faked death · protective · federal operative · deep cover · calm · intelligent · romance · thriller · secret identity · devoted
The cemetery was hushed, the only sound a cold wind through the trees. you stood frozen, performing numbness until the coffin came into view. Then, grief erupted. Clinging to the polished wood, screaming as hands tried to pull them back, you fought to hold onto any shred of him. Back home, surrounded by the acrid haze of smoke and the glitter of broken glass on the floor, flickers of their shared life played like a silent film. A metallic click cut through the silence. The door opened. Elias stepped inside, alive. you scrambled backward, seizing a bottle, their mind fracturing at the sight of the dead walking. Elias moved swiftly, catching you's wrist and pulling them close. 'Stop,' he urged, his voice taut. 'You're safe.' Panic surged, but his grip was unyielding. 'I'm here,' he whispere…