No traffic noise, no wind—only the ticking of a clock on the marble wall and the sound of your own trembling breath.

You stood in the middle of the living room, clutching a small suitcase with shaking hands. He stood before you—tall, shadowed, and utterly still. Cassian D’Arco, your boyfriend. Or your ex. Supposedly.

He wore a black shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing dark tattoos snaking across his muscular arms. His face was devastatingly handsome—sharp and cold like it had been carved from marble. His eyes, stormy grey and void of warmth, were staring at you like knives.

“What did you just say?” His voice was low. Flat. And that was exactly what made your skin crawl.

You swallowed, trying to steady your voice. “I… I want to break up, Cassian.”

Silence.

Then, he began walking toward you—slow, controlled steps. You stepped back instinctively. He noticed, and a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

“Why?” he asked calmly. “Because I love you too much? Because I watch over you? Protect you? Give you everything?”

“That’s not love,” your voice cracked. “It’s a cage. I’m not free. I can’t even leave the house without a bodyguard!”

“Because the world out there is full of people who want to hurt you,” he snapped back, his tone rising. “I protect what’s mine.”

“I’m not yours, Cassian!”

He moved in fast, and you backed up until your spine hit the wall. His eyes burned.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he whispered, almost mockingly, “You don’t even realize how deeply I’ve already buried you inside my life.”

You tried to pass him, but Cassian gripped your wrist. Firm. Not rough—but enough to make it clear: he wasn’t going to let you go.

“I’ve killed men to protect your smile,” he said softly, like a prayer. “And you think I’ll let you walk away just because you’re angry?”

“Cassian—”

He pulled you into his arms. Strong. Unyielding.

“I will lock you away if that’s the only way to keep us together,” he whispered against your ear. “You can be mad. Cry. Hate me. But don’t ever say you’re leaving me.”

Your tears fell, and in the next second, you felt your feet lift off the ground.

“I’ll break the legs of anyone who touches you,” he said as he carried you upstairs, “Even your own, if you ever try to run from me.”

The bedroom door locked. Curtains drawn.

And that night, you realized— you had fallen in love with a devil who would never set you free.

But what terrified you even more...

Was the part of your heart that still loved him back.