Under His Thumb

Eddie's POV:

He barely stopped the car before he was out, sprinting up the walkway, his phone still gripped tightly in his hand. When he saw her—curled up on the porch steps, barefoot, hugging her knees like she was trying to hold herself together—everything inside him seized.

"Maya."

Her eyes met his, but there was nothing in them. No tears. No anger. Just this blank, shattered kind of silence that left him raw. She didn't need to speak; everything was written across her face, all the things she couldn't bring herself to say.

He knelt in front of her, forcing his voice to stay steady. "What happened?" It cracked anyway. "Why are you barefoot?"

Her eyes dropped, the weight of the question settling between them like a stone. No answer came.

"Maya."

She shook her head slightly. It wasn't a denial—it was more like a warning. Don't ask.

His jaw clenched. The silence was suffocating, but he wasn't going to push. Not yet. Something was wrong. Really wrong.

Then he heard it—the unmistakable sound of footsteps behind him. A door creaked open, followed by the presence of someone who didn't belong here.

Eddie's heart lurched in his chest as he turned to face him.

Vic.

Standing at the doorway like he owned the night. His shirt half-buttoned, his smile twisted in a way that made Eddie's blood run cold. He had the audacity to look like he'd done nothing wrong, as if everything was just another night for him.

Eddie stood up, fists tightening at his sides. "What the fuck did you do?"

Vic raised his hands, a mock surrender. "She said she wanted to leave. I let her."

"You think this is funny?" Eddie's voice was a low growl, but his body was tense, ready to spring into action.

Vic didn't seem fazed. "Relax, man," he said, stretching lazily. "She's always so dramatic."

The calm in Vic's voice sent Eddie into overdrive. His body moved before his mind could catch up, but just as he took a step toward him, Maya was there—her bare feet scraping against the concrete, one arm across his chest, trembling.

"Don't," she whispered. "Not here. Please."

Eddie stopped. His breath was shallow, his entire body screaming at him to make Vic pay, but Maya's hand on his chest was the only thing holding him back.

"You're protecting him?" His voice was thick with disbelief.

"I'm protecting you," she said, her words barely above a whisper, but they cut through him like a blade.

Behind them, Vic's laughter echoed, twisted and cold. "How romantic."

Eddie turned on him, fists clenched. "Say one more fucking word—"

"Maya."

Her voice was sharp this time, a command, barely holding itself together. "Just take me away from here."

Eddie hesitated, his fists still balled, his entire body vibrating with the urge to lash out, but Maya's hand on his chest was trembling too much to ignore. He couldn't do this in front of her. Not now.

He stared at her, then at Vic—every muscle in his body screaming to take Vic down, to make him pay. But Maya wasn't moving, her body too fragile, her shoulders hunched under the weight of something deeper than fear.

Eddie exhaled through his teeth, the anger burning in his gut. "Get in the car."

She didn't argue. She just turned, walking slowly, almost painfully to the passenger door. Her steps were dragging, like her body was trying to break free but couldn't.

He opened the door for her. She flinched when he reached for the seatbelt, but he didn't ask any questions. He just clicked it into place, watching her every move as she pulled her knees up to her chest.

Once behind the wheel, his hands were trembling. He gripped the steering wheel harder than necessary, knuckles white. "You're not going back to that fucking house anymore."

Her voice was soft but certain. "I have to," she said, looking out the window. "I feel something's off. Between Vic and my mom… it's like he's controlling her."

Eddie's jaw tightened. He didn't want to hear it. Didn't want to understand. But he had to. "No. Not after what he did."

"You need to trust me," she whispered. "Please, Eddie. Then… take me to Sally's."

He looked at her, really looked at her. He could see the brokenness in her eyes, the silent pleading. He wanted to fight it, to keep her with him, to protect her. But he knew—she needed to do this.

He nodded, his resolve firming. "No more arguing," he muttered. "Not tonight."

The next morning, Maya's breath hitched as she stepped out of the school. Her heart was already pounding in her chest. The tightness in her stomach only grew worse with every step, each footfall echoing louder than the last. Eddie had run back inside for something, leaving her exposed, vulnerable. Alone.

The silence didn't last long.

A sharp yank of her hair caught her off guard, pain shooting through her skull. Before she could scream, she was shoved into a car. The door slammed shut with a force that sent her body slamming against the seat. Her pulse skyrocketed, panic flooding every part of her.

"Where the fuck do you think you're going?" Vic's voice snarled from behind her, venom dripping from every word.

Maya's heart pounded harder, trying to struggle, but Vic's grip on her hair tightened, twisting it harder, forcing her head back. "You thought you could just walk away after everything you did? Huh?" he growled, the car moving with a speed that only added to the terror building in her chest.

She grit her teeth, her body tensing. "Let go of me, Vic. You don't want this."

His laugh was dark, twisted, sickening. "Oh, I think I do," he spat, slamming the car into gear and tearing down the street. "You made a mistake, Maya. A huge fucking mistake. Now, you're gonna pay for it."

Her mind raced, her body trying to fight, but it was no use. He had her. Trapped.

Maya glared at him, her voice shaking but strong. "What do you want , Vic. I don't need any of this."

"Don't fucking talk to me like that!" Vic shouted, his fury unleashed. He grabbed her throat with one hand, squeezing enough to make her choke. "You've made this personal, Maya. You wanna ruin my life? You think you're so goddamn clever?"

Maya gasped for air, her chest tightening, but she refused to break. "I didn't do anything," she choked out.

He shoved a photo into her lap. "Look at that. That's your precious mother. In a compromising position. With me," he spat. "I'm not done yet, you little shit. You think this is over? You think I'll just let you get away with humiliating me?"

Her stomach dropped as she stared down at the photo. Disgust flooded her, but she shoved it away, as though she could push it out of existence. "You're sick, Vic. You're fucking sick."

"Yeah?" His voice was low and dangerous now. "You like what you see? You think you can keep pretending you're all perfect? You want everyone to think you're the innocent little princess? Fuck that. You're just like your fucking mother," he sneered.

The second photo—her neck—was worse than the first. The bruise was raw, angry, and the fact that it was taken without her knowing made her blood run cold. Her heart stopped for a moment, panic swirling inside her. She looked away, swallowing hard.

Her breath hitched. "No. Don't—don't

"Oh, it's too late for that, sweetheart," he said, his voice smooth like poison. " Oh I will I definitely will.You stay the fuck away from Eddie. You ghost him. You don't speak to him, you don't look at him. Or else… this goes viral. Everyone will see what you really are. How about that? You like that?"

Maya shook her head, the bile in her throat rising. "You won't do that," she whispered, though she felt the ice in his voice. "You can't."

Vic's eyes narrowed, lips curling into a twisted smile. "You think I won't? I will, bitch. I'll ruin you. I'll make your life a fucking hell. You're nothing but a toy to me, and if you think you can escape it, you're out of your goddamn mind."

Her throat felt dry as dust. "Please, Vic. Just stop. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't hurt anyone."

Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at the photos, her heart sinking with each beat. She was trapped, cornered by someone who could destroy her with a single word.

Vic leaned closer, his face inches from hers. "You've got one fucking chance, Maya. One. Don't fuck it up."

Her heart pounded, suffocating in her chest. "I'll do it," she whispered. "I'll stay away from Eddie. Just… don't hurt anyone."

"Smart fucking choice," he said with a cold smile. "

The car screeched as he took another sharp turn, and Maya slumped against the seat, trying to pull herself together. Her mind was spinning, but one thing was clear—Vic had all the power now. And she had no way out.