Forever Watching

Chapter 8: Loose Ends

Will Moore sat in the darkened apartment, his eyes fixed on the window. Elena had fallen asleep hours ago, her breathing soft and steady in the next room. But Will couldn't close his eyes.

Not when that man was still out there. Watching. Waiting.

The stranger's words echoed in his mind—You can't protect her forever.

Will clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. He had worked too hard to let everything fall apart now. Elena trusted him. She needed him. And no one was going to take her away.

Especially not some shadow lurking in alleyways.

---

The next morning, Will followed Elena to work again, but this time he wasn't focused on her. He was focused on finding him.

The man in the hoodie.

Will scoured the area, circling the bookstore and watching from a distance. Hours passed, but there was no sign of the stranger.

Was he hiding? Watching from somewhere Will couldn't see?

The uncertainty gnawed at him.

By midday, Will's frustration had reached its peak. He stepped inside the bookstore, pretending to browse as he kept Elena in his peripheral vision.

"Hey."

Will turned to see Elena smiling softly at him.

"Hey," he said, forcing himself to relax.

"You okay? You look tense."

"I'm fine," he lied.

Elena hesitated, then bit her lip. "I actually wanted to ask you something."

Will's pulse quickened. "What is it?"

"I was thinking… maybe we should go away for the weekend? Just to clear my head."

Will blinked. The idea of getting Elena away from the city—away from prying eyes—was exactly what he wanted.

"That's a great idea," he said, his smile genuine this time.

Elena's face brightened. "Really? I mean, I just thought—"

"It's perfect."

The weekend trip would give him time. Time to deepen her trust. Time to figure out how to deal with the man in the hoodie.

Time to make sure nothing—and no one—came between them.

---

That night, as Elena packed her bags, Will slipped out of the apartment. He couldn't leave town without tying up the loose end.

He retraced his steps, heading back to the alley where he had first seen the man. The area was deserted now, shadows stretching long under the streetlights.

But Will wasn't alone.

A faint shuffle of footsteps behind him made his blood go cold.

He turned slowly, and there he was. The man in the hoodie.

"Looking for me?" the stranger asked, stepping out of the shadows.

Will didn't hesitate. He lunged.

The man dodged, but Will grabbed him by the jacket, slamming him against the wall.

"You don't know who you're messing with," Will hissed.

The man laughed—a sharp, mocking sound. "Neither do you."

Will's grip tightened. "Stay away from her."

The stranger's eyes gleamed. "Or what? You'll do to me what you did to May?"

Will froze.

The name hit him like a punch to the gut.

"What did you just say?"

"May," the man repeated, his voice dripping with venom. "You thought no one knew, didn't you? Thought you could move to a new city and start over?"

Will's heart pounded in his chest.

"Who are you?"

The man smirked. "Someone who sees you for what you really are."

Will didn't think. He acted.

His hands closed around the man's throat, shoving him back into the alley. The stranger struggled, but Will didn't let go.

"You don't know anything," Will growled.

The man's eyes widened as his strength began to fade. He clawed at Will's arms, but it was useless.

And then it was over.

The stranger slumped to the ground, his body limp.

Will staggered back, his chest heaving.

He had done it again.

But this time, it wasn't a mistake. It was necessary.

He had protected Elena.

No one else would ever threaten her.

---

When Will returned to the apartment, his hands were steady. He wiped the sweat from his brow and walked into the bedroom, where Elena was zipping up her suitcase.

She smiled when she saw him. "Ready?"

Will smiled back. "More than ready."

As Elena turned away, Will's gaze lingered on her.

She had no idea what he had done for her. No idea how far he was willing to go.

And she never would.