Chapter 29 Free
The second the classroom door opens and Dean Everett’s assistant calls my name, my stomach drops.
Every eye follows me as I rise from my seat, shoving my things into my bag with more force than necessary. I catch Dakota’s concerned glance, but I don’t stop. I just need to get out of that room.
The walk to the dean’s office feels longer than usual. The hallways are quieter. The air colder.
When I open the door, my pulse stutters at the sight of Lucian standing by the tall window, arms crossed, framed by morning light. His posture is stiff, jaw tight. Dean Everett stands as I enter but doesn’t say much—just nods and steps out, leaving us alone.
Lucian turns. The look on his face tells me its nothing good.
“What happened?” I ask, my voice flat, throat dry.
“Daniel has made bail.”
My mind empties. A buzzing starts in my ears.
“Bail?” I repeat, as if I haven’t heard him right.
Lucian nods once, every line of his face tense.
“W-what? How?” My body feels like it’s been disconnected. “The detective told me he was denied bail.”
“He appealed and the judge granted bail. He has shown good behavior while in jail.”
“But he has no money.”
“It looks like he was wired money from offshore accounts. I’m still trying to trace it back.” Lucian runs his hand down his face. “The important thing is that you’re safe here,” Lucian says. “Blackmoore has layers of protection. He can’t touch you.”
I laugh, hollow. “He abused me for years, Dad. Nothing stops people like him.”
His expression cracks for a moment—softness, guilt, rage, helplessness flickering through. He crouches in front of me, leveling his gaze with mine.
“I will not let him hurt you again,” he says, low and fierce. “I promise you that. You’re also a different woman. Even if he did manage to get close to you, you’ve had training since then. You know how to fight back.”
I nod, barely. But the chill has already settled in my bones.
When I stand, Lucian pulls me into a tight hug, kissing the top of my head.
“You’re going to get through this, Gracie. We will handle Daniel. You’re strong. I love you.”
One second I’m sitting there, his words still echoing in my skull—Daniel’s been released—and the next I’m standing outside my room, hand trembling as I press my thumb to the lock. The soft click of the door unlocking sounds too loud in the silence, echoing in my bones.
I step inside and shut the door behind me, the seal of it clicking into place like a coffin lid.
My breath is tight, shallow. My body moves on autopilot—straight to the control panel by the wall.
I open it with a swipe, checking each camera one by one.
Hallway feed: clear. Dorm lobby: empty. Exterior motion sensors: quiet. I cycle through again. And again.
I check the backup system on my phone, making sure the data stream is active, that the alerts are functional, and that the feeds are encrypted. I reset my passwords even though I know no one could get in.
He is out.
Free.
The man who carved me open without lifting a knife. Who made my own home a battlefield littered with landmines.
I walk into the bathroom. Close the door. Turn on the hot water until steam fills the room. I don’t step into the shower. Just stand there, staring at my reflection in the mirror as it slowly fogs over, softening my edges until I’m just a blur. I turn off the water.
My hands shake. I go back into the bedroom and recheck the cameras.
Still nothing.
Still safe.
Still, a trapdoor in my chest threatens to open and swallow me whole.
I sit on the edge of the bed and stare down at my hands in my lap. I flex my fingers. Open. Close. Breathe.
The silence is so loud it roars.
I don’t cry. Don’t scream. Don’t punch the wall even though I want to.
Instead, I do the only thing I can—I follow the motions. I clean my already clean weapons. I organize the bag by my door. I recheck the perimeter alerts.
Because if I let myself stop, even for a second, I know the spiral will come. And I can’t afford to drown. Not now. Not when I’ve fought so hard to climb out the last time.
Not when he is out there.
Free.
And I’m not.
The shrill chime of the motion sensor alarm nearly stops my heart.
I freeze where I stand—halfway between the closet and my desk—adrenaline slamming into my veins so hard it makes my vision tunnel. My eyes flick to the monitor on the wall. The camera feed shows the hallway outside my dorm door.
Four familiar shapes.
My heart doesn’t slow, but it shifts—away from panic and into something tighter, heavier. I move to the door and unlock it, not even waiting for the knock before pulling it open.
Jace is in front, flanked by Tex and Noah. Luca trails behind, his hands shoved into the pockets of a worn bomber jacket. They are all still dressed in their uniforms like they dropped everything the second they heard.
Maybe they did. Lucian must’ve told them. Of course he did.
Noah is the first to move. He crosses to me with that calm steadiness he always carries, like his presence is meant to slow the world down.
“I’m so sorry,” he says, his voice low.
Tex’s eyes sweep the room like he’s ready to move if anything is out of place. “You check everything already?”
I nod. “Three times.”
He still walks over to the window and tugs on the latch to double-check. Meanwhile, Luca hovers near my bed, looking at me the way someone might study a wounded animal, like he wants to offer comfort but isn’t sure I’ll take it.
He shrugs, hands in his pockets. “Wasn’t gonna sit through another ethics lecture when I knew you were spiraling.”
“I’m fine,” I lie.
Jace stands by the bookshelf, his arms folded, his jaw tight. “Clearly,” he says flatly.
I shoot daggers his way. “What are you even doing here?”
“Guild obligation,” Jace says.
“Cut it out, she’s part of the team now.” Luca slaps a hand against Jace’s chest.
Jace scowls.
Tex drags a hand down his face. “They never should’ve let him out. Ever.”
“I know,” I whisper. “I know. But they did. And now…”
“Now you don’t have to worry about it,” Jace cuts in. “Because we’re already handling it.”
I blink. “Handling what?”
He looks at me, eyes cold in a way that makes me feel like I’m not the one he’s angry at for once.
“From this point on, you’re not alone,” he says. “One of us will be with you at all times. Classes, training, meals, walking across the damn courtyard. You’re not stepping anywhere without backup.”
My mouth drops open.
Luca flops into the chair near my desk. “Say goodbye to your alone time, pretty girl. We even argued over who gets first shift. It got dramatic.”
Noah snorts. “You wrote your name on the notebook in glitter pen.”
“It was strategic,” Luca replies. “She needs someone with charisma.”
Tex shakes his head. “She needs someone who can put a guy in the ground if he shows his face.”
“I don’t need any of you to—”
“You do,” Luca says, cutting me off. “Not because you’re weak. Not because you can’t handle yourself. But because you shouldn’t have to.”
The room goes quiet.
He continues. “You shouldn’t have to watch the door. Or flinch when someone moves or makes a sound. You shouldn’t have to sleep fully dressed and ready to fight. That’s not living. That’s surviving, and you’ve survived enough.”
My chest aches.
Luca’s tone softens, just barely. “We’re not going to let you do that alone anymore. We’re a team.”
“And at night?” I ask, because the silence is always at its worst then. “What about when—”
“One of us will stay,” Jace says. No hesitation. “Every night. We’ll rotate. We already cleared it with Lucian.”
I shake my head, not out of defiance, just because I don’t know what to do with that kind of safety.
“You don’t have to do that. You don’t even like me.”
“We want to,” Noah says.
“We’re going to,” Tex adds, crossing his arms.
“You don’t get to scare us off, sweetheart,” Luca says. “You’re stuck with us now.”
For a moment, I just stand there, wrapped in a hoodie that’s too soft, surrounded by four boys who don’t hesitate.
They’re not just protecting me. They’re choosing me.
The tears hit before I can stop them. Not sobs, just a few hot drops, rolling silently down my cheeks.
Noah steps closer. “Is it okay if I?”
I nod.
He pulls me into a hug, warm and solid, anchoring me to the ground.
Luca grabs the front of Jace’s shirt, dragging him over and throwing his arms around us.
Luca holds Jace’s arms in place. “Get in here Texy, time for a group hug.”
Tex rolls his eyes with a sigh but gives in.
Not crushing, not overwhelming, just surrounding. Shoulders brushing. Arms overlapping. A cocoon of warmth and steel and we’ve got you.
I close my eyes.
And for the first time since Lucian gave me the news… I feel like I might actually be safe.