Page 79 of Stalker's Toy

I don't hesitate.

I bolt, my feet pounding against the wet cobblestones.

The crisp London air burns in my lungs as I push myself harder, desperately trying to put distance between us.

"You can't escape this,Nattblomma!" Henrik's voice echoes off the buildings. "I know everything!"

I dart down a narrow alley, the sound of his pursuit growing closer.

My mind races, replaying the accident in vivid detail—the sickening crunch of metal, the spray of blood.

I killed his wife.

How can he be chasing me?

Why isn't he calling the police?

Suddenly, I jolt awake with a strangled gasp.

My body is drenched in sweat, the sheets tangled around my legs.

Before I can orient myself, I feel a warm hand on my shoulder.

"Shh, it's okay," Henrik's voice murmurs close to my ear. "You're safe, Mia. It was just a dream."

I freeze, my heart threatening to burst from my chest.

Henrik is here, in my bed, trying to comfort me.

How is this possible?

"Henrik?" I manage to croak out, my throat dry and tight. "What... how are you here?"

His fingers brush a strand of hair from my face, the gesture both tender and possessive. "I couldn't leave you alone, not after everything that happened. You were having a nightmare."

I struggle to sit up, pulling the duvet tighter around me.

Henrik's presence is overwhelming—his scent, the heat of his body so close to mine.

My mind reels, trying to piece together the fragments of memoryand nightmare.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks, his blue eyes searching mine in the dim light of my bedroom.

I shake my head, unable to find words.

How can I tell him I was dreaming about killing his wife?

About him chasing me through the streets of London?

Henrik's hand cups my cheek, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw. "You're trembling,Nattblomma. Let me help you relax."

The tenderness in his touch contrasts sharply with the predatory gleam in his eyes.

I'm caught between desire and fear, my body responding to his proximity even as my mind screams warnings.

The intensity of his gaze makes me shiver.

My heart races as I struggle to piece together the events of last night.

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