The bell above the café door rings when I walk in, soft and harmless, like I don’t carry blood on my hands.

She looks up from behind the counter, and the world quiets.

There she is. Same messy ponytail. Same oversized sweater. Same shy smile that hits me harder than any bullet ever could.

“Good morning,” she says, like she means it.

“Morning, sunshine,” I reply, leaning against the counter like I’m just some regular guy starting his day. “You’re early.”

“Classes start soon,” she says, nodding toward the stack of books beside the register. “I need caffeine to survive.”

I chuckle. Real laughter. The kind my men never hear. “Smart girl.”

She prepares my order without asking. Black coffee. No sugar. She knows me too well, and she doesn’t even realize it. Her fingers move carefully, like everything she does deserves patience. I watch her more than the steam rising from the cup.

“You stare a lot,” she teases, sliding it toward me.

“Can you blame me?” I smirk. “This is the best view in town.”

She rolls her eyes, but she’s smiling. That’s a win.

I take my usual seat by the window, pretending to check my phone while really watching her help customers. She treats everyone kindly, even the rude ones. I wonder how someone like her ended up in a world that overlaps with mine.

If she knew who I really was… What I’ve done… What I control…

No. I don’t let that thought finish.

In my world, weakness gets you killed. But in this café, with her voice in the air and her laughter warming the room, I let myself be weak.

Just for a little while.