(Melissa pov)

"It's been two months... and I still feel like I never really escaped him."

Two months since Adriano Rossi appeared on every screen in handcuffs, and I still couldn't breathe without feeling his shadow on my neck, I told myself he was gone, I stopped watching the news, I stopped saying his name, I stopped looking over my shoulder, Lies, all of it.

"It's obvious, Melissa," Emily said as we walked toward the campus café. "You flinched at a fucking car."

"It was just a car," I snapped.

"A black tinted one that slowed down right beside us," Chloe added, voice too casual.

I stopped walking, my pulse spiked, Zara studied me with those quiet, knowing eyes.

"You're not sleeping. You're barely here."

"I'm fine," I lied, forcing my legs to move again.

But I wasn't fine, I noticed everything now, every slow-moving vehicle, every set of eyes that lingered too long, every silence that felt like it was waiting for me, I was drowning in my own paranoia, and my friends could see the water rising.

"How did we even meet you?" Emily asked suddenly.

I frowned. "Why does that matter?"

"Because it feels like you appeared out of nowhere," she said. "One day you were just... sitting there. Alone. Looking like someone was hunting you."

Chloe smirked. "You did look like you wanted to vanish."

Zara's voice was softer. "You still do."

I didn't answer, the memory of that first day in the café flashed through my mind, me staring at a book I wasn't reading, Emily stealing my table, Chloe talking too much, Zara looking at me like she could already see the cracks.

They had pulled me in before I could disappear, now they were the only thing keeping me tethered.

At the café, Aisha placed our drinks down with a gentle smile. "You look exhausted, Melissa."

"I'm fine," I said quickly.

She nodded gently. "Take care of yourself."

Emily leaned in the second Aisha left.

"She's nice."

"She is," I agreed quietly.

"Party tonight, you're coming."

"I don't want to-"

"You're coming," Chloe cut in. "Zara's friend's birthday. No excuses."

"I hate parties."

"You hated people too until we forced you," Emily said with a grin that didn't reach her eyes tonight.

I looked down at my untouched drink, the truth was, the idea of staying alone in my room tonight terrified me more than a crowded party, so I decided to go.

Music slammed into us the moment we stepped inside, lights everywhere, bodies pressed together, the air was thick with sweat, alcohol, and something heavier I couldn't name, Emily grabbed my hand and dragged me into the chaos.

"Okay," Emily said, grabbing my hand, "No overthinking."

"I don't overthink everything."

"You absolutely do," Chloe said.

Zara stepped closer. "Just stay with us."

"I am staying with you," I replied.

"Good," she said.

We moved into the crowd, music swallowed everything, for a moment, it almost felt normal.

"Dance with me," Emily shouted, pulling me forward.

"I don't know how"

"Too late," she laughed.

We danced, at first, I was stiff, then slower and lighter I was feeling the best of the song

"You're smiling!" Chloe shouted.

"I am not"

"Yes, you are," Zara said calmly.

And maybe I was but just a little, a guy approached eventually, he was tall, handsome and confident, smiling like the world belonged to him.

"Hey," he said. "Dance?"

Emily immediately nudged me. "Yes."

"I didn't say yes," I muttered.

"You didn't say no either," she replied.

"Ryan," he introduced himself.

"Melissa," I said.

He moved closer, gently guiding me into rhythm.

"You don't come to places like this often," he said.

"Is it that obvious?"

"A little," he smiled. "But it's not a bad thing."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because you feel real," he said simply.

That made me pause.

"Most people here don't?" I asked.

"No," he said softly.

Something in my chest tightened slightly, but I ignored it, then It came back, that feeling of being watched, I slowed slightly, Ryan noticed.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," I said quickly. "I just need some air."

"Want me to come"

"No," I interrupted too fast, "I'm fine."

I walked away before he could respond, the hallway outside was quieter, I exhaled slowly, when will this feeling ever stop.

"Stop it," I whispered to myself.

But I felt it again, not fear, something worse, expectation.

I stepped into the restroom, as if I was expecting to see someone but it was empty of course, I walked to the sink, gripping the edge.

"You're fine," I whispered. "Nothing is happening."

Then silence broke behind me, I turned quickly.

"What-"

Something pressed against my face, a cloth, my eyes widened instantly.

"What-mm-!"

A familiar voice leaned close, low, calm and dangerously soft.

"Easy, pajarito," Adriano murmured.

Everything stopped, my body froze for half a second, not because I understood but because I was scared, many thoughts crossed my mind in that half a second, no, my hands moved weakly.

"Stop-!"

But my strength was already fading, the world blurred at the edges.

"You've been running," he said quietly.

I tried to fight, but my body stopped obeying me, the last thing I heard before everything went dark, was his voice again.

"Now you stop."

(Adriano pov)

"Welcome back, boss."

I stepped out of the prison gates without slowing, the morning air hitting differently after two months behind concrete and steel, the sound of freedom quieter than most people imagined but sharper to someone like me.

"You took your time," I said calmly, adjusting the cuff of my shirt as Luca fell into step beside me.

He smirked slightly. "We had to make sure everything was clean."

"It better be."

"It is," he replied. "No evidence, no witnesses, no loose ends."

Another man opened the car door.

"Good to have you back, sir."

I paused just before getting in.

"And the ones responsible?" I asked.

Luca's expression hardened. "We're still tracking movement, but we're close."

"Close isn't enough."

"It will be."

"Rossi."

I didn't turn immediately, I didn't need to, I already knew the voice.

"Detective Kane," I said slowly, glancing over my shoulder.

He stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, watching me like he had hoped I rot in prison

"You walk out like this is nothing," he said.

"It is nothing," I replied.

His jaw tightened. "This isn't over."

"It never is," I said calmly.

"I'm coming back for you," he continued, "And next time, I won't miss."

I stepped closer, just enough to provoke and remind him who i am.

"You should be careful who you threaten," I said quietly. "Some people don't forget."

His eyes darkened. "Watch your back."

I smiled faintly. "I always do, you watch your back too"

I got into the car without another word, the door shut, silence filled the space for a second.

"Drive."

The car pulled away smoothly.

"Report," I said.

Luca nodded immediately. "Operations are stable. We kept everything running while you were inside, clean transitions, no exposure."

"And the setup?" I asked.

"We're narrowing it down," he replied, "But there's something else."

I looked at him.

"The girl."

My jaw tightened slightly.

"What about her?" I asked.

"She's been watched," Luca said. "Like you ordered."

"I didn't order. I expected."

He nodded once. "We placed one of our best men on her, quiet, invisible, no contact, just observation."

"Status."

"She goes to class, keeps to herself mostly, spends time at the campus café, and..." he hesitated slightly.

"And what?"

"She made new friends."

I leaned back slightly.

"Names?"

"Emily, Chloe, and Zara," he said. "Met them at the cafe about a month and a half ago."

I said nothing.

"She's been avoiding her past connections," Luca added carefully. "Daniel and Matt haven't been able to reach her."

Good.

"She's careful," he continued. "But... she knows."

"Knows what?"

"That she's being watched," he said. "She doesn't know who, but she feels it."

Of course she did.

"She always was observant," I murmured.

Luca glanced at me. "You want us to pull back?"

"No."

"She's starting to notice patterns."

"I said no," I repeated.

He nodded once. "Understood."

"Where is she now?"

"At campus," he replied. "She just left her lodge about an hour ago."

"Take me there."

I didn't step out of the car, didn't need to, from where I sat, I could see everything, she walked across campus, head slightly lowered, eyes alert even when she pretended they weren't, moving like someone who had learned to live with uncertainty but hadn't accepted it yet.

"She's changed," I said

Stronger, quieter and more aware, but still her, we followed at a distance, not close enough to be seen.

"She's heading to the cafe," Luca said.

"I can see that."

I watched her sit with them, the new ones, laughing and talking.

"She looks... normal," one of the men in the front seat muttered, I said nothing, because I saw more than that, I saw the way her eyes moved, the way she checked her surroundings without making it obvious, the way she smiled but never fully relaxed.

"She feels it," I said quietly.

Luca nodded. "Yeah."

Hours passed, I didn't leave.

"Boss," Luca said carefully, "you've been out of prison for less than a day."

"And?"

"You should rest."

"I am resting."

"This is not resting."

I didn't respond, because I wasn't here to rest, I was here to see, night fell.

"She's heading to a party," Luca said, checking his phone.

"Location."

He showed me.

"Take me there."

The music was loud, too loud, I stayed in the shadows watching.

"She's inside," Luca said.

"I know."

And then I saw her dancing and laughing with him, my expression didn't change, but something inside me did and I thought of different ways to break his bones.

"Who is that?" I asked.

"Just some student," Luca replied. "No connection."

The man's hand rested on her waist too comfortably, I watched longer than I should have, long enough to understand something I hadn't wanted to admit, I didn't like anyone else near her at all, because she is mine and mine alone

"She's leaving the floor," Luca said.

"I see her."

"She's heading toward the hallway."

"Stay here," I said, already moving.

"Boss"

"That's not a suggestion."

The hallway was quieter, empty and perfect, I stepped inside just as she entered the restroom, waiting, seconds passed, then I followed, she stood at the sink, back to me, staring at her reflection like she was trying to convince herself of something, I moved silently, closer and she sensed it and turned.

"What-"

I didn't give her time, the cloth was already in my hand, she struggled immediately.

"Easy, pajarito," I said quietly against her ear.

She froze for half a second, just long enough, recognition then resistance, but it didn't last, her strength faded quickly.

"You've been running," I murmured, "now you don't" her hands weakened, her body softened and then she went still. I caught her before she hit the ground, holding her carefully, for a moment, I just looked at her, two months and she still felt the same.

"She's out?" Luca's voice came through my earpiece.

"Yes."

"We're ready."

"Good."

I lifted her into my arms.

"She's not going back there," I said.

And this time I meant it.