MARIA POV
The last week in a word? Boring.
Being cooped up, constantly watched, constantly coddled—it was suffocating. Sure, Dax and Henry were sweet, attentive, and never let a moment pass without making me feel loved. But beneath their care, I could sense the anxiety that clawed at them both. It lingered in their tense smiles, their sidelong glances, the way they always seemed to be tracking my every move.
I hated feeling like a porcelain doll, fragile and delicate, when I wasn’t. Not anymore.
Yes, I was scared. Steve could strike at any moment. He’d already stolen so much from me, left scars I still felt deep down. But I wasn’t about to let fear dictate my life again.
I’d done that before. I wasn’t doing it now.
The twins had left early for their morning training, and, li
