Chapter 251

The suggestion of a triple date caught me completely off guard. I sat on the couch, still reeling from the day's emotional rollercoaster, and Aria's proposal seemed overwhelming.

"A triple date? That sounds… a bit much," I stammered, trying to wrap my head around the idea.

Aria beamed with enthusiasm. "Oh, come on, Evie, think about it! A fun night out with you and Timothy, me and Jake, and Lucas with his new boyfriend. It'll be a blast!"

I hesitated, a hint of concern tugging at me. "Sure, but let's not pick some weird place and scare Timothy off."

Aria laughed, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Don't worry, I'll think of something perfect."

As the night settled in, I found myself lost in thought. The idea of a triple date seemed both daunting and strangely appealing. A part of me yearned for normalcy, for lighthearted moments to overshadow the heaviness that had lingered after Bruce’s torture.

Just as I started to relax, there was a soft knock on my door. "Come in," I called out, assuming it was Aria.

To my surprise, it wasn't Aria who stepped in, but Timothy. His presence brought an unexpected comfort, and I couldn't help but offer a weak smile.

"Aria let me in," Timothy explained, his expression filled with concern. "I wanted to make sure you're okay after everything today."

I nodded, my shoulders still tense. "It's been a rough day, but I'll be alright."

He moved closer and sat beside me, his warmth a soothing presence. "You don't have to worry about Diane. Bruce's passing means he can't hurt anyone else, especially not you."

He reached out and took my hand in his. "You don’t owe her anything. Besides, it wasn’t like you pulled the trigger on him. I did."

I leaned against him. "I’m glad you did. He wouldn’t have had the same mercy for you.”

“Precisely why I brought the back-up,” he added. “He was never going to stop.”

“I just hope his mother didn’t inherit that trait,” I added. "Hopefully this is just how she mourns, because today has been… too much."

Timothy pulled me into a comforting embrace, letting me rest my head on his shoulder. "You don't have to face it alone. I'll stay all night if you want me to."

“Stay here,” I said without hesitation. I patted the bed. “Lay with me.”

We settled on the bed and I nestled on top of him, clinging to his warmth. In the hushed stillness of the night, we lay just like that. The sound of our steady breaths filled the room, and that alone almost lulled me to asleep

I closed my eyes and pressed my ear to his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

"Thank you for being here," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

He tightened his embrace, a gentle smile on his face. "I wish I’d been there more. I can’t imagine having to live with him all those years.”

I hesitated. "Well, before I could pass it off as him being an anti-social teen. Bruce's mother never really stuck around long enough to know the real Bruce, so I’m sure it was easy for her to have this fantasy of him being misunderstood."

I could still hear her tormented cries and accusations. I hadn’t pulled the trigger on that gun, but perhaps I could’ve had I been in Timothy’s position. Actually, if it was Timothy lying on the ground instead of me, I wouldn’t have hesitated.

"He was... wicked," I continued, my voice barely above a whisper. "But there was more to him, beneath the surface. He hated himself, and he had to let everyone else suffer because of it."

Timothy listened attentively, his fingers combing through my hair. “Mmmm…”

"He was always troubled, and I guess it all escalated when he aged," I added, the memories of Bruce's teenage years surfacing in my mind. "There were moments when I saw glimpses of someone human. It was actually what kept me alive long enough for you to get to me."

The room fell into a poignant silence, the weight of my words hanging in the air. I could sense Timothy's growing discomfort as he shifted beneath me, his breathing growing uneven.

Eventually, Timothy's hand found mine, and he gave it a squeeze. "You were brave."

I hoped as much. Every part of me still want to crawl out of my skin when I imagined that camera zeroing in my face with millions of shady viewers behind it.

"Have you spoken to Stella?" I asked eventually.

He stiffened beneath me, though he nodded anyway, his expression solemn. "She's in stable condition, but I don't think I want to interact with her much after what she's done. The authorities will be getting involved soon enough."

“I see” I clutched the material of his shirt in my fist and shook my head. "I honestly didn’t think she’d make it."

Timothy continued, his tone somber. "I can't believe she would go to such measures to harm you because of me. I'll be grateful to see her behind bars after what she’s done.”

I nodded, already feeling mutual on that account. Unless, like Bruce, she’d manage to worm her way out of any accountability for her actions. I couldn’t see her bouncing back as soon, however.

"I trusted her," I murmured, more to myself than to Timothy, a sense of betrayal lingering in my words. "I got in a car with her, thinking she just wanted to make amends. I never expected..."

Timothy cupped my cheek. "It's not your fault, Evie," Timothy assured me. "You couldn't have known."

His words resonated with me. I had wanted to trust Stella, and maybe make both our lives easier considering all that happened. However, Stella evidently felt like murder was the best solution.

"I hope her baby is alright, at least," I murmured, a flicker of empathy surfacing despite the gravity of the situation. “She put it in a dangerous situation.”

Timothy nodded solemnly, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. "Me too," he replied. "But for now, let's focus on keeping you safe."

A fleeting thought crossed my mind, and it brought a smile to my lips. "It's almost like we have a way of making people go crazy around us," I mused.

Timothy let out a soft chuckle. "Yeah, I guess that's just one of our quirks."

Timothy's gaze met mine, a softness in his eyes that spoke volumes. Without a word, he leaned in, his lips meeting mine in a gentle kiss.

The kiss deepened, and each tender touch was like a fire on my skin. In that intimate embrace, the world seemed to fade away.

“Timothy…” I whispered as his hands trailed down from my waist to my thighs. The way his tongue teased my skin before his teeth nipped at my bottom lip had the room spinning. His hands traveled beneath my shirt and cupped my breasts, teasing my already erect, sensitive nipples with a simple brush of contact.

“I want you,” I told him in a gasp after pulling away, eyes locking with his darkened expression to see the amount of lust filling him.

And he took the challenge, groaning at my words just before he gripped the neck of his t-shirt to pull over his head, tossing it aside a second before he reached for my hips to pull me closer to him. I wrapped my arms around my neck and dragged him into another kiss.

I wanted to forget, even as the night progressed and we managed to get lost in one another. As Timothy and I lay there afterward, our bodies cupped together, it still managed to slip back into my mind. If Bruce’s mother was just as persistent as he was, I would have a lot more to worry about.

Even then, after seeing him bleed out before me, it was as if Bruce never left…