Chapter 2 2

Delilah's POV

The coffee in front of her had gone cold. She barely noticed.

Theo sat across from her, relaxed in his chair, fingers idly tapping against the side of his cup. He hadn't said much in the last few minutes, but he didn't need to. His presence alone carried a quiet certainty that made it impossible to ignore the truth- she wasn't done with last night.

Neither was he.

"I need to know more," Delilah said, breaking the silence.

Theo lifted a brow. "What else do you want to know?"

"Everything." She leaned forward, resting her forearms on the table. "Who was he? Has he done this before? And why do I feel like you're holding something back?"

The corner of Theo's mouth twitched, not quite a smile. "I told you what mattered."

"No." Her voice came out sharper than expected. "You told me just enough to keep me from asking more."

A slow sigh left him. He ran a hand through his hair, his expression unreadable.

"The guy wasn't a stranger," he admitted finally. "I've seen him around before. Name's Mason Holt. He's not part of my team, but he's got friends in the same circle."

That name meant nothing to her.

"He knew me?"

"I don't think so. But he sure as hell thought he could do whatever he wanted without consequences."

A familiar heat stirred in her chest. Anger. That same feeling had coursed through her last night, only now she had a name to put to it. Mason Holt. Some entitled prick who thought he could trap her in a corner and walk away like nothing happened.

Theo was still watching her, reading her reaction.

"You don't have to do anything about this," he said. "I doubt he'll try again."

That wasn't the point.

"He should pay for what he did," Delilah muttered.

"He already did." Theo's tone was flat, matter-of-fact.

Something about the way he said it made her pause.

She studied him, taking in the faint bruise along his knuckles.

"What did you do?"

Theo didn't blink. "What I had to."

For a moment, the noise of the café disappeared, the weight of his words settling between them.

He had fought for her.

Delilah wasn't sure what to say to that. Gratitude felt too small, too simple. And yet, she also knew he hadn't done it for thanks.

"I don't want this to just go away," she admitted.

"Then don't let it," Theo said.

A challenge. A promise.

Delilah nodded, determination settling in her chest.

Mason Holt wouldn't get away with this... Not if she had anything to do with it.

Theo's POV

The moment Delilah left the café, Theo knew she wouldn't let this go.

He should have expected that... She wasn't the type to let things slide, not when something mattered to her. And last night? That had mattered.

Delilah's POV

The coffee in front of her had gone cold. She barely noticed.

Theo sat across from her, relaxed in his chair, fingers idly tapping against the side of his cup. He hadn't said much in the last few minutes, but he didn't need to. His presence alone carried a quiet certainty that made it impossible to ignore the truth- she wasn't done with last night.

Neither was he.

"I need to know more," Delilah said, breaking the silence.

Theo lifted a brow. "What else do you want to know?"

"Everything." She leaned forward, resting her forearms on the table. "Who was he? Has he done this before? And why do I feel like you're holding something back?"

The corner of Theo's mouth twitched, not quite a smile. "I told you what mattered."

"No." Her voice came out sharper than expected. "You told me just enough to keep me from asking more."

A slow sigh left him. He ran a hand through his hair, his expression unreadable.

"The guy wasn't a stranger," he admitted finally. "I've seen him around before. Name's Mason Holt. He's not part of my team, but he's got friends in the same circle."

That name meant nothing to her.

"He knew me?"

"I don't think so. But he sure as hell thought he could do whatever he wanted without consequences."

A familiar heat stirred in her chest. Anger. That same feeling had coursed through her last night, only now she had a name to put to it. Mason Holt. Some entitled prick who thought he could trap her in a corner and walk away like nothing happened.

Theo was still watching her, reading her reaction.

"You don't have to do anything about this," he said. "I doubt he'll try again."

That wasn't the point.

"He should pay for what he did," Delilah muttered.

"He already did." Theo's tone was flat, matter-of-fact.

Something about the way he said it made her pause.

She studied him, taking in the faint bruise along his knuckles.

"What did you do?"

Theo didn't blink. "What I had to."

For a moment, the noise of the café disappeared, the weight of his words settling between them.

He had fought for her.

Delilah wasn't sure what to say to that. Gratitude felt too small, too simple. And yet, she also knew he hadn't done it for thanks.

"I don't want this to just go away," she admitted.

"Then don't let it," Theo said.

A challenge. A promise.

Delilah nodded, determination settling in her chest.

Mason Holt wouldn't get away with this... Not if she had anything to do with it.

Theo's POV

The moment Delilah left the café, Theo knew she wouldn't let this go.

He should have expected that... She wasn't the type to let things slide, not when something mattered to her. And last night? That had mattered.

Sliding his phone out of his pocket, he pulled up a message thread.

Theo: She remembers enough. She's not backing down.

The response came quickly.

Unknown Number: Then keep her close. She's not safe yet.

Theo clenched his jaw, and locking his phone screen.