Run: 2026-02-19-01KHSZ1NV9P29GYKPPR01NE4D3

The three deadbolts Aurora had installed after moving in were no match for the Frenchman's powers. Lucien pushed open the door, his tall frame filling the doorway. Aurora stood frozen, her heart pounding in her chest at the sight of the man she'd been trying so hard to forget. "Well, well," he said, his voice laced with a mix of amusement and satisfaction. His heterochromatic eyes, one amber and one black, seemed to see right through her. "Look who's hiding behind the deadbolts." Aurora's hand tightened around the stack of mail she had been holding when she opened the door. She took a steadying breath, her gaze flicking from Lucien's face to the threshold behind him. Her voice, when she found it, was steadier than she'd expected. "I thought I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with you." Lucien raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of arrogance and pain. "So, you decided to hide away in this tiny flat and pretend I don't exist?" Aurora rolled her eyes, taking a step back to make room for him to enter. She knew she couldn't keep him out, but she wasn't about to welcome him with open arms either. "I don't hide from anyone. I've been busy, and you—" "Busy avoiding me?" Lucien smirked, stepping into the flat. The slam of the door reverberated through the small space, and the tabby cat, Ptolemy, shot out from under the couch, hissing at the sudden intrusion. "I have a life, Lucien. A job, friends..." Aurora trailed off, gesturing to the cluttered space around her. "This place might not be much, but it's mine." Lucien's gaze swept over the piles of books and scrolls, his mouth curving into a wry smile. "A library fit for a scholar. Though I never pegged you for a hoarder." "A researcher, not a hoarder," Aurora corrected, setting the mail down on a stack of ancient-looking tomes. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't snoop." "Can't help it, my dear. Curiosity is my curse." He scanned the titles, his eyes lingering on a particular scroll. "Ah, this one is a rare find. Where did you get it?" Aurora hesitated, considering the wisdom of engaging with him. But as she watched him run his long fingers over the delicate surface of the parchment, she couldn't help but feel the old pull of his charm. "I have my sources," she said, her voice softening despite herself. Lucien turned, leaning against the small kitchen counter, his arms folded casually across his chest. "I remember when all you could talk about was getting out of Cardiff, escaping your family's expectations. Now you're researching forgotten tomes and living above a curry house." "It's not just about research." Aurora felt the weight of his scrutiny and looked away. "I can do what I want here...who I want to be without..." He straightened, his eyes narrowing. "Without me?" Aurora bit her lip, wishing she could take back the words. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken emotions. Lucien sighed, running a hand through his slicked-back blond hair. "I never wanted to be that person, Rory." Hearing him say her nickname, the one only close friends used, sent a shiver down her spine. "A name doesn't change what you did," she retorted, her voice wavering. Lucien's eyes flashed, pain cutting through his usual arrogance. "I made mistakes, yes, but so did you. I loved you, and you left without a word." Aurora's eyes widened at his blunt confession. She felt her throat constrict, emotions rising unbidden. "I had my reasons." "Reasons? Or fear?" Lucien's gaze was piercing, and she felt exposed, as if he could see every doubt and secret she'd tried to hide. "Bit of both." Aurora took a deep breath, steeling herself. "I was scared, but I also saw things in you...Things you didn't want me to. Like the night of the fire..." His face paled, and for a moment, he looked almost vulnerable. "I told you to stay away for your own good." "And I should've fought harder to stay. But I was scared, and you made it easier to leave." Aurora's eyes filled with unshed tears, memories of the past flooding back. "I thought I'd never see you again." Lucien closed the distance between them in two strides, his hands gently cupping her face. "I never wanted to hurt you. I let you go because I thought it was the only way to protect you." Aurora's heart raced as she felt the warmth of his touch, the familiar spark igniting deep within. She wanted to push him away, to deny the connection, but her body was betraying her. "Do you still want to protect me?" she whispered, her voice laden with doubt and desire. Lucien's eyes searched hers, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "More than anything, but I won't be the reason you hide anymore, or we'll both end up in our own personal hells." The raw honesty in his words caught Aurora off guard, softening her resolve. She felt the weight of the past easing, even if just for a moment. "I'm not hiding," she insisted, her voice breaking. "I'm living, here and now..." Lucien's face was inches from hers, their breaths mingling. "Then live without fear, with me. No more running."