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“Had I not come here⁠—”

“Then you might not be alive.”

“But you would be safe. Safe and living your normal life without the chaos I brought into it.”

Maverick studies me for a moment, his gaze sharp, jaw taut. And then, he takes a step towards me. Then another.

I keep waiting for that kick of panic as he draws closer, that flight reaction I’ve grown accustomed to ever since I was grabbed while out on a run three months ago.

But it never comes.

Not even when he comes even closer, stopping only a few inches from me.

I tilt my face to look up into gorgeous eyes that hold so much more than he lets the world see.

“Sadie, I’m glad you’re here. And I told you that I will keep you safe.”

“What about you?” My bottom lip trembles as I fight against yet more tears. I’m so tired of crying. So tired of having a reason to cry.

He smirks, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

A door scrapes as it opens, and I choke on a sob, pulling my body in even closer. Metal bites into my wrists, but I stifle a cry. Maybe, if he thinks I’m asleep, he’ll leave. Maybe today won’t be the day that he takes things further.

Heavy footfalls overhead signal just how close he is to coming down the stairs.

Please don’t come down, I plead silently. Please don’t hurt me.

Another door opens—this one closer.

The stairs creak as he descends into the basement. Into this prison cell where I’ve been for who knows how long.

Outside, the sky is dark, leaving only a faint, silvery glow of the moon to shine through dirty basement windows.

I shut my eyes as he gets closer.

The stairs stop creaking, and the soft thud of boots against concrete carries him closer to me.

Lord, please save me. Please don’t let me die here.

A hand grips my hair, and he yanks my head back. Pain shoots through my skull, and I cry out, writhing in his grasp.

But he likes it when I fight.

Likes it even better when I don’t.

So I fall still and just wait for what’s to come.

I shoot up, sweat beading on my skin. Breathing ragged, it takes me a few moments before I realize where I am.

“You’re okay, Sadie.”

Maverick’s voice brings me the rest of the way out of the nightmare, but the fear remains. My body trembles, the chill of that basement echoing through my bones like muscle memory.

I can see it all so clearly.

Can feel it.

“You’re safe,” Maverick says. “I’m here.”