Page 122 of I See You

She nodded, unfazed. Up close, she could see the toll it had taken on him. The weight. The wear. The kind of tired that sleep couldn’t fix.

“Look at them.”

He turned his head, facing the bloodied versions of himself. They grinned back at him, sinister and smug.

“Now tell them to leave.”

He froze. For the first time, he hesitated. His fingers twitched. His throat tightened. That helpless, spiraling feeling clawed at his chest again—out of control, lost in his own mind, like he’d been for weeks now.

Sevyn saw it. She always saw it.

“They don’t have control over you, Hassan,” she said, voice low but firm. “You control your mind.”

It was exactly what he needed to hear. She always knew, even when she didn’t.

“Tell them to leave.”

He took a breath—deep, shaky—and stared at the demons in front of him.

“Leave.”

And the moment the word left his lips, Sevyn wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into her.

Heheldon,armslockingaroundherinstinctively,clutching her like an anchor as the two younger versions of himself began to dissolve.

“We’ll be back, nigga,” ten-year-old Hassan muttered with a smirk before fading into nothing.

But for now… he was gone.

They were gone. And for once, Hassan didn’t feel so alone in the fight.

Hassan ignored him, pulling Sevyn tighter. He needed her presence—the warmth of her body, the softness of her skin, the scent of her lotion and body wash that wrapped around him like a comfort he hadn’t known in years. His tension melted slowly, piece by piece, as she rested against him.

“You are always in control, Hassan,” she whispered against his neck.

He shut his eyes, breathing her in, letting her words settle into the parts of him that always felt on edge. His grip on her waist tightened. He didn’t want to let go. His demons were gone—maybe just for tonight—but they were gone. And it was all because of her.

Sevyn pulled back gently, her arms still looped around his neck. His hands stayed firm on her waist. She looked into his eyes, and just like always, saw everything he worked so hard to hide.

“Why did they show up?” Sevyn asked softly, her eyes searching his face.

Hassan’s hands stayed firm on her waist, gripping her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded. He didn’t answer—couldn’t.

He couldn’t tell her his past was creeping back with blood on its hands. Couldn’t explain that her ex was gunning for him, building a case that could take him down. Couldn’t risk dragging her deeper into his world.

So he just stared at her.

She saw it anyway—the tight set of his jaw, the storm behind his eyes, the way he held onto her like letting go wasn’t an option.

But she didn’t push. Didn’t demand.

“Come on,” she murmured, slipping from his arms and grabbing his hand.

“Where we going?” he asked, his voice low, grounded now.

“To bed. You look drained. Exhausted. And I know you haven’t been sleeping.”

He didn’t fight her. Just let her lead him through the house, past the echo of what they’d just shared, into a bedroom that mirrored the elegance of her office—emerald green, gold, and white. He could tell instantly… emerald was her favorite color.

---