CHAPTER 3~ ELEVEN MINUTES LATE

Larisa did just what she told herself she would. When she got home, she sat in front of her computer~ job searching until it was past 5:00pm. It was then that she went to the bathroom, took a shower and got dressed.

It was time to head out. She hadn’t forgotten about the address in the message. However, that wasn’t where she went. Instead by 6:30pm, she was in a total different place.

You see, she felt a bit...out of it. Being blackmailed and fired in one day definitely loosened a few screws in her head, and then being told that she wouldn’t receive this month’s salary despite it being close to the last day of the month loosened the rest.

How was she supposed to pay off the remaining of last month’s rent, and the one that was due tomorrow?

Larisa clenched her fists, pushing the door to the police station open.

Frustration was like a shadow of her steps, following her everywhere she went since this day started. She wasn't even sure where she got the courage, but tonight would be the end of Julian's scheme.

She thought about it. He hadn't touched her last night, but tonight was definitely going to be different. Out of all the places in New York, the placed he picked for them to meet up was a hotel?

Yeah, that wasn't suspicious at all.

No way was she going. She'd never slept with anyone before.

Not because she didn't want to. Life simply never gave her the chance.

She'd only had two relationships to date, and neither had lasted. The first one ended in a funeral.

So did the second...and somewhere along the line, she stopped believing in Cinderella stories.

Additionally, if she hadn't slept with either of them, then she wouldn't sleep with Julian either. She might've been a puppet all her life but Julian Maverick would not be her puppet master. She'd take him down even if she had to go down with him.

Walking inside, she looked around the office, and it wasn’t long before an officer greeted her. “What’s wrong, ma’am…?”

“I…I…”

F*ck, should she really do this? Was it the right step?

"I don't know."

The officer sighed. "You look a bit shaken up, come and sit down, we can talk better then.”

Larisa nodded, and he led her towards what seemed to be his desk, sitting her down. “What happened? Were you robbed? What are you reporting?”

Larisa shook her head, swallowing the bile in her throat. "I'm being blackmailed."

"By whom?"

"Julian Maverick. You don't...you don't understand what I had to survive." Her words were becoming shaky now. "He kidnapped me, they had guns, they tied me up...they threatened to kill me."

"God," the concern in his eyes was almost palpable. "I'm really sorry you had to go through this. Where were you kidnapped?"

"I'm a journalist, that's my job...and yesterday I got a call at the office. The anonymous caller gave me a tip~ proof that Julian Maverick was in league with the mafia. I was told that the proof would be at Thirst club."

"And you went there, didn't you?"

Her finger tapped the desk nervously. Yes, stupid decision...but her head was really not onto her body at the time.

"Yes, I went." She confirmed. "I was given a card to get into the exclusive wing where Julian Maverick would be. However, while attaining the evidence, someone covered my mouth with a cloth from behind, and when my eyes opened again, I was in a hotel room, tied up."

"You shouldn't have gone alone. You shouldn't have gone at all. You're lucky you survived, but what are they blackmailing you with? What do they have against you? I can get them behind bars if it's a video of you naked or a video of y-"

"No, no..." Larisa took out the phone she acquired, opening it and finding the messages she received this morning. "Here, look."

She handed the officer the phone and he took it. “So, you’re saying this person…**** buddy is blackmailing you with this video? You wouldn’t mind if I watched it, right?”

Larisa shook her head, tensing when the video started to play. She could hear the club music from the video as it played.

"So you...this is..." She watched as the officer's face expression changed as he handed her the phone. "You stole the private attendance list? You might’ve been searching for evidence, but that's against the law and you could fac~"

"I know that, and I'm willing to face any penalty that I have to, but right now, there are more pressing matters." She started tapping the desk harder. "He said he'd expose then kill me if I ever disobey one of his order. He said he'd do it even if I end up in jail. I'm scared, I don't want to die. He'll kill me if I don't show up tonight, is there any way to arrest him?"

"There is, since the message stated the meet up location, we could go there, and if he is there and a phone number of his is linked with the number that sent you the message, he could be arrested. However, there is no proof of the kidnap, no proof that he really had guns. The only lead is his threat to expose the video if you don't show up."

"So what can we do?"

"Show up, we can use the meeting as an opportunity to apprehend him. I’d suggest my teammate and I go to the hotel…but I believe it’d be best if you could come along as a witness as well as the victim.”

Larisa nodded eagerly.

“Alright then.” He twisted in his chair, looking towards another officer. “Hey Josh…we have to go!”

“What for?”

“Just come on, Josh…and Eddie, tell chief I’m stepping out on an errand…I’ll be back soon.” He then gestured towards Larisa.

“Come, you can drive with us.”

Larisa nodded, following both officers out. She wondered 'would everything would turn out fine?'

|-_-|

They arrived at the hotel in about fifteen minutes, and as Larisa stepped out of the car, she realized that her legs were shaking. She was scared, she could remember vividly how she was thrown into the hotel room, she remembered the thugs she saw, the guns and she remembered Julian standing in the middle of it all.

He was smiling sickly as though he wasn’t afraid to kill, so if this went the wrong way, if he…

Larisa shook her head, everything would be fine, the police had evidence, if they weren’t going to put him behind bars, they’d make sure he didn’t come near her again.

She followed after the police when they stepped inside of the luxurious hotel, not much confidence in her steps as she walked over to the receptionist. “H-Hello…I-I was told to come here…Julian…Julian Maverick…he invited me here.”

“What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“It’s Larisa…Larisa Bronc.”

“You can go in, Larisa, but I’m afraid the cops will not be able to go in with you.”

“Noo…i-it is a must that they come…I’m…I’m…”

“Hello ma’am…we have evidence to believe that a law offender is abiding here. Even without a warrant, obstructing us would put you in danger if anything were to go wrong, so I’d suggest you let us through…”

“Wait, let me just make a quick call with the customer.” She picked up the phone on the desk and dial before nervously putting it at her ear. She whispered into it. “Good night again, sir…I’m afraid some officers are here and they demand to have a word with you.”

Larisa couldn’t hear the response of the person on the phone, but when she the receptionist put the phone down…she nodded towards them. “You can go in now. It’s room 10…the person s-she’s supposed to meet is in room 10.”

“Thanks for your cooperation.”

The officers led Larisa to the elevator, which then took them to the second floor. Sweat coated her forehead when they neared the room, hands intertwined tightly in front of her. Her nerves were wracking, and she regretted agreeing to come here.

She should’ve stayed home, she shouldn’t hav~

Her eyes widened when the police officer shoved the door open, and inside was a person she didn’t at all want to see. He was seated at the edge of the bed, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, and he was smiling, smiling as though he had expected this.

“Larisa angel…” He stared down at the watch on his wrist. “You’re eleven minutes late.”