Chapter 9

The next morning, the house felt empty. I got dressed fast, my mind racing. I tried calling Maya while I grabbed my bag, but it went straight to voicemail. Something was wrong.

I skipped breakfast even though I saw Elena downstairs with her luggage. She was finally leaving the house, but I couldn't even process the victory.

I drove straight to Maya’s apartment, my hands tight on the wheel. The door was locked, so I used the spare key.

“Maya?” I called out.

The apartment was too still. Her bed was made and her laptop was on the desk, but her keys were gone. Her favorite mug was in the sink with cold coffee inside. She had left in a hurry. I called Theo the second I got back into my car, and he answered on the first ring.

“I can’t find Maya, Theo. Her apartment is empty,” I said, my voice shaking. “He might have done something to her.”

“Calm down, Leslie,” he said. “Tell me exactly what happened.”

I told him everything. He stayed quiet for a long time.

“I’ll be there in an hour. Check the school,” he said. “She’s probably in class. I’m coming.”

His assurance helped me breathe as I drove to campus. I checked everywhere—halls, the library, her usual spots. Nothing. No one had seen her. I called a thousand times. I even called her boyfriend, but he didn’t pick up either.

I was terrified Marcus had already gotten to her. I didn’t know if I should call the police, but I knew that might be the worst thing to do. I needed Theo. He was the only one I could trust right now. Even though I felt the urge to call Atlas, I couldn’t. Theo was the right choice.

As I sat at the cafe waiting, my phone buzzed.

**Maya: Meet me at the school field. Behind the bleachers. Please hurry, Les. I’m scared.**

I didn't even reply. I just ran. I pushed through the gate to the fields and rounded the corner of the bleachers.

“Maya!” I shouted.

It was dark under the seats. I stopped and squinted into the shadows.

“Maya, are you—”

A shadow moved. A man stepped out and blocked the light. It wasn't Maya. Marcus stood there holding her phone with that same smug grin on his face.

“You really are too easy to catch, Leslie,” he said. “Did you really think I’d just let you walk away?”

My heart hammered against my chest. I took a step back, looking for an exit, but he was blocking the only way out.

“Where is she, Marcus? Where is Maya?”

“She’s in the car,” Marcus said, nodding toward the parking lot. “And she’ll stay there as long as you cooperate. We’re going for a little drive, Leslie. My place.”

He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my skin, and forced me toward his SUV. I looked around the empty field, desperate for a witness, but there was no one. In the struggle, I managed to drop my phone, hoping it would stay hidden in the grass. I tried to scream, but he slammed his hand over my mouth.

“Shut the fuck up if you want to see Maya again,” he threatened.

“Can we just talk about this? Please,” I cried out, but he pushed me into the car, stuffed a cloth into my mouth, and tied me up in the back. He drove off immediately while I twisted and turned, trying to free myself as tears streamed down my face.

When we reached his apartment, he pushed me inside and locked the door. I could barely breathe from the sobbing. He tossed Maya’s phone on the sofa and turned to me, his eyes dark. He stepped into my space, gripping my jaw hard.

“You think you’re so smart, running to the billionaire for protection?” He sneered. “He doesn't want you. He’s just using you. I’m going to make sure you never forget who really owns you.”

He dragged me down to a basement bedroom and pushed me hard onto the bed.

“Now you stay here and think about this. Accept me back, or I'll force you to,” he spat, pulling the cloth from my mouth. I screamed immediately, but his hand found my lips and he just laughed. “Scream all you want. No one is coming for you.”

He pushed me back and left, locking the door behind him. I stayed on that bed and cried, praying Theo would find my phone and track me here. I must have drifted off from the exhaustion.

Next thing I knew, I felt my clothes being taken off. My eyes snapped open to see Marcus pulling at my jeans. My hands were tied to the bedframe.

“Marcus, stop!” I yelled.

He only grinned. “Come on, Leslie. It’s not the first time. I just miss being inside you. Just let me fuck you. I don't want to hurt you,” he whispered, forcing his mouth onto mine. I bit his lip as hard as I could.

He slapped me across the face, the force of it making me whimper. He ripped off my bra, his disgusting hands finding my breast. I screamed, struggling and kicking with everything I had, but he wouldn't budge. Hot tears stung my cheeks as I realized I was about to get r*ped by my ex.

God! I hope Theo can find me.

Then, the door was kicked off open.

It all happened so fast. Theo was there, pulling Marcus off me. The fight was brutal, heavy punches flying until one hit landed perfectly.

Marcus stumbled back, his feet catching on the floor. He fell hard, his head striking the sharp edge of a metal candle stand.

The room went completely silent. Marcus didn't move. He just lay there, eyes open and empty, as a dark pool of blood began to spread across the floor.

Theo stood over him, his chest heaving, looking down at what he had done. We were both frozen. The threat was gone, but everything else had just begun.

Theo rushed over, his hands moving fast to untie my wrists. The second I was free, I threw myself at him, engulfing him in a hug. I didn't even care that I was half naked; I just needed to feel safe. He hugged me back, holding me tight as I sobbed into his chest, my entire body shaking with a terror I couldn't shake off.

"Shush. It’s okay. I’m here," he whispered, his voice the only thing keeping me grounded.

I stayed in his arms for what felt like forever before I finally pulled away, my hands instinctively coming up to cover my chest. Theo didn't say anything; he just reached down, grabbed my top off the floor, and handed it to me. I pulled it on immediately, my fingers trembling so much I could barely get the fabric straight.

Theo walked back to where Marcus was lying. I stood there, frozen, unable to find my voice as I watched him.

"He’s gone, Leslie," he muttered.

He looked down at the body, his expression completely unreadable. The silence in the basement was suffocating, broken only by the sound of my own ragged breathing. The man who had been my nightmare was finally still, but the look on Theo’s face told me our nightmare was just beginning.

"Theo, what do we do?" I whispered, my voice cracking. "We have to call someone. We have to..."

Theo didn't look up. He just stared at the blood pooling on the floor, his jaw tight. "If we call the police, they’ll see a dead body and two people who had every motive to want him gone. They won't see an accident, Leslie. They'll see a crime."

He finally looked at me, and for the first time, I saw the cold, calculating side of my stepbrother—the side that Atlas always hinted at.

"We aren't calling anyone," he said firmly. "Get your things. I will handle it."