Bella's POV
The sound of the city outside her apartment window felt distant, muffled, as Bella stood in the dimly lit kitchen, her hands gripping the edge of the counter. She'd barely taken in the words Ethan had said to her earlier—I won't let him hurt you. I won't let anyone hurt you. Not now, not ever. They haunted her, but in a way that felt suffocating.
Ethan was dangerous to her, and not just because of the undeniable pull between them. It wasn't just the danger from Vince Reyes—who, if Bella was honest, scared the hell out of her—it was Ethan's fierce need to protect her, even if it meant stepping into the very storm she had worked so hard to avoid.
Her phone buzzed, cutting through the thick silence, and Bella almost jumped. The number on the screen made her stomach drop: Carmen.
"Carmen," Bella said, voice shaky. "What's going on?"
"Bella, you need to leave. Now," Carmen's voice was tight with panic. "Vince—he's close. I don't know how, but he found me. He's been watching the building."
Bella's blood ran cold, her grip tightening around the phone. She glanced at the twins in the other room—Aiden and Aria were sleeping soundly, unaware of the storm brewing around them. They were the only reason she hadn't completely lost it. "Where are you? I'm coming to you," Bella said, her voice sharp with determination.
"I'm at home, Bella, but it's too late," Carmen's voice trembled. "I'm scared. I—I think he's inside the building."
Bella's heart skipped a beat. Panic, real panic, clawed at her chest. Vince had found Carmen. That meant he was closer to finding her, to finding the twins. The thought made her sick to her stomach.
Ethan stepped into the kitchen at that moment, his eyes locking onto hers, his expression darkening when he saw the fear in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice low, dangerous.
Bella couldn't hide the terror creeping into her voice as she spoke. "Carmen's in trouble. Vince—he's here. He's already inside her building."
Ethan's jaw tightened, the storm inside him growing. He crossed the room in two strides and grabbed her shoulders, his grip firm yet gentle, as if he was grounding her to him. "We're going to get her, and we're going to make sure Vince doesn't get anywhere near you. You hear me?"
Bella stared up at him, caught between the raw need to push him away and the undeniable pull of his protection. She opened her mouth to protest, but before she could speak, Ethan reached for his phone.
"No. Don't argue with me, Bella," he said, his tone soft but unyielding. "You don't have a choice. We'll get Carmen. And we'll make sure Vince doesn't threaten you or the twins. He won't touch any of you."
Her pulse raced as she nodded, her head swimming with a mix of fear and something she wasn't ready to acknowledge—relief. Ethan's presence in her life, his insistence on stepping into the danger for her sake, made her want to believe in something she hadn't allowed herself to believe in years: that she wasn't alone anymore.
But her mind couldn't shake the warning bell. Vince was not a man who would back down. Not ever.
Ethan's voice broke through her thoughts. "Get the twins. We're leaving. Now."
Bella hurried into the living room, where Aiden and Aria were curled up on the couch, fast asleep. Her heart ached at how innocent they looked. She moved toward them slowly, her fingers brushing the soft curls of Aria's head, her heart heavy. They were her world. Nothing—and no one—was going to tear that apart.
A loud knock at the door shattered her thoughts.
Ethan moved faster than she could react, already standing in front of her, his body tense. His eyes darted to the door, then back to Bella. He was already in fight-or-flight mode.
The knock came again, harder this time.
"Stay here," Ethan commanded, his voice low, protective. But the way his eyes locked on hers told her he wasn't giving her an option.
"Ethan…" Bella started to protest, but the warning in his eyes silenced her.
Ethan stepped toward the door, his every muscle coiled with a predator's instinct. Bella could feel the air between them crackling with the tension, with the urgency that had taken over him. He knew, deep down, that this wasn't just about protecting her anymore. Vince wasn't just a man from her past. He was a threat—one that could destroy everything.
The door creaked open, and Bella's breath hitched as she watched Ethan's body tense even further.
But it wasn't Vince.
It was Carmen—her eyes wide with fear, her breath ragged.
"Get in," Ethan barked, stepping aside as Carmen rushed past him, into the apartment.
"Vince…he's close. I don't know how, but he's…" Carmen's words faltered as she looked between Ethan and Bella, her eyes flicking between them. Bella could see the concern in her friend's eyes. "Bella, I—"
Before Carmen could finish, a crash echoed from the hallway—something heavy hitting the floor. Bella's heart raced, and she felt a chill run down her spine. Vince was here.
Ethan's eyes flicked to the hallway. Without hesitation, he grabbed Bella's arm, pulling her close. "Stay with Carmen. Don't move. Lock the door," he ordered, his voice steady but urgent. He turned to move toward the hallway, but Bella grabbed his arm.
"No," she said, her voice shaking. "Ethan, please. Don't."
Ethan's gaze softened for just a moment as he turned back to her, his hand cupping her face gently. "I'm not letting anything happen to you, Bella. But you need to trust me now. I'll protect you."
She wanted to argue, to tell him that she didn't need protecting, but the look in his eyes made her hesitate. This was it. They were already in too deep. Vince was no longer just a ghost from her past. He was a tangible, dangerous threat. And now, he was coming for all of them.
Bella swallowed hard, her pulse pounding in her ears. "Promise me you'll come back," she whispered.
Ethan's lips curled into a soft smile, a promise in his eyes. "I'll always come back to you."
And then, he was gone.