I hurriedly slipped my scrub top over my head, the fabric clinging to my skin as I jammed my feet into my shoes, heart racing. Gripping my purse tightly, I stepped into the living room, only to find Armando sitting up on the couch, cradling his abdomen with his left hand, his head resting heavily against one of my fleece pillows.
A wave of unease washed over me. How could I leave him here, vulnerable and alone, while I went to work? The gravity of the situation pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I couldn’t shake the discomfort gnawing at me. Three days ago, I had pulled him from the brink, cleaned him up, and now here he was, my savior turned burden. I let out a shaky breath, hovering over him, torn between compassion and fear. Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open, and those hazel swirls locked onto mine, sending a jolt through me—like electricity sparking in my core. He was breathtaking, the kind of handsome that made my stomach lurch like a schoolgirl’s first crush, despite the tattoos that adorned his body. I had never liked ink before, but on him, they told a story I wanted to know. “Where are you going?” His voice was low, rough around the edges, but it wrapped around me, pulling me back to the moment. I stood there, arms crossed, caught off guard by the vulnerability in his gaze and the weight of the choices I had to make. “I have to work, and if I don’t pay the bill soon, they’ll cut the water off.” My voice trembled, heavy with desperation. He swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, and I couldn’t help but notice how his tongue darted out to wet his lips—a movement that ignited a fire in my stomach, stirring emotions I didn’t want to confront. He reached into his wallet, fingers trembling slightly as he revealed a handful of hundreds. My heart raced, pounding against my ribs like a caged animal. No. I couldn’t accept his money. It felt wrong—like accepting a lifeline from the very sea that threatened to drown me. “Since you helped me, I want to help you,” he said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper that seemed to hang in the air between us, charged with unspoken promises. “Absolutely not,” I replied, a stubborn edge creeping into my tone as I turned away, desperate to escape the pull of his gaze. The door loomed ahead, an escape route from this suffocating moment. “Please,” he urged, his voice raw and vulnerable. “It’s the least I could do. Soon enough, you won’t have to see me again.” I spun around, caught off guard by the sincerity etched across his face. His hand still extended, those crisp bills hovering in the air, heavy with unspoken intentions. My stomach twisted at the thought of my mounting responsibilities—Mother’s disappointment looming large. She had already expressed her frustration when I asked for last month’s rent. I couldn’t let her down again. But staring into his eyes, I felt the world shift, the weight of my choices pressing down like a lead blanket, suffocating yet electrifying. In that moment, it dawned on me: accepting his help wasn’t just about money; it was about trust—about vulnerability. And in a life where every day felt like a battle, maybe it was time to let someone in. I huffed, the weight of the cash feeling like lead in my palm. With a quick flick of my wrist, I shoved the crumpled bills into my purse, barely managing a strained "thank you" before I fled into the suffocating air of the parking lot. Once inside my car, I sat frozen for what felt like an eternity, the world outside a blur as chaos swirled in my mind. Finally, I turned the key, the engine roaring to life, and peeled away onto the freeway. With the music blaring in a futile attempt to drown out my racing thoughts and the cold air from the AC biting at my fingertips, I suddenly noticed the gas light glaring ominously on the dashboard. Panic surged through me as I glanced in the rearview mirror and took the exit, my heart pounding louder with each moment that passed. As I coasted down the ramp, I spotted a 7/11, its fluorescent lights flickering like a warning sign. I reached into my purse, my hands trembling as I retrieved one of the bills Armando had given me, the gesture feeling like a betrayal in my gut. I marched inside the station, the musty scent of stale coffee and tobacco swirling around me. After handing the cashier the money to fill my tank, I felt a slight relief wash over me—until I caught sight of a group of men loitering outside, their laughter sharp and sardonic. I moved past them, unease prickling at the back of my neck. But as I reached my car, time itself seemed to freeze. Their voices drifted toward me, heavy with dread and foreboding. My breath hitched when I heard them mention Armando's name, the words wrapping around my throat like a vice. They were talking about how the Death Dealers were hunting him down, their eyes glinting with malice as they speculated about a woman—a woman driving a car that looked just like mine—who had helped him escape. My heart raced uncontrollably, fear electrifying my veins. I hurriedly returned the gas nozzle to its place, but my hands shook so violently that the cap wouldn’t click shut, frustration and terror mingling in my chest. Sweat clamored across my skin as I scrambled back into my car, slamming the door behind me like a shield against the darkness inching closer. I could feel it—the impending doom closing in. They would find us. They had to be stopped. I needed to return to Armando, to warn him, to protect him. This man had just dragged me deeper into a nightmare, and now it felt as if the shadows were reaching out, ready to swallow us whole.I slammed the car door shut, heart racing, as panic clawed at my chest. I drove like a madman towards the ATM, desperation fueling my every movement. Armando’s money felt heavy in my hands, a lifeline wrapped in shadows. I deposited the cash and barely managed to pay the water bill—thank God I had just enough for electricity too. A wave of relief washed over me, but it was quickly overshadowed by the weight of Armando’s presence looming over my life now. My mind screamed in chaos. Would we even make it out alive? Just then, the panic hit me like a tidal wave. It wasn’t supposed to happen here—at the ATM, of all places. White dots erupted in front of my eyes as I gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white with fear. I fought to breathe, forcing myself to inhale deeply, letting the rush of air fill my lungs while the pressure twisted inside me. What was I going to do with him? The reality crashed down: the other gang knew about me, and now I was trapped in this mess, shackled to
My phone rang, slicing through the tension-filled silence while Maya was in the shower. I knew I shouldn’t answer it; every instinct screamed at me to ignore it. But the thought of leaving it unanswered gnawed at me like a festering wound. I had charged it earlier when Maya was away, a small flicker of hope in an otherwise darkening world.Jake’s name flashed on the screen, and a wave of dread washed over me. My stomach churned with anxiety, but this was my crew, my responsibility. I couldn’t let Rico’s shadow cast a pall over us.I slid my finger across the screen, and Jake’s frantic voice crackled through the line. “Armando? Is that you?” His breath came in quick gasps, sounding almost muffled as if he were hiding in a quiet room, wrestling with his own fears.“It’s me,” I replied, steeling myself for whatever grim news was about to surface.He exhaled sharply, a mix of relief and panic. “Thank god you’re alive. Where are you? We can come get you.” Jake had always been the mor
He pressed his lips against mine, a soft yet electrifying connection that ignited something deep within me. The kiss was an unspoken declaration, a spark that blazed to life before I even had a chance to comprehend it. Armando was unlike anyone I'd ever encountered; there was a wildness to him that both thrilled and terrified me. When he finally revealed that he led a gang trafficking drugs, it felt like the ground had shifted beneath my feet. Shock coursed through me, leaving me breathless. What was I supposed to think? I shot a glare at the clock, its red digits glaring back at me in the stillness of the night. Past midnight. Time felt suspended as I turned to face the door, where Armando lay sprawled on the couch, his presence a heavy blanket over my thoughts. The taste of his kiss lingered on my lips, a haunting reminder of our encounter. A slight smile crept onto my face, unwelcome yet insistent, as memories whirled in my mind. His hands had gripped my cheeks with such urgenc
“Maya?” The name slips from my lips like a desperate whisper, trembling in the stillness of the room. Beneath me, something soft and warm cradles my weight—a fleeting comfort that contrasts sharply with the chaos in my mind. I inhale deeply, the air thick with familiarity, and as I lift my head, the haze begins to clear. I blink hard, recognizing the faint outlines of my own room back at the camp, a sanctuary that now feels hauntingly foreign.The walls hold echoes of the past, unchanged since I last stood here three days ago. My clothes lie scattered on the ottoman, remnants of a life interrupted. The bathroom door stands ajar, an invitation into a space that feels incomplete. But where is Maya? Her absence is a void that grips my chest, and I inhale sharply as awareness crashes in: the searing pain at my side. We were waiting for Jake. The memory hits like a thunderclap. He must have brought us here—what happened after? Panic rises as I sit up, forcing myself to take stock of the s
I perched on a bar stool in the dimly lit kitchen of the cabin, my heart racing as I watched Luna methodically pour drink after drink into her glass. Her brown eyes were locked onto me with a fierce intensity that sent shivers down my spine. “So you’re a nurse?” she slurred, her words thick and heavy, punctuated by unsteady sways. The empty vodka bottle stood like a sentinel beside her, a testament to the chaos spiraling around us. I shifted in my seat, straightening up as if trying to defy the weight of the moment. My hands intertwined nervously in my lap, and I cleared my throat to gather my thoughts, but they slipped away like sand through my fingers. It had been days since I last saw Armando, days spent in this cabin where Luna held me captive—no ropes binding my wrists today, but the invisible chains of anxiety and longing weighed heavily upon me.My mind drifted to him, an ache blooming in my chest. How was he? Did he need me? The mere thought of him tugged at my very essence, i
I awoke to the sun shining brightly on my face, its warm hues mixing with the blanket to provide a comfort I hadn’t felt in a long time. Lifting my head, I noticed the room was empty. The bed felt cold beside me, and Armand’s side was only partly made up. Still naked from last night, I scanned the room and saw that my clothes had been picked up and placed near the desk chair. Now that it was fully bright, the pale gray walls gave the space a peaceful atmosphere. I could see details I had missed the night before due to the circumstances surrounding us. Sitting up, I ran my fingers through my hair, tangled from sleep, and stretched my arms, letting the sheet fall away as I stood to grab my clothes. As I dressed, pulling on my jeans, I glanced out the window, which faced the compound—the heart of our land. Daylight revealed everything: the rows of motorcycles lined up outside, reminding me of the ones that had come for us that night. I could still feel the lingering adrenaline mixed with
We huddled in the dark basement, our bodies pressed together, breath coming in tight, anxious gasps as we heard Reaper and his men encircling the compound. The tension was palpable, a living thing that wrapped around us like a suffocating shroud.“What about the others?” I whispered, my voice trembling. Armando stood nearby, his silhouette barely discernible against the shadows, the soft earth beneath us carrying a musty scent that filled my lungs with dread. Something brushed against my arm—was it a spider, or just my mind playing tricks? I fought to suppress a scream, clamping my free hand over my mouth while I frantically reached out with the other.My fingers found him—Armando, appearing just beside me, his grip firm and grounding. “They’ll be fine,” he reassured me, his voice steady despite the chaos above. “Jake and I, along with the elders, have an escape plan. There’s a tunnel that leads us out.”He tugged at my hand, gently urging me down onto my knees. “You’ll have to crawl f
I pressed my hand to my mouth, the acrid scent of smoke clawing at my throat as I stumbled toward the middle of the chaos. Armando and the others stood near a building that was engulfed in flames, its structure nearly collapsed under the onslaught of fire. My gaze zeroed in on a man leaning against a post, which had been reduced to a charred stump, his body barely clinging to life.Panic surged through me as my heart raced and my hands trembled. I sprinted over, adrenaline coursing through my veins, the heat of the flames licking at my skin. I dropped to my knees beside him, the ground hot beneath me. I pushed aside the smoldering remnants of his jacket, revealing a deep, jagged wound near his abdomen—the same cruel mark that marred Armando’s side. Blood oozed from the man's mouth, pooling in the dust around him, and I knew he was hurt far worse than I dared imagine.My fingers fumbled as I untangled the fabric of his shirt, revealing more bullet wounds that punctured his back, the gri
I loathed the man behind me—the coward who abandoned Maya and her mother, choosing to play the part of a doting father to Reaper and that girl who looked so much like her. He was a fraud, a spineless traitor, and I was determined to expose him for what he truly was.Maya had no idea her father was still alive, lurking in the shadows like the coward he was. It broke my heart to think about shattering her world with the truth, but she needed to open her eyes and see him for who he really was. I knew she would despise me for it, but I’d rather her spit venom at me than remain blissfully ignorant while that bastard hid behind a facade.“Take a left here!” the old man yelled, his voice barely cutting through the roar of the engine that vibrated beneath us.I obeyed, yanking the handlebars to the left with a reckless thrill, the bike nearly tipping over as I fought for balance. Every inch of me was on fire, ignited by the adrenaline and fueled by the rage simmering just below the surface. Th
I knew it was a colossal mistake to bring Maya’s father here. Armando just had to assert his dominance, dragging the old man into this mess without a second thought for Maya or her mother. As always, he operated by his own rules, a tyrant within his crew, and I was merely a pawn in his game. But when it came to Maya, I couldn’t stand by and let things spiral out of control. I prepared myself for chaos the moment we arrived.I watched as Armando shoved Maya’s father onto his bike, settling in beside him with a practiced ease. The old man seemed oddly at home on the machine, as if he’d spent a lifetime riding—like he had never known a day without it. I could be imagining things, but there was a calm confidence about him that gnawed at my gut. “I’ll follow you,” I shouted over the roar of the engine as Armando revved it and tore out of the alley. As I climbed onto my own bike, I exchanged a knowing glance with Jake. His eyebrows were raised, mischief playing at the corners of his mouth.
I zip up my bag and set it next to the door, the tension thickening in my chest as I move toward the kitchen. I settle into a bar stool, the cold steel biting against my skin, and wait for Demetri. The hallway thrums with distant sounds, a symphony of life that feels worlds away from me.Adriana glides into view, draped in a light pink robe that sways gently around her form. Her hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail, strands cascading softly around her shoulders. My heart races, not from desire, but from the dread pooling in my gut.She greets me with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes, leaning in to plant a kiss on my lips—soft, familiar. But it feels hollow, a gesture stripped of warmth. “Good morning,” she whispers, her breath brushing against my skin as she wraps her arms around my neck, the intimacy of the moment stinging. As her hand travels down my abdomen, nudging at my groin, my body betrays me, stirring in response despite my mind's frantic warnings. I can feel i
When I awoke, the early morning light sliced through the window like a whisper, stirring a haze of dreams from my mind. The warmth behind me pulled me deeper into reality, and it took a moment for the memory to crystallize—I wasn’t alone. Demetri was here, nestled against me in my bed. A smile danced on my lips as I wrapped my arms around myself, pulling the covers tight against my skin, shielding the heat of my body from the cool air. I turned slightly and felt him there, all of him pressed against my back, the undeniable evidence of his desire pushing insistently against me like a force of nature. My heart raced as I allowed myself to sink closer into his warmth, the intoxicating heat between us igniting every nerve ending. But this blissful cocoon was destined to break. The faint sound of footsteps creaked softly on the carpet outside my door, a harbinger of reality intruding upon our sanctuary. My mother was home from wherever her night had led her, and my chest tightened at
Just the sight of Armando ignited a fierce anger within me, stirring a reckless impulse to lash out. In a fit of defiance, I texted Demetri. My fingers flew across the screen, a careless flirtation fueled by my memories of that electric kiss we shared one fateful night. I could still feel how his body had entwined with mine, how the moment had stretched longer than necessary until my mother’s abrupt interruption shattered our world.I sent off the message and slipped my phone into my purse, my heart racing as the last police officer exited the hospital. A cute cop named Roland handed me his card, his blue eyes glimmering with unspoken promise. “We’ll have a patrol car parked outside in case any of the Reapers Crew decides to return,” he said, his tone reassuring.“Thank you. That makes me feel a bit safer,” I replied, forcing a smile while my insides twisted. As Roland turned back toward his cruiser, I couldn’t shake the conflicting emotions. I huffed and stepped onto the sidewalk, th
She didn’t look at me the same way anymore, and I knew it was all my fault. The torment I put her through still clawed at my insides, but that wasn’t even the worst of it—Adriana hung over me like a specter, a secret she would never know. The guilt twisted like a knife in my gut, but right now, I had bigger fish to fry: finding Reaper.I followed Demetri outside, the cold air biting at my skin, when I saw the first patrol car creeping into the deserted parking lot. A chill ran down my spine. This was only the beginning; I could feel the storm brewing. The way the car rolled in made it clear they were suspicious. An investigation was inevitable, and I knew all eyes would land on us—sitting ducks in this godforsaken hospital parking lot, exposed and likely caught on camera.Anger simmered beneath my skin, igniting something primal as I kicked the stand out from under my bike. The engine roared to life, a feral growl that drowned out my fears. I shot after Demetri as he peeled out of the
I exhale sharply, pushing the tension from my chest as I stride toward the nurses' station. I settle into my seat, fingers tightening around the folder of patient charts, the weight of responsibility heavy in my grip. As I boot up the computer, the familiar hum of machinery fills the air, providing a false sense of normalcy. I dive into the reports for their release and daily charts, letting the rhythm of typing ground me until a voice pulls me abruptly from my focus.To my left stands a young woman, strikingly pretty with dark hair twisted into a clip, her brown eyes darting around the bustling emergency room. She wears mauve scrubs—the unmistakable uniform of the Neonatal department—an island of color amid the sea of blue that surrounds me. Her presence feels out of place, like a whisper intruding on a storm.She’s speaking animatedly with a new nurse who just clocked in—one I barely noticed while I was preparing to inject Reaper with air into his IV. The Neonatal nurse's laughter ri
I let myself slip off the bed, my feet hitting the cool hardwood floor with a sharp thud that echoed in the silence. Each step toward the bathroom felt like a descent into another world, a pattern I knew too well. The moment I flicked on the light, it flooded the room, blinding me for an instant, but the harshness only magnified the chaos swirling inside.My body glistened under the light, droplets of sweat rolling off my shoulders and pooling against my skin, tracing an agonizing path toward my abdomen. There, the wound—now healed but marked by a scar—whispered tales of my encounter with Reaper. I rubbed my eyes, trying to dispel the haze of exhaustion, and cranked the cold water tap, splattering my face in a futile attempt to wash away the remnants of the night.“Come back to bed.” The voice, sultry and enticing, sliced through the darkness. A shadow emerged, morphing into Adriana as she stepped closer, her presence igniting a tumult of conflicting emotions within me. Her lips graze
I stare at my phone for a moment longer, then shove it into my pocket, feeling the weight of its secrets press against me. Turning to my mother, I force a smile, my heart racing beneath my calm facade. “Wish me luck!” I say, the words tumbling out with a mix of hope and desperation.Her smile is warm but tinged with an edge of worry as she moves in for a hug. “Good luck today!” she says, her voice steady but laced with unspoken fears.I pull away, gripping my purse tightly in one hand, my other hovering over the door handle like it’s a lifeline. As I step outside, I lean back in, my smile widening despite the knots in my stomach. “I’ll call you if I need a ride.”She nods, her eyes lingering on me as I close the door, watching until I see her car disappear from the lot. The moment the sound of her engine fades, I exhale, releasing the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. The familiar swish of my scrubs fills the silence as I stride toward the entrance of the sterile hospital, the s