The safe house was bathed in the soft glow of monitors and dim overhead lights as Theo slumped into a chair, running a hand through his hair. The silence felt deafening after the chaos of the warehouse, the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.

Rebecca stood by the makeshift command center, her fingers flying over her keyboard as she confirmed that the virus had done its job. She glanced back at Theo and Marcus, her face pale but triumphant.

“It’s gone,” she said, her voice breaking the quiet. “The data, the backups, everything—they’re wiped.”

Theo exhaled sharply, his head tilting back as he stared at the ceiling. “We did it.”

Marcus stood by the door, his arms crossed, his posture as steady as ever. But his sharp eyes never stopped scanning the room, the habit of a man who trusted nothing—not even victory.

“Not quite,” Marcus said. “The data’s gone, but the people behind this aren’t. Harlow and his buyers won’t just disappear because they lost the auction.”

Theo frowned, sitting up. “So what are you saying? This isn’t over?”

“It’s not over,” Marcus confirmed. “Not until we deal with Harlow and whoever’s pulling his strings.”

Rebecca spoke up hesitantly. “We’ve got leverage now, though. Harlow’s operation took a massive hit tonight. He’ll be scrambling.”

Marcus shook his head. “Desperation makes people dangerous. He’ll come after us harder than ever.”

Theo sighed, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees. “Great. So we’ve gone from cleaning up my company’s biggest security breach to being targets in a vendetta.”

Marcus stepped closer, his voice lowering. “You were a target the second Orion became public knowledge. This was always going to happen.”

Theo looked up at him, something dark flashing in his eyes. “Then why didn’t you warn me?”

Marcus met his gaze, unflinching. “Would you have listened?”

Theo opened his mouth to argue but stopped, realizing Marcus had a point. He let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head. “You’re insufferable, you know that?”

Marcus smirked faintly. “And you’re alive because of it.”

Later that night, the safe house was quiet again. Rebecca had retreated to the small office to continue monitoring the fallout from the auction, leaving Theo and Marcus alone in the main room.

Theo stood by the window, staring out into the dark cityscape beyond. His reflection in the glass looked tired—more tired than he’d ever seen himself.

“You should get some sleep,” Marcus said from behind him.

Theo didn’t turn around. “You sound like a broken record. Is that your solution to everything?”

Marcus stepped closer, his footsteps soft but deliberate. “You’ve been through a lot tonight. You need rest.”

Theo finally turned, his expression weary but sharp. “Rest won’t change the fact that my life is a disaster right now.”

Marcus tilted his head, studying Theo with a rare softness. “Your life isn’t a disaster. It’s under attack. There’s a difference.”

Theo huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “That’s one way to put it.”

Marcus stepped even closer, the tension between them palpable. “You’re not used to losing control. I get it. But you’re stronger than you think.”

Theo’s breath hitched, caught off guard by the sincerity in Marcus’s tone. “You really believe that?”

Marcus held his gaze, his voice low. “I wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. Theo’s chest tightened, the walls he’d built around himself cracking just slightly.

He let out a soft, shaky breath, his voice quieter. “You have a way of making things sound simple, don’t you?”

Marcus smirked faintly. “It’s not simple. But it’s worth it.”

Theo’s heart thudded in his chest as Marcus’s gaze lingered on him, intense and unwavering. For a moment, the distance between them felt insurmountable—and yet, Marcus was standing right there, closer than ever.

Theo swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper. “What are we doing, Marcus?”

Marcus’s jaw tightened, his usual stoicism cracking just enough to reveal something deeper. “Surviving,” he said softly. “Together.”

Theo’s breath hitched, the vulnerability in Marcus’s voice striking a chord he didn’t know he had. Without thinking, he reached out, his hand brushing against Marcus’s arm.

Marcus didn’t pull away.

The moment stretched, electric and fragile, as if the entire world had narrowed to just the two of them.

Theo’s voice was shaky. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

Marcus smirked faintly. “So are you.”

And then, before Theo could second-guess himself, he leaned in.

Their lips met in a hesitant but charged kiss, a collision of tension, relief, and everything they hadn’t said aloud.

It was brief—barely a heartbeat—but when they pulled back, the weight of the moment lingered between them.

Theo’s voice was soft, almost uncertain. “That was probably a terrible idea.”

Marcus’s smirk widened, the faintest glimmer of amusement in his sharp eyes. “Probably.”

Theo chuckled, the sound warm despite the chaos of the night. “You’re the worst.”

Marcus stepped back, his usual stoicism slipping back into place, but not before his voice softened. “Get some sleep, Montgomery. Tomorrow’s going to be worse.”

Theo shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips as he watched Marcus walk away.

Surviving together.

Maybe it wasn’t such a terrible idea after all.