Page 88 of Sins of the Hidden

I hadn't even realized I'd been holding my breath until it rushed out of me in a shuddering exhale. V nodded once,satisfied, before swinging his leg over the bike and extending his hand to me.

We rode in silence, the engine's vibration between my thighs and V's solid warmth against my chest grounding me in a way nothing else could. By the time we pulled up to my apartment, the panic had receded, leaving only exhaustion in its wake.

I leaned against him as we climbed the stairs, my body drained from the emotional whiplash of the evening. V's arm remained firmly around my waist, supporting me without a word. The simple comfort of his presence—once so terrifying—now felt like the only thing keeping me upright.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as he unlocked my door, the words barely audible.

V's hand stilled on the doorknob. He turned to face me, those black eyes unreadable behind his mask.

"Y-You probably wanted to stay." I tucked my hair behind my ear, a nervous habit I couldn't seem to break.

"I want what you need.” He shook his head once, the movement sharp and decisive. “Fuck everyone else."

The simple declaration sent warmth blooming in my chest. This was the paradox of V—a man who could shatter kneecaps without remorse, yet speak words that healed parts of me I hadn't known were broken.

Once inside, V insisted on setting up the new bed right away. I tried to help, but mostly just watched as he assembled the frame. The new headboard—sturdy iron bars that made my cheeks flush when I remembered his earlier comment about their purpose—took the longest to install.

By the time everything was in place and the mattress positioned just so, every muscle in my body screamed in protest. Moving furniture, emotional trauma, and the lingering soreness from the night before had left me utterly depleted. Not being able to move, I slumped on my couch. Having to move nearly allmy furniture just to get the new bed in was tiring. V still had a spring in his step as he prepared my nighttime tea.

He moved through my living room, sleeves rolled to his elbows, dark forearms exposed, midnight hair cascading loose around his shoulders. My fingers tingled with the urge to run through those silken strands again, but I was too tired to move.

V returned with my mug—the one with the ‘V’ engraved into it that he'd bought when we'd gotten supplies for the bakery. He hadn't asked if I wanted it; he just got it for me.

And it was my favorite mug now.

I blew away the rising steam before taking a cautious sip, a contented sigh escaping me despite myself. "You know just how I like it."

He didn't respond as he settled onto the couch, twisting his body to face me. He didn't just look at me—he devoured me with his gaze, like he wanted to unzip my skin and crawl inside just to feel closer.

"D-Did you want to watch a movie?"

His response came without hesitation. "No. I want to watch you."

My cheeks warmed, his answer so typical of him. He sat, turned toward me, black boot indenting the plush fabric of my pastel couch, elbow resting on his knee as his eyes memorized every detail of my face.

Like he always did.

"W-Why do you watch me like that?" I dared to ask, the words slipping out before I could reconsider.

Something shifted in his gaze—a darkness that sent a delicious shiver cascading down my spine. "Because you're the only thing worth looking at."

"What if I disappear one day?" I whispered.

"You won't." V's expression hardened, something feral flashing in his eyes. "I'd find you. No matter where you went."

I found myself leaning closer, drawn to the dangerous certainty of his devotion like a moth to a flame.

After a few sips, my mind felt sluggish, my limbs growing inexplicably heavy. This was different— like a weighted blanket pressing down on my consciousness.

My eyelids grew impossibly heavy. Had the tea always tasted this... strange? Bitter notes lingered beneath the honey, something medicinal and wrong that hadn't been there before. V always made it exactly how I liked it.

The lamp light fractured into starbursts, the room tilting sideways as I tried to focus. My limbs turned to stone, each movement requiring strength I no longer possessed. Alarm bells rang distant and muffled in my mind, but my body refused to respond.

Through the thickening haze, I searched for V's eyes—those black, endless pools that never revealed anything. They watched me with that same unblinking intensity, giving nothing away as my consciousness began to slip.

"V...?" My tongue felt swollen, the word slurring as it left my lips.

The world tilted, the floor rushing up to meet me—but his hands caught me first, cradling me against his chest as darkness crept in from all sides. The black fabric of his clothes began to blur, melting into the encroaching shadows until I couldn't tell where he ended and the darkness began. My eyelids fluttered one final time, desperately fighting to stay open, to understand what was happening.

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