Vinny woke before sunrise.
For a few moments he lay still, staring at the ceiling.
Something felt wrong.
Not dangerous.
Just different.
The apartment was silent except for the distant hum of traffic outside.
He turned his head.
Griffin was asleep beside him.
One arm rested across his waist.
Even in sleep, Griffin held onto him.
Vinny stared at the hand.
A strange feeling settled in his chest.
Comfort.
Fear.
Warmth.
Possession.
All tangled together.
Carefully, he slipped out from under Griffin's arm and made his way into the kitchen.
The digital clock on the microwave displayed 5:17 AM.
Too early.
Yet he could not fall back asleep.
His thoughts drifted to West.
The man had appeared twice now.
Both times he seemed calm.
Patient.
Observant.
Unlike Griffin's intensity, West never seemed emotional.
That somehow made him more unsettling.
Vinny opened the refrigerator.
A small note immediately caught his eye.
Good morning, my light.
Breakfast is on the second shelf.
Take your medication after eating.
I will be awake soon.
Love, Griffin.
Vinny stared at the note.
A small smile appeared despite himself.
Then the smile faded.
How long had Griffin been leaving notes like this?
How many routines had quietly formed around him without him noticing?
The breakfast had already been prepared.
His medication had already been set aside.
His clothes for the day were folded neatly on a chair nearby.
Everything had been anticipated.
Everything had been arranged.
Everything.
A chill moved through him.
Not because it was cruel.
Because it was thorough.
Griffin thought of everything.
Every need.
Every preference.
Every detail.
Sometimes Vinny wondered if Griffin knew him better than he knew himself.
The thought stayed with him as he ate.
A few minutes later he heard footsteps.
Griffin entered the kitchen.
His dark hair was messy from sleep.
His shirt hung loose around his shoulders.
For a moment he looked almost normal.
Then his eyes landed on Vinny.
The intensity returned immediately.
"There you are."
The words sounded relieved.
As if Griffin had been afraid Vinny might disappear during the night.
"I couldn't sleep," Vinny explained.
Griffin walked over and gently touched his cheek.
"You should have woken me."
"I didn't want to bother you."
A small frown appeared on Griffin's face.
"You never bother me."
His thumb brushed lightly against Vinny's skin.
"You are the reason I wake up."
Vinny looked away.
Heat spread across his face.
Griffin smiled.
"You are cute when you get embarrassed."
Before Vinny could respond, a notification sounded from Griffin's phone.
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Griffin looked at the screen.
His expression hardened.
"What is it?" Vinny asked.
Griffin remained silent.
A little too silent.
"Griffin."
Slowly, Griffin handed him the phone.
Vinny's stomach dropped.
A photograph filled the screen.
It had been taken yesterday.
Outside his mother's house.
The image showed Vinny standing beside Griffin.
Someone had clearly been watching.
There were more photographs.
Dozens.
Different angles.
Different distances.
Different times.
Vinny felt sick.
"What is this?"
"West."
The single word filled the room.
Vinny looked up.
Griffin was staring at the images with cold fury.
Not jealousy.
Not irritation.
Fury.
"He sent them."
"What?"
"He wanted me to know he was watching."
Vinny's hands trembled.
The realization settled heavily in his chest.
West had been observing them.
Documenting them.
Tracking them.
The same way Griffin once had.
The comparison struck him immediately.
His eyes widened.
For the first time, he saw something dangerous reflected in both men.
Different methods.
Different motives.
But the same fixation.
Griffin noticed the look.
For a brief moment neither spoke.
Then Griffin sighed.
"You are comparing us."
Vinny froze.
"You understand why."
"Maybe."
The answer surprised him.
Griffin pulled out a chair and sat opposite him.
For once he seemed thoughtful.
Almost vulnerable.
"I never wanted to scare you."
"You keep saying I belong to you."
"I know."
"You watch me."
"I know."
"You know things about me that I never told you."
Griffin lowered his eyes briefly.
"I know."
The honesty caught Vinny off guard.
There was no denial.
No excuses.
No attempt to pretend.
Just truth.
Finally Griffin looked back at him.
"The difference is that I would never hurt you."
Vinny held his gaze.
The words sounded sincere.
Completely sincere.
Which somehow made them more complicated.
Because Griffin genuinely believed them.
Silence settled between them.
Then another notification appeared.
Both men looked down.
A new message.
Unknown Number.
The text contained only a single sentence.
He looks prettier when he smiles.
Vinny felt ice flood his veins.
West.
It had to be.
Griffin's jaw clenched.
The coffee mug in his hand cracked.
Neither of them noticed at first.
A thin line spread across the ceramic.
Then another.
Then another.
Until the entire cup shattered in Griffin's grip.
Coffee spilled across the table.
Vinny jumped.
Griffin did not.
His eyes remained fixed on the message.
Dark.
Unblinking.
Dangerous.
For several seconds he looked less like a man and more like something trying very hard to remain one.
Then he slowly stood.
"Griffin?"
No answer.
"Griffin."
This time he turned.
The fury was gone.
Or rather, hidden.
Buried beneath a calm smile.
A smile that frightened Vinny far more.
"I'm going out for a little while."
"What?"
"I need to handle something."
Vinny's pulse quickened.
"What are you going to do?"
Griffin walked over and gently kissed his forehead.
The gesture felt strangely at odds with the darkness in his eyes.
"Nothing you need to worry about."
The answer did not reassure him.
Not even slightly.
As Griffin headed for the door, Vinny noticed something sitting on the counter.
A photograph.
One that definitely had not been there before.
His breath caught.
It was another picture of him.
Taken through the apartment window.
Taken this morning.
Which meant one thing.
West had been outside.
Watching.
Close enough to see inside.
Close enough to see everything.
The front door closed.
Vinny stood frozen in the kitchen.
One thought repeating itself over and over.
West was getting closer.
And Griffin was about to do something about it.