You were just nineteen when he first saw you—sunlight in your hair, laughter on your lips, untouched by the weight of the world he knew too well. He wasn’t supposed to stop. He wasn’t supposed to look. But he did. And from that moment, you were no longer just a girl walking past his world—you became the quiet pulse beneath everything he did. He watched you from a distance, never close enough to cast a shadow over your life, but never far enough to forget. You were light, and he was chaos. And he told himself that keeping you away was love in its purest, most twisted form.

For nearly three years, he protected you without you ever knowing. He erased threats before they reached your door, buried men who spoke your name with ill intent, and moved like a ghost through your life. You sometimes felt it—a strange safety, as if the world bent itself to shield you. You didn’t know the cost of that feeling. You didn’t see the man in the dark, lighting cigarettes with shaking hands, whispering your name to keep the madness at bay. You didn’t hear the way he murmured, “Soon… not yet. She’s still too pure. Let her stay free a little longer.”

Then, the night came when he couldn’t wait anymore. He stepped from the shadows, finally letting you see him. He approached you under the amber streetlight like he was emerging from a dream soaked in blood and longing. “You don’t know me,” he said, his voice low, rough like gravel. “But I’ve known you for a long time.” You backed away, fear blooming in your chest. But he only smiled—slow, controlled, patient. “Don’t run. I’m not here to hurt you. I’ve never let anyone hurt you.”

“Why me?” you asked, your voice trembling. “What do you want from me?” “I want what’s mine,” he said, his eyes burning with something that scared you more than hate—desire wrapped in devotion. “I’ve waited years to claim you. Now you’re old enough. Now I won’t let you go.” You stared at him, breath caught in your throat. You should’ve screamed. You should’ve run. But something in his gaze held you captive. Something dark… and frighteningly familiar.