I’ve had hours to figure out what I was going to say to her, but now she is here, standing mere feet away from me, I’m speechless. My heart lays on the ground between us, resembled by the shards of broken glass. I have to try, for myself, for her, for us. We are more alike than she knows, but now is not the time to revel in the loss of my own family ties. The look in her eyes and the way her body is trembling screams to me that this is clearly a bigger deal to her than I thought it would be.

Closing the gap between us, I wrap my arms around her and hold her to my chest. Her hands fist my t-shirt and we stand in silence holding each other; an attempt at masking all the unspoken words. Eventually, I let go of her and using my forefinger, I tilt her chin upwards. She blinks and the eyes I’m met with are no longer sparkling, there isn’t even a hint of gold left in them. Jesse was right. Kinsley is shutting down and soon she’ll be pushing me away. If only she understood how serious I was when I told her forever.

Knowing what I do now, I should have slipped a fucking marriage certificate in with her rental agreement. The thought almost makes me smile, but it’s neither the time nor the place.

* * *

Tanner

Present time …

I’m drowning in the shadows of my office, the only light flickers from the computer screens in front of me. To my right my screen is split into four; showing the two cameras on the outside of Kinsley’s apartment, as well as two new cameras; one in her bedroom and one in the open living area downstairs.

Jesse has the doors open to her balcony, the white sheer curtains moving in the breeze. I can see him attempting to talk to her, while the blankets are pulled up over her head. I should have installed a microphone along with the fucking camera. Moments later he pulls the covers off her and she retreats into a ball. Her body shakes, not from fear or being cold, no – she’s sobbing.

I tip back the glass of whisky I poured earlier. The burn of alcohol is no competition to the way my heart is cracking open at the sight of her. Looking back at the screen I see Jesse laying beside her, pulling her into his arms. A mixture of guilt, jealousy and gratitude wash over me and I remind myself that I promised her I would always be what she needed; right now she needs me to be her dark knight … Jesse has always been the one in shining armour.