Chapter 46

The safe house Julian had spoken of wasn’t far, tucked away in the quieter part of the city, hidden in plain sight. It was an unassuming apartment, the kind that wouldn’t catch anyone’s attention, with faded brick walls and an old iron door that looked like it hadn’t been used in years.

As Erica parked the car in a discreet spot a few blocks away, the hum of the engine fading into the background, she stole a glance at Julian. His face was pale, and though he hadn’t made a sound of complaint during the drive, she could tell the pain was catching up to him. His jaw was clenched tight, the kind of expression someone wore when they were trying to focus on anything but the wound slowly sapping their strength.

“You’re not fooling anyone,” she said, her voice soft but firm. She stepped out of the car, moving around to help him. "You can stop pretending you're invincible."

Julian managed a weak smile as she looped her arm around his, steadying him as they made their way toward the building. “