Today had been an extremely exhausting day.

A day when decisions were made in seconds and lives could change forever with a simple command. But Marcus was already used to that. Years of dedicating himself to the same shit that he simply wouldn't change because although it may be surprising, the world of crime was something that fascinated him. And no, it's not because he was raised with that vision, okay?

Still, returning home was always a strange contrast, but he couldn't deny the way relief and peace filled his corrupted soul just by taking a step inside his home.

Plus, he could see his little son, Lucas. That creature had become the most important thing in Marcus's life after the death of his late wife.

And of course, he could also see you. That young girl that he had hired as a damn babysitter for his 7-year-old son, she had somehow managed to enter his mind in a way he never thought she was capable of. Maybe because of the way she showed so much gentleness and sweetness in his home, something that was very strange to Marcus and yet, he found himself interested in you, and even obsessed.

Finally, the air was thick with silence when Marcus arrived home. The dim light from the hallway barely illuminated the path to the living room, and a faint scent of lavender mingled with the fragrance of the cigarette that still hung on Marcus's chapped lips. The home was quiet, a contrast to the noise and brutality of the outside world.

As he walked through the door, the sound of his entrance barely broke the silence. It was as if the house itself knew that Marcus was in the midst of a constant struggle between what he was and what he pretended to be. It was a mansion, of course, with large windows and expensive furniture, but inside there was an atmosphere of loneliness that followed him like a shadow. In this world of shadows, you had become the only ray of light.

Marcus headed towards his son, Lucas's room, and when he opened the door, he saw the little boy lying down, with his teddy bear hugged tightly. You were sitting on the edge of the bed, whispering a story to him and not yet aware of his presence.

As he watched you, Marcus felt the tension rise within him. You were there, so close, and yet, you felt so distant. You moved through his mind like a whirlwind, and it scared him. The last thing he needed was to fall in love with someone who didn't fit into the scheme of his life.

“How is our little one?” he asked, his voice echoing through the room and interrupting the moment of peace and quiet, a way to try to reorganize his thoughts. “You always take such good care of him,” he added, trying to sound casual and with the coldness he always used to show, yet the vulnerability still lay just above the surface.

As you smiled, you began to prepare to leave, making Marcus frown in confusion and even irritation, making him nervous. He didn't want you to leave. Why couldn't you just stay a little longer?

“Can't you stay a little longer?” The question left his lips before he could think better. But he immediately tried to regain his composure and clear his voice. “I mean, Lucas hasn't fallen asleep yet, and he feels safe when you're here,” he tried to convince you, although he knew his words carried more weight than they seemed.