Chapter 10

Maya was admitted at the hospital. I had barely made it through the doors when Jude, Maya’s boyfriend, found me. He looked a wreck. He told me she’d been admitted a few hours ago and was just about to be discharged.

It was already late into the night.

When I finally saw Maya, I didn’t say a word, I threw my hands around her. I held her so tight I was afraid I’d break her, the fear from the basement crawling back.

"I’m okay, Les," she whispered, though she sounded fragile.

"What did he do?" I asked, pulling back to look at her.

"He hit me," she said, her voice shaking. "He hit my head with something metal. Everything went black. I thought..."

"I know," I said, cutting her off. I knew exactly what he was capable of.

"I’m scared, Leslie. I want to tell Jude. We have to call the police," she said, her eyes searching mine.

I shook my head immediately. My heart cold. "No. It’s fine. It’s been taken care of."

She stared at me for while then she raised a brow, her gaze skeptical.

"Taken care of? What does that mean?"

"It means you’re safe. I promise you, it’s handled," I said, my voice firmer than I felt. We hugged again, and in that moment, the reality hit me.

If Theo hadn't shown up, both of us would probably be dead right now. I thought about Marcus lying on that basement floor, and for the first time in my life, I felt zero regret. I wasn't sorry he was dead. I was only sorry it didn't happen sooner.

I didn't tell her the truth. I couldn't.

Jude drove us back to their apartment, and I stayed there for hours making sure she was settled and safe.

Jude left Maya and I alone as I laid beside her on the bed. I hugged her as I stared at the ceiling in silence.

“I’m sorry Leslie, For everything.” she breaks the silence.

“This is all my fault.” She added her voicing breaking.

I held her tight caressing her hand “it’s okay. I forgive you even though it did fucking hurt.” I paused

“But I’ve thought about it.That bastard isn’t worth the reason for our friendship to break. So don’t worry about it. You’re truly forgiven.”

She turns hugs me tighter as she sobbed, later she fell asleep. I tried Theo’s line a dozen time but it kept going to voicemail. The silence was eating me alive.

Finally, my phone buzzed. It was him.

"It’s done," Theo said. His voice was flat, devoid of any emotion. "It’s been taken care of."

"Theo, I need to know what you did. I need an explanation," I whispered, stepping into the hallway so Maya wouldn't hear.

"No, you don't. You just need to know you're safe."

I pressed but he refused to give details.

"I owe you everything for this," I said, the weight of the secret settling between us.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. When he finally spoke, his voice was thick with something I hadn't heard before.

"I hope you see I’d do everything to keep you safe, Leslie. You know that."He paused, a ragged breath catching.

“You knew why you called me instead of Atlas. That I’m the only who will stand by you no matter what you do.”

My chest tightened as I listened to him.

“Even if you don’t see it now, I will continue to prove it you. “ he exhaled deeply.

“And this is because I love you so much Leslie.”

The line went dead before I could even gasp. My heart sunk.

I stared at the screen, the weight of his confession feeling just as heavy as the murder we were covering up. But before I could process it, the phone rang again.

It was Atlas.

"Where are you?" he demanded the second I picked up. He sounded frantic, a complete break from his usual composure. "I’ve been trying to reach you all night."

"I'm at Maya's," I said, my voice small.

"Stay there. I’m coming to pick you up. Send me the address."

I was caught off guard. I even let out a weak, teasing breath. "Am I hearing this right? Is the man of stone actually worried about me?"

"Just send the address, Leslie," he snapped, but the edge in his voice was pure concern.

He pulled up in no time. When I stepped out onto the curb, he was already out of the car. For a second, we just stood there. Then, he reached out and pulled me into him. I started to shake as flashes of the basement , Marcus’s hands, the blood, the slap came rushing back. I had to bite my tongue to keep from breaking down right there.

He pulled back, his eyes searching mine like he was reading a map. He knew. He could tell something had happened.

"What's wrong? Tell me," he urged.

"I'm fine," I lied, looking away. "Maya was hurt, but she's okay now. It was just a long night.

Don't worry about it."

He didn't look convinced, but he didn't push. He opened the car door for me, his hand lingering on my shoulder for a second too long. As we started the drive back to the house, the silence in the car was different than usual.

"I know something is wrong," he said, his eyes fixed on the road. "I’ve known since the second you rushed out of the bedroom. I won't force you to say it tonight, but don't think for a second I won't find out."

I looked out the window, watching the streetlights blur.

"Whatever is making you cry," he continued, his jaw tightening, "I’ll make sure they pay for it." He slowed the car as we turned into the driveway, turning to look at me one last time.

"When I said you were mine, I meant everything about you. And that includes doing whatever it takes to keep you safe."

I sat there, frozen. My stomach tightened as I felt heat rush to my face from his words.

I struggled to sleep for hours, my mind replaying everything that had happened in that basement, but I eventually drifted off. Atlas stayed by my side the whole time. He was different, quiet and attentive in a way that felt foreign.

The next morning was Friday. I decided to skip class; I couldn't face the world yet. When Atlas told me he was coming home early so we could spend the day together, I was surprised. The princess treatment was coming out of nowhere, especially from him.

Once he left for the office, I called Theo. He told me he was staying at a hotel nearby. I needed to see him, to understand what we were now, so I drove over.

When I got to his room, the atmosphere was heavy. We sat in silence for a long time, the weight of the basement still hanging over us.

"I meant what I said on the phone, Leslie," he finally said, his voice low and steady.

The emotion in the room shifted. He moved closer, his hand caressing my face. I didn't pull away this time.

When he leaned in and kissed me, I let him. My mind was too clouded and overwhelmed to fight it. I responded to every movement of his lips deeply until the reality of it finally forced me to pull back. My breath was heavy as I looked at him.

"Theo, I don't think I can do this," I whispered. "We're siblings. Step-siblings or not, it's not right."

He didn't flinch. He just looked at me with a hard, knowing expression. "But you’re willing to be with Atlas? He’s practically your uncle. How is that any different?"

"It’s not the same," I shot back, trying to find the logic. "I’ve known you since we were kids, Theo. We grew up together."

"Maybe that's exactly why it matters more," he said.

I sat there, caught between the man who had just saved my life and the man who claimed to own it. No matter which way I turned, I was deeper in this than I ever intended to be.

A stepbrother and an uncle.