Page 100 of I See You

"I can show you what that feels like," she offered softly. His gaze hardened. "What the fuck does that mean?" She could see the skepticism in his eyes.

"With my clients, I use physical representations sometimes—to help them understand what they need to feel in order to heal."

He still wasn’t convinced.

"I want to show you what an ounce of protection feels like," she continued, watching him carefully.

His jaw flexed, hesitation flickering in his eyes before he finally nodded once.

"Aight."

"Stand up," she instructed. He hesitated.

"Come on, Hassan. It only works if you do it. I’m not going to harm you." She chuckled lightly, her voice teasing, breaking just a little of the tension.

He exhaled sharply before finally pushing himself up to his feet. They stood face to face now, his towering frame making her tilt her chin slightly to meet his gaze.

Then, without another word, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his.

The warmth of her against him was instant, seeping into his bones like something unfamiliar—something dangerous, but oddly comforting.

"Now, put your arms around me and hug me back." Hassan hesitated. He didn’t hug people. Not really.

But his body moved before his mind could stop it. His arms came around her, locking her in.

Sevyn tightened her hold, squeezing gently, like she was willing him to let go of something—if only for a second.

And something in Hassan melted.

His muscles, always tense, loosened. His grip on his pain, his rage, his past—it slipped, even if just for a moment.

She felt it, too.

"This is what feeling protected feels like," she murmured against his chest. "Arms wrapped around you, keeping you grounded. Making sure you don’t drift, don’t fall, don’t break under the weight of it all."

His breath stilled.

"It’s an anchor in the storm," she continued, voice barely above a whisper. "Holding you in place when everything around you is trying to pull you under."

Her breath was cool against his neck, her voice softer than he’d ever heard it. And for the first time in his life—Hassan fucking Ice Gaines felt safe.

And it scared the hell out of him.

Hassan rested his head in the crook of her neck, inhaling the faint, sweet scent of her perfume before Sevyn gently pulled away. His hands lingered on her back for a second longer before they dropped to his sides.

“So, how did it feel?” she asked, a small smirk playing on her lips. “Like a hug,” he said, his voice deadpan.

Sevyn smacked her lips, rolling her eyes. “Be serious, Hassan.”

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Nah, it felt different.”

She caught the shift in his expression, the unspoken truth in his voice. The warmth of her smile deepened. “Different in a good way?” she pressed, wanting to hear him say it.

“Yeah,” he admitted.

Her smirk widened as she popped an imaginary collar. “What can I say? I’m good at what I do.”

Hassan chuckled softly. He had to give it to her—she was good. Too good. Somehow, she had him feeling things he never had before, and everyone, including himself, saw him as the most emotionless man walking.

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