Not them.
He wanted to be the reason she felt safe enough to laugh again.
But safety had a price. And right now, he could only afford to watch.
Not when she stepped into the SUV.
Not when the door clicked shut.
Not when the car began to pull away.
His hands stayed clasped in his lap, but tension twisted through his muscles—held at bay only by sheer will.
Every nerve screamed to move.
To cross the street.
To tear down every barrier between them.
To claim what was his.
But he didn’t.
He stayed rooted—silent, unseen—because now wasn’t the time.
Because wanting her and protecting her weren’t always the same.
She was safe.
And for now, that had to be enough.
But as the SUV disappeared into the flow of traffic, something in him tightened.
His gaze never left the place where she’
