Jake
As I hugged Laura, my heart was pounding so hard I wondered if she could feel it. She pulled back a little, raising an eyebrow.
"Babe, are you okay? You seem... tense, and your heart is beating so fast… why? Is anything wrong?" she asked, her hand sliding gently over my shoulder, while her eyes reeked of concern.
I swallowed, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm fine, just a long day at work. Nothing a night in with you won't fix." I replied.
She smiled, clearly satisfied with that answer, and gave me a quick kiss before settling back into my arms. I held her tighter, but my mind was miles away. The fact that Chloe was here, in our home, felt like a ticking time bomb I couldn't defuse. I had believed her earlier at the office when she'd sworn she was done with this obsession. I thought that was it, that we were finally free.
I glanced toward the door, half-expecting Chloe to walk in any second, but Laura's voice brought me back.
