Chapter 5: Monday Shift

Maya opened the door to find Dominic standing in her dorm hallway looking completely out of place in his leather jacket and boots. A few girls walking past stopped and stared. One actually pulled out her phone like she was going to take a picture.

"Show me the texts." Dominic's voice was low and controlled but Maya heard the anger underneath.

She handed him her phone without arguing. He scrolled through the messages and his jaw got tighter with each one. When he reached the last text about them watching her right now he looked up and down the hallway like he expected to see someone standing there.

"Pack a bag." He handed her phone back. "You're not staying here tonight."

"I'm not leaving my dorm."

"Maya those texts aren't jokes. If they're watching you right now that means they know where you live."

"So what? I'm supposed to run away every time someone sends me a threatening message?" Maya crossed her arms even though her hands were still shaking. "I have class tomorrow. I have work. I can't just disappear."

"You can for one night while I figure out what's going on." Dominic stepped closer and lowered his voice. "Please. Just one night."

The please did something to Maya. She'd never heard him say that word before and it sounded wrong coming out of his mouth. Like he didn't use it often.

"Fine. One night." She grabbed her backpack and started packing clothes into it. "But I'm going to class tomorrow no matter what you say."

"We'll talk about it in the morning."

Maya packed enough for one night plus her laptop and textbooks for tomorrow's classes. She was zipping up her bag when Riley appeared in the doorway looking confused.

"Maya? What's going on?" Riley's eyes went from Maya to Dominic and back again. "Who is this?"

"I'm Dominic." He held out his hand but Riley didn't take it.

"I know who you are." Riley looked at Maya. "What's he doing here?"

"It's complicated." Maya threw her backpack over her shoulder. "I'll explain later."

"Explain now." Riley blocked the doorway with her body. "You're not leaving with him until you tell me what's happening."

Maya pulled out her phone and showed Riley the text messages. She watched her friend's face go from confused to scared to angry in about ten seconds.

"Oh my god Maya. We need to call the police." Riley pulled out her own phone. "This is serious."

"The police can't do anything about anonymous texts." Dominic said it matter of fact like he knew from experience. "Trust me. I've dealt with this kind of thing before."

"And what exactly are you going to do about it?" Riley's voice was low that Maya rarely heard. "Take her to your clubhouse? Surround her with more dangerous people?"

"I'm going to keep her safe." Dominic met Riley's stare without backing down. "That's what I'm going to do about it."

"Riley it's okay." Maya touched her friend's arm. "It's just for one night."

"One night that's what he's telling you now." Riley looked at Maya like she was watching her make the biggest mistake of her life. "Please don't do this."

"I'll text you when I get there. I promise." Maya squeezed past Riley into the hallway. "And I'll call you tomorrow after class."

Riley stood in the doorway looking like she wanted to physically drag Maya back inside but finally just shook her head. "If anything happens to you I'm calling the police and your mom and probably the FBI."

"Nothing's going to happen to me."

Maya followed Dominic down the stairs and out to the parking lot where his truck was parked illegally in a fire lane. He unlocked it and Maya climbed in before any of the staring students could come over and ask questions.

They drove in silence for the first few minutes. Maya stared out the window watching campus disappear behind them and wondered what she was doing. This was crazy. She barely knew Dominic. But the alternative was staying in her dorm room wondering if someone was actually watching her and that felt crazier.

"You can stay at my apartment." Dominic said it casual like he was offering her a ride not a place to sleep. "I've got a spare room. Door locks from the inside."

"Your apartment?"

"Unless you'd rather stay at the clubhouse. Carol and Wrench live above the garage. She'd probably love the company."

Maya thought about it. The clubhouse felt safer somehow. More people around. Less personal. "The clubhouse is fine."

"You sure? My apartment is closer to campus."

"I'm sure."

Dominic nodded and changed direction at the next light. They pulled up to the clubhouse twenty minutes later. The parking lot was almost empty except for a few bikes and Wrench's truck. Dominic led Maya through the main room where two guys were watching something on the TV and up a set of stairs she hadn't noticed before.

The apartment above the garage was small but clean. Living room with a worn couch. Kitchen with outdated appliances. Two bedroom doors. Carol appeared from one of them wearing pajama pants and an oversized t shirt.

"Dom? What's going on?" Carol looked at Maya with concern not judgment. "Everything okay?"

"Maya's staying here tonight. Someone's been sending her threatening texts." Dominic pulled out his phone and showed Carol. "Vipers most likely."

Carol's face went hard. "Those assholes. Come on honey I'll get you set up in the spare room."

She led Maya down a short hallway to a bedroom that was clearly used for storage. Boxes were stacked in one corner but the bed looked clean and there was a nightstand with a lamp. Carol started moving boxes to make more space.

"You don't have to do that." Maya set her backpack on the bed. "I'm only here for one night."

"Still want you to be comfortable." Carol moved the last box and turned to face Maya. "You eaten dinner?"

"I'm not hungry."

"That's not what I asked." Carol smiled like she'd heard that response before. "Come on. I made too much pasta and Wrench can't eat it all himself."

Maya wanted to refuse but her stomach growled loud enough for both of them to hear. She followed Carol back to the kitchen where Wrench was already setting out plates. Dominic had disappeared somewhere but Maya could hear his voice through one of the walls talking to someone over the phone.

The pasta was good. Better than good actually. Maya ate while Carol and Wrench made small talk about their day. They didn't ask about the texts or the Vipers or why Maya was really there. They just treated her like a normal guest and that made Maya a bit comfortable.

After dinner Maya helped clean up even though Carol told her not to. Dominic came back looking tense.

"I've got guys watching your dorm and the library where you work." He leaned against the counter. "If anyone suspicious shows up they'll call me."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Yeah I did." Dominic's eyes met hers. "Get some sleep. We'll figure out the rest tomorrow."

Maya wanted to argue but she was exhausted. She said goodnight to Carol and Wrench and went to the spare room. The door had a lock like Dominic promised. She turned it and sat on the bed trying to process everything that happened today.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Riley asking if she was okay. Maya responded that she was fine and at the clubhouse and safe. Riley sent back about fifteen question marks but Maya ignored them. She needed to sleep not explain things she didn't understand herself.

She changed into the t shirt she'd packed and climbed under the covers. The bed was more comfortable than she expected. The room was quiet. She should have been able to fall asleep immediately but her brain wouldn't allow her.

She kept thinking about those texts. About someone watching her. About how her normal life had completely fallen apart in three days. She thought about Dominic's face when he read the messages. The way he said please like it hurt him to ask. The way Carol welcomed her without question.

Maya was almost asleep when her phone lit up on the nightstand. Another text from an unknown number. She grabbed it with her heart racing and read the message.

Cute that you think changing locations will keep you safe. We know where you are. We know who you're with. And we know exactly how to hurt you both.**

Maya's hands shook as she stared at the screen. They knew she was at the clubhouse. That meant they'd followed her or they were watching right now. She should tell Dominic but her body wouldn't move. She just sat there frozen holding her phone like it might explode.

A knock on the door made her jump so hard she almost dropped the phone.

"Maya? You okay in there?" Dominic's voice came through muffled. "I heard something fall."

Maya looked around and realized she'd knocked the lamp off the nightstand when she jumped. She got up and unlocked the door. Dominic stood in the hallway in sweatpants and no shirt looking worried.

"Sorry. I just knocked over the lamp." Maya held out her phone. "But I got another text."

Dominic read it and his whole body went rigid. "When?"

"Just now. Like two minutes ago."

"Stay here." He pulled out his own phone and walked away already dialing. Maya could hear him talking fast and angry to whoever answered.

She picked up the lamp and set it back on the nightstand then sat on the bed hugging her knees. This was getting worse not better. The Vipers weren't going to stop. They were escalating and Maya had no idea how to make it end.

Dominic came back five minutes later still shirtless and looking dangerous. "I've got guys doing a sweep of the area. If anyone's out there watching we'll find them."

"What if they're not watching? What if they just guessed I'd come here?"

"Then they're guessing really well." Dominic sat down on the bed next to her not touching but close enough that she could feel the heat coming off him. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

"It's not your fault."

"It kind of is. If I hadn't helped you Friday night none of this would be happening."

"If you hadn't helped me Friday night those guys would have done something worse than send texts." Maya looked at him. "I'd rather deal with threats than whatever they had planned."

Dominic met her eyes and something passed between them that Maya didn't want to name. The air felt thick. Her pulse was racing but not from fear anymore. She should look away. Should tell him to leave. Should remember that this was temporary and getting involved with him would be the stupidest thing she could do.

Instead she kept staring at him until he cleared his throat and stood up.

"Try to get some sleep. I'll be right down the hall if you need anything."

He left before Maya could respond. She locked the door and climbed back into bed but sleep felt impossible now. She could still feel where he'd been sitting. Could still see the look in his eyes when their gazes met.

This was supposed to be temporary. Just work off her debt and leave. But temporary was starting to feel like a lie she kept telling herself.

Her phone buzzed one more time. Maya grabbed it expecting another threat but the message was from Dominic.

*You're safe here. I promise.*

Maya stared at those three words and felt something shift in her chest. She wanted to believe him. Wanted to trust that he could keep that promise. But trusting people had never worked out well for her before.

She was about to put the phone down when it buzzed again. Different number. Her stomach dropped as she opened the message.

Tomorrow at noon. Campus quad. Come alone or your little sister learns what happens to girls who don't listen.