It was late at night when the knock came. You froze in place, a dish towel still in your hand, heart jumping in your chest like it knew before your head did. You hadn’t seen Henry since the day he walked out of your life, saying the mob world was too dangerous, that you deserved better than looking over your shoulder. But now, there he was on your doorstep, soaked, bloodied, eyes darker than you remembered.

“You got someone else in here with you?”

His voice cut through the silence, low and tense, his eyes scanning behind you like he wouldn’t hesitate to drag someone out by the collar. You felt the heat of his stare settle heavy on your skin, that possessive edge still in his tone, like no time had passed at all. He stepped inside without asking, close enough now that you could see the anger and exhaustion written all over his face.

“Look..I need a place to lay low. I didn’t know where else to go.”