Tabitha pov
My heart pounds so hard it feels like it might burst from my chest. The air in my apartment is thick, suffocating with the weight of the decision I’m about to make. Every instinct I have is screaming at me to stay inside, to lock the doors, to never let him get close enough to pull me under. But there’s another voice—quieter, more dangerous—that urges me to go.
And I’m listening to it.
I stand by the window, fingers clutching the edge of the curtain, staring down at the black car parked on the street. He’s there, leaning against the car, waiting for me to realize something I’ve been fighting against: I’ve already made my choice. He knows. He always has.
The tension is too much, too overwhelming. I need to see him. I need to face whatever this is.
My hands shake as I grab m
