From his vantage point across the parking lot, he watched it all— the scattered weeds in the sidewalk, the cracked, yellow bricks of the apartment building, and the warm glow from her second-floor window. He leaned forward in his seat, eyes flicking between his phone’s camera feed and the window.

Finally, a figure moved behind the glass.

His heart lurched. There she was—his precious one. Kat.

He checked his watch. Right on time, as always.

He knew her routine by heart, each step a familiar dance. At nine-thirty, she took her sleep aid, did her nightly hygiene in the bathroom, and settled in her bed with a novel. His breath caught in his throat. She looked so cozy, so tired.

She’d be asleep in no time; the prescription worked fast.

Sure enough, she soon set the book aside and switched off the lamp.

 She grabbed her spare pillow, hugging it tightly as she slipped into sleep. One of a thousand charming habits he adored. He paused the feed, traced the image of her face on the screen, tucked the device into his pocket, and slipped from the van.

A wintry gust mixed with exhaust hit him as he crossed the parking lot, skirting a blind spot in the apartment’s cameras. A shadow moved in a first-floor window, forcing him to reroute with a curse. That idiot landlord...
Shooting the silhouette a glare, he lingered until the coast was clear, fingers tapping against the crumbling brick. One of these days, he’d finally remove that limping, middle-aged obstacle.

The shadow moved. He darted to the fir tree nearest Kat’s window, confident the cameras would only see a dark blur.

Waxy needles scraped his jacket as he climbed until he was level with Kat’s apartment. He pulled a microfiber cloth from his pocket and carefully wiped the camera lens embedded in the bark, then settled his weight more comfortably between the branches to wait.

Through the gauzy curtains, her chest rose and fell beneath the covers. Gradually, her breaths deepened. Then, her face scrunched fearfully. The medication kept her asleep through her nightmares, but it didn’t stop them from plaguing her. Her jaw clenched, and she started to writhe on the bed.

His hands twisted on the branches.

He hated watching her struggle.

But he loved fixing it.

Like a specter, he crept further along the tree branch, then leaped lightly onto her balcony. He sidled along the cold metal railing and pressed his palm against her window, nudging it open. It slid with a whisper. A little cleaning and oil ensured that.

He stepped lightly from the ledge onto the rug. The thick weave swallowed his footsteps. His breath was loud in his ears, so he held it while he removed his jacket, gloves, and shoes. He set them on her chair, scattering pine needles onto the floor. He’d pick them up on his way out.

One small step brought him to the side of her bed. Her lashes curled delicately against her cheek, her hair a pale halo around her head.

A quiet, pained sound escaped her lips.

He cut his observations short. She needed him.

He eased onto her bed, shifting his weight gradually. His hands slipped around her waist, pulling her closer until she lay nestled in his embrace.

As always, she resisted at first. She squirmed, brow furrowing, before her body relaxed. He smoothed her hair and stroked her back to chase the rest of her nightmares away until she sighed and snuggled closer to him. A pleasant rush surged through his body. He felt her heart beating softly and steadily against his own. On some level, she must be able to feel his, too. The thought pleased him.

He pressed his face into her golden-brown hair and closed his eyes, inhaling her sweet scent. Vanilla and honey. The smell unwound his tension like a balm.

This was where he belonged.

As long as they were together, everything would be alright. As long as he was with her, he could be happy. She deserved to be happy, too.

She murmured, and he realized he’d been squeezing her but didn’t ease his grip quite yet.

The world was so cruel, and Kat was so fragile. At any moment, something, or someone, might come along and break her.

The thought struck like lightning, filling him with determination.

He wouldn’t allow the world to get her.

“I’ll protect you, precious,” he whispered into her ear. “Leave everything to me.”