THE EVENING SLIPPED BY LIKE A QUIET DREAM.

You sat cross-legged on the bed, facing Matt, who had sprawled out beside you. His elbow rested on the pillow, his head propped up on his hand as he listened to you talk about anything and everything.

"So, Rowan said the funniest thing the other day," you began, your laughter bubbling as you recounted the story.

Matt's grin grew wider, his eyes sparkling as he watched you. "You light up when you talk about her," he said, his tone teasing but warm. "I can tell she's good for you."

"She is," you admitted, fiddling absentmindedly with the edge of the blanket. "She's probably the best thing that's happened to me this year."

Matt tilted his head, his grin softening. "I think I might argue with that."

Your stomach flipped at his words, and you swatted at his arm playfully, laughing. "You're so full of it."

"Maybe," he said, his voice dropping slightly, a teasing edge to it. "But I mean it."

Every now and then, his fingers brushed against yours when he reached for the blanket or shifted his position. Neither of you pulled away.

You rolled your eyes but couldn't help smiling. "You're impossible."

"You keep saying that," he teased, his fingers grazing your arm as he reached out to poke your shoulder. The touch lingered longer than it should have, and you both stilled, the air between you shifting again.

"Sorry," he said softly, pulling his hand back slightly.

You shook your head, your heart pounding. "Don't be."

Matt hesitated for a moment, then let his hand rest lightly on yours.

His touch was hesitant, like he was waiting for you to pull away, but when you didn't, his grip relaxed.

"I don't think I've ever felt this... at ease," he admitted, his voice low. "Like just being here with you is enough."

You swallowed hard, your heart swelling at his words. "Me neither," you confessed.

For a moment, neither of you spoke. The quiet between you was filled with the unspoken understanding that this—whatever it was—felt different.

Hours passed without either of you noticing. By the time you finally glanced at the clock, you sighed. "I should probably get some sleep."

Matt sat up reluctantly, ruffling his hair. "Yeah, I guess."

You stood, stretching, your movements languid as the evening caught up with you. As you gathered your things for bed, Matt couldn't stop himself from watching you again, his gaze soft and full of admiration.

When you caught him staring, you hesitated, your lips curving into a shy smile. "What?"

Matt shook his head, his cheeks tinged with color. "Nothing. Just... you're kind of incredible, you know that?"

The quiet hum of the room settled as you shifted on the edge of your bed, watching Matt lean back into the pillows, his sharp jawline illuminated by the dim light of the bedside lamp. He was still, for once, like the chaos of the world outside had been left at the door.

But then he stretched, his movements lazy, and shot you a lopsided grin that held all his usual cocky charm. "You're staring, princess."

Heat flushed your cheeks, but you didn't look away. "You look... tired," you said softly, deflecting the embarrassment.

"Don't start worrying about me now," he teased, his smirk widening. "I've been doing just fine without your concern."

You rolled your eyes. "Sure, Matt. Because your little escapades from the cops scream 'I've got my life under control.'"

He laughed then, a deep, raspy sound that made your stomach flip. "You're bold tonight. I like it."

"Matt," you said, interrupting his amusement, your voice turning serious. "It's late."

"Yeah," he agreed, raising a brow. "And?"

"And..." you faltered, your fingers curling into the soft fabric of your blanket. "Maybe you should just stay here."

That wiped the grin off his face. He sat up, his dark eyes narrowing as he studied you. "What did you just say?"

"You heard me," you said, trying to keep your voice steady.

His silence stretched, the weight of his stare pressing into you. Then he scoffed, leaning back again. "You must've lost your damn mind. What's your old man gonna say when he finds out you've got a Crimson crashing here? Hell, he'll probably call the cops on me himself."

You bristled at the mention of your dad, your voice sharpening. "I'll lock the door. He doesn't have to know."

Matt tilted his head, his smirk creeping back as he watched you. "And what's your reason for wanting me here so bad, huh? You afraid of the dark or something?"

"Don't be an ass, Matt," you snapped, standing up abruptly. "I'm trying to be nice here, but if you want to keep being difficult, fine. Go ahead. Go back out there. Get caught. End up in jail. What the hell do I care?"

His grin faltered, his cocky bravado replaced by something more guarded. "You don't think I can take care of myself?"

You stared at him, your frustration simmering. "I think you're reckless. And if you don't want to admit that you're safer here tonight, that's your problem. But I'm not going to sit here worrying while you're out there acting like you're untouchable."

For a moment, neither of you spoke. Then he let out a breath, dragging a hand through his hair. "You're exhausting, you know that?"

"Matt—"

"Alright," he interrupted, his voice low. "I'll stay. But only because I don't feel like arguing anymore."

Your shoulders relaxed, a small smile tugging at your lips. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, princess," he said, his grin returning. "You've just invited trouble into your little picture-perfect world."

The room had settled into a soft quiet as the two of you sat there, the weight of the day slowly slipping away. You couldn't ignore the tension in your chest, though, the way your heartbeat quickened every time Matt shifted closer.

"You know," he said, breaking the silence, "you're the only person who talks to me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you don't care who I am."

You hesitated, meeting his gaze. "I care who you are, Matt. But not in the way everyone else does."

His expression softened for a moment, but it quickly morphed into something more guarded. "You don't know me."

"I know enough," you countered. "Enough to see that there's more to you than the 'troublemaker' everyone else sees."

He laughed, but it lacked his usual humor. "Careful, princess. You keep talking like that, and I might start believing you."

"Maybe you should," you said, your voice firm.

Matt stared at you, his smirk fading. "You're a piece of work, you know that?"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Nah," he said after a moment, a genuine smile tugging at his lips. "It's a good thing."The room fell into a comfortable hush, the type of quiet that only came when the world outside had been shut out completely.

Matt leaned back further into the pillows, his arm now lazily draped across his stomach. His other hand fidgeted with the corner of the blanket, his smirk still lingering as his eyes locked on yours.

"You really think you can handle having me here all night, princess?" he teased, his voice low and playful. "I'm not exactly house-trained."

You rolled your eyes, shifting so your legs stretched out alongside his. "As long as you don't snore or set something on fire, I think I'll survive."

"Setting things on fire is kind of my thing," he quipped, his grin widening. "But I'll behave. For now."

The weight of his gaze lingered, and you couldn't help but feel the heat creeping up your neck. You turned your attention to the blanket draped across your lap, fiddling with the edge as a way to keep yourself grounded. But Matt wasn't one to let silence linger for too long.

"So, what's the plan, princess?" he asked, propping himself up on one elbow again, his face closer now. "You're gonna tuck me in or what?"

You let out a huff of laughter, shaking your head. "You're insufferable."

"Admit it," he said, his tone teasing as his fingers brushed yours under the blanket. "You'd miss me if I wasn't."

"Miss you?" you shot back, turning to meet his gaze. "Don't flatter yourself."

Matt raised a brow, his smirk softening into something almost genuine. "Too late for that."

The room seemed to shrink as the air between you thickened, but not in a way that felt uncomfortable. It was an electric sort of tension, a connection that neither of you could deny but neither dared to name.

You reached over and lightly shoved his shoulder. "Move over," you said, your voice soft but firm. "If you're staying, I'm not giving you the whole bed."

Matt scoffed but shifted, making a show of sprawling out more as if to claim the space. "Oh, so now you're calling the shots?" he teased, even as he made room for you.

You slid under the blanket, settling into the space he'd left. "Someone has to," you quipped, trying to ignore the way your heart was pounding.

Matt shifted beside you, turning on his side so he faced you. His head rested on his bent arm, his dark eyes watching you closely. "You know," he started, his voice quieter now, "this is probably the dumbest thing you've ever done."

You frowned, glancing over at him. "Letting you stay?"

He nodded, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Letting me stay. Letting me... be here."

"Why's that so dumb?" you challenged, holding his gaze.

"Because," he said simply, his fingers reaching out to toy with a loose strand of your hair, "I'm not the guy you should be letting this close."

You swallowed, your breath catching as his touch lingered. "Maybe I don't care who I'm supposed to let close."

Matt's hand stilled, his expression unreadable as he searched your face. "You should," he murmured. "You really should."

"Too late for that," you whispered, echoing his earlier words.

His lips quirked up at that, the hint of a smirk returning as he leaned back slightly, giving you space without fully pulling away. "You're gonna regret it, princess."

"Not tonight," you said softly, the honesty in your words hanging in the air between you.

The two of you fell into a comfortable silence again, the sound of your breathing filling the room as the weight of the day settled in. As you closed your eyes, you felt Matt shift closer, his arm brushing against yours. Neither of you said anything, but his presence felt like an anchor, grounding you in a way you hadn't realized you needed.

Just as sleep began to pull you under, you heard his voice, low and rough. "Thanks," he said, the vulnerability in his tone catching you off guard.

"For what?" you murmured, your voice heavy with exhaustion.

"For this," he said simply. "For... being you."

You smiled, your heart swelling as you let yourself drift off. "Goodnight, Matt."

"Goodnight, princess," he whispered, his voice barely audible as sleep claimed him too.

The sirens seemed distant at first, but as they grew louder, Matt froze in place. His cocky smirk evaporated, replaced by a look of sharp alertness that sent your heart racing.

"Matt?" you asked, sitting up. "What's going on?"

He didn't answer immediately, his head tilted as if trying to gauge the distance of the sound.

"Stay here," he said finally, his voice low.

"What? Why?" you pressed, standing up to follow him as he moved toward the window.

"Because," he said, yanking back the curtain just enough to peer outside. His tone was sharper now, frustration and worry bleeding into it. "It's nothing. Go back to bed."

"Don't pull that with me," you shot back, crossing your arms. "What's going on?"

Matt groaned, running a hand through his hair before turning to face you. "It's Hector. It's always Hector. And now it's the cops, too."

Your stomach twisted at the mention of Hector, the name already etched in your mind as a source of danger. "The cops?"

"Yeah," he said, pacing now. "Something must've gone sideways earlier tonight. They're circling the block, probably looking for me."

You grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. "Matt, what the hell did you do?"

He pulled his arm free but didn't move away. Instead, he looked at you, the tension in his shoulders radiating off him in waves. "Nothing I can walk away from, not my proudest moment, I admit" he said finally, his voice quieter.

A knot formed in your chest, but before you could respond, Matt's phone buzzed loudly on the nightstand. He snatched it up, his expression darkening as he read the screen.

"It's Chris," he muttered under his breath.

"What does he want?"

Matt's jaw tightened as he typed a quick response. "Probably to remind me how screwed I am, he did try to warn me, fuck I should've listened to him" he said bitterly.

"Maybe you should—"

The sharp knock on the door cut you off, and both of you froze.

"Matt," you whispered, your voice trembling.

He held a finger to his lips and moved toward the door, his movements cautious. Peering through the peephole, he cursed under his breath.

"It's Hector's guys," he said, his voice barely audible.

Your heart dropped. "What are they doing here?"

Matt turned to you, his expression serious. "You're going to lock yourself in the bathroom, okay?"

"No," you said firmly.

"Damn it, just listen to me for once!"

"Matt, if they're here for you, they're already inside my house! Hiding isn't going to do anything."

His frustration was palpable, but there was no time to argue further. Another knock echoed through the room, louder this time.

"Matt," a voice called from the other side, low and threatening. "Open the door. We need to talk."

Matt exhaled sharply, his fists clenching. "Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.

You nodded, fear clawing at your throat as Matt opened the door.

Two men stepped inside, their presence suffocating. One of them, tall and broad-shouldered, crossed his arms as his gaze swept over you before landing on Matt.

"Hector's not happy," the man said.

"No kidding," Matt replied dryly, his cocky demeanor slipping back into place like armor. "What's new?"

The other man, shorter but no less imposing, took a step forward. "You didn't finish the drop."

Matt scoffed. "I didn't stick around to get arrested. You're welcome."

The first man frowned. "Hector doesn't like excuses. He wants you to finish the job—now."

Matt's jaw tightened. "And what if I don't?"

The man's gaze flicked to you. "Then maybe the girl pays for your mistake."

Matt lunged before you could react, shoving the man back against the wall making half the things on your desk tumble to the ground. "Don't you dare," he snarled.

"Matt!" you cried, grabbing his arm in an attempt to pull him back.

The man laughed coldly, shoving Matt off him. "You've got one hour. Finish the job or Hector's patience runs out."

With that, they turned and left, leaving the door ajar behind them.

Matt stood there, his chest heaving as he tried to calm himself. You stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm.

"What are you going to do?" you asked softly.

His gaze met yours, conflicted and full of anger. "What I have to," he said grimly. Matt's jaw was tight as he grabbed his jacket from the chair. His movements were quick, sharp, as though keeping busy might hold back the storm brewing inside him. You stood frozen for a moment, the gravity of what had just happened settling over you like a weight.

"Wait," you said, stepping in front of him. "You can't just go out there alone."

Matt stilled, his expression hard as he looked down at you. "I don't have a choice, princess."

"You always say that, but there's got to be another way," you insisted.

"There isn't," he snapped, his voice harsher than he intended. He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face. "This isn't a movie, alright? I don't get to flip the script and make everything magically better."

"I'm not asking for magic," you shot back, your voice trembling. "I'm asking you to stop throwing yourself into situations that could get you killed."

Matt paused, his dark eyes searching your face. For a moment, the cocky mask slipped, and you saw the exhaustion, the fear he never let anyone else see.

"This is my mess," he said quietly. "You shouldn't even be in it."

"Well, I am and I have been Matt" you replied, crossing your arms. "So what's the plan?"

His lips quirked into a faint, humorless smile. "You don't take a hint, do you?"

"Nope," you said, holding your ground, winking at him.

He shook his head, exhaling softly through a smile. "Fine. I need to make the drop. It's a package—cash for Hector. Simple enough if the cops aren't on my ass."

"Then I'm coming with you," you said firmly.

"Absolutely not, do you remember what happened the last time you came with, or do you need a fresh reminder" Matt said immediately, making his unhappiness clear.

You rolled your eyes. "Seriously Matt, you're out of options," you argued. "If you don't show up, Hector's people might come back. Do you think I'm just going to sit here and wait for that? On top of that they saw me here, so they could damn well send someone after me while you're gone. I'll feel safest wherever you are"

He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something under his breath. "This is the worst idea you've ever had."

"Maybe," you said, your voice softer now. "But I'm not letting you do this alone and I know you're not leaving me here knowing I could be in danger so it's fair deal baby."

Matt's raised an eyebrow at the nickname and his gaze lingered on you for a long moment, something unspoken passing between you.

Finally, he nodded, his shoulders sagging in reluctant defeat.

"Alright," he said. "But you stay in the car. Got it?"

"Got it," you lied.

The streets were eerily quiet as Matt drove, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. You sat beside him, the tension in the car thick enough to cut with a knife.

"Where are we going?" you asked, breaking the silence.

"Warehouse district," he replied. "It's where Hector's crew usually sets up shop. It's where he held you when he took you"

You gulped nodding, your stomach churning with nerves. "And the package?"

"Already stashed," he said, his tone clipped. "I just need to grab it and hand it off."

It sounded simple, but nothing about this night felt simple. You watched Matt's profile as he drove, the sharp lines of his face illuminated by the passing streetlights. He looked calm on the surface, but you could see the tension in his jaw, the way his eyes flicked constantly to the rearview mirror.

When he finally pulled into a dark alley, he parked the car and turned to you.

"Stay here," he said, his voice firm.

"I mean it," he added when you didn't respond.

"Fine," you said, raising your hands in mock surrender.

Matt gave you one last look before stepping out of the car, disappearing into the shadows.

Your heart pounded as you sat there, the seconds dragging into what felt like hours. The street was too quiet, every sound amplified—the distant hum of traffic, the soft creak of the car as you shifted nervously.

Suddenly, headlights appeared at the other end of the alley, bright and blinding. Panic flared in your chest as a black SUV pulled in, its tires screeching to a halt.

You ducked low, your pulse hammering in your ears as you watched two men step out of the SUV, both carrying the kind of energy that made your