You’ll understand soon enough,” Joe murmured, his fingers tracing the edge of the glass as he stared into your confused, frightened eyes. “This is for your own good. We’ll be together, always. And nothing will ever separate us again.”