I remain where I was standing, as Markus walks passed Austin and arrives in the living room. He looks straight over to me sending me a smile, where I have to try my hardest not to show how scared I really am. "What can we do for you?" Austin asks walking passed Markus slowly, where he comes to a stop beside me. "I heard what happened last night, when I saw you both weren't at work I'd thought I'd come over to see how you both were" he smiles placing his hands in his pockets as he went, I take a look up at Austin for a split second. Yes of course he would know if Austin didn't show up to work, the dude is Austin's boss! But to know if I wasn't in work, he would have either had to ring my work asking if I was in, which I know Brooke was probably eating it all up. Or he went into my work to see if I was there, why would he go out of his way to check where I was?! "Payton and I are fine, we just thought it would be better to take a day off today" Austin smiles wrapping his arm around

After speaking with Austin about it all, I agreed to join him for dinner with Markus. Knowing what I know now, I knew I didn't really have much of an option. Austin still felt so bad that he's brought me into this, I kept telling him what's done is done and we can't change that now. I will come up with a plan to get us both out of this, I just have to be careful due to how Markus is. There was someone I wanted to tell and ask what to do, but I knew Austin wouldn't want me to do that. Also, he would immediately tell me I would need to tell someone like the police, but with the little I know about Markus, I would not be doing that. If you haven't already guessed who I'm talking about, it's Roman. He's only been away for coming up two weeks now, I just hope that all of this is out of the way by the time he gets back. We can't have Markus thinking Austin and I are a thing, then he'll see me with Roman! That's just more drama and chaos that I really don't need in my life right now, it will

The first half of the car ride was silent, I couldn't believe how Austin stood up to Markus. Whenever he talks about Markus, he tells me how you can never talk back to him. Apparently, he doesn't take it too kindly and will retaliate in some sinister way. I was hoping that wouldn't happen, but I couldn't help but feel grateful for Austin."Thank you" I say looking over at him slightly as I spoke. "I know that must have been terrifying to talk back to Markus like that, but you protected me from being forced to also work for him" I smile where he shakes his head, but does look over at me."You really don't have to thank me Payton, you shouldn't be put in a situation where he would be offering you a job. This is my fault" he says lopping back to him feeling sorry for himself. "But when it comes to you, I would do anything to keep you safe" he says looking over at me with a serious face, before he turns back to look at the road."Would have Markus sent the police around to test if we woul

The car ride was silent which was becoming a running theme lately, my head was just worrying and going over what could happen while but also after, I meet with this police officer. He sounded like he already knew somehow we were involved with Markus, so maybe I won’t have to tell him much. I just needed to ensure that Austin was kept out of this, he didn’t know what he was getting himself into until it was too late. Perhaps after this is all over, he can start getting back to the way he was before this all started.We were soon turning the corner to where my work was located, which only caused the nerves I was feeling to just grow and grow. I take a deep breath in before putting a smile on my face, I can’t let Austin see how nervous I am or he’ll ask me what’s really going on.“Are you sure you want to do this, you can wait until tomorrow” Austin says which tells me I didn’t do a good job at hiding this, probably why I never got into acting. “If you’re worried I can come in with you”

I walk out of the back door of my work, the fresh air making a smile form on my lips. When travelling here, all I could think about was how terrified I was to have this meeting with Jacob and the other man. But now I have and I kind of know what’s happening, I felt more confident that in the end Austin would be free from Markus. But I also knew how dangerous this was, if Markus does find out what I’m doing who knows what he’ll do?!I pull my phone out where I see all the missed calls from Austin, I did feel my phone going off in my bag but I couldn’t just pull my phone out in the middle of that meeting. I hope he wasn’t too annoyed or worried. I click on his name whilst putting the phone to my ear, it only rings twice before his worried voice comes through.“Finally you’ve called, are you okay?” He asks worriedly, I smile thankful that he wasn’t annoyed that I never rang him earlier.“Yeah I’m okay, sorry it took so long my boss can talk for England!” I laugh thinking of an excuse on