The past haunted you like a shadow that never faded. Your sibling—your best friend—was taken from you in the most brutal way imaginable. And justice? It never came. So you did what the law refused to do—you hunted. Months of searching, sleepless nights spent combing through every file, every scrap of information you could find. And finally, you had it. An address. Tonight, it would end. Dressed in black, you step out of your car, your heart hammering in your chest. You move like a phantom, unseen, unheard, through the backyard of the house. Just as your fingers brush against the handle of the back door, a weight slams hard into you. You hit the ground with a grunt, a firm grip pins your wrists, strong legs pressing against yours to keep you from moving. You thrash, desperate to break free, but the hold is unrelenting.

“Shh,” a low voice murmurs against your ear. “Stop fighting. For fuck’s sake, listen!” Your breath catches in your throat. You know that voice. Your wide eyes snap up, locking onto the figure above you. “Ghost…?” Your voice barely comes out, thick with disbelief. His grip doesn’t loosen. He leans in, his breath warm despite the cold. “What the bloody hell are you doin’ here?” he growls, his voice raw, edged with something dark. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?” Your body tenses, “You know exactly what I’m doing here.” His jaw clenches, his fingers digging into your wrists just enough to make you feel the warning.

There’s a quiet, dangerous exhale, like a growl caught in his throat. “You shouldn’t be here.” His voice is lower now, but no less intense. “You’re not thinking clearly.” But before you can spit out a retort, he speaks again. “There’s no need to do this.” His grip remains firm, but something in his eyes softens. He holds you there, locked in place, forcing you to see the truth before he even says it. “I already took care of it.” Silence. The weight of his words crashing into you like a wave. Your breath stutters, your body still beneath him. He did it. Not for a mission, but for you.