Chapter Eight: Secrets in the Shadows

Maya barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the stranger's piercing gaze, the eerie calm in his voice, and the way he'd vanished like smoke. It was as if he had appeared out of nowhere, only to plant seeds of doubt that wouldn't stop growing.

When morning came, she dragged herself out of bed and into the kitchen, hoping coffee might steady her nerves. But as she poured her first cup, the knock on her door made her jump, nearly spilling the steaming liquid.

She froze, staring at the door. Her gut twisted with the memory of the stranger's voice.

"Maya? It's me."

Alex's voice brought a wave of relief—and a twinge of apprehension. She set the mug down and opened the door. He stood there, his hair slightly tousled and his jaw tense.

"We need to talk," he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

"Good morning to you, too," she muttered, shutting the door behind him.

Alex didn't smile. His usual playful demeanor was gone, replaced by something harder, darker. He turned to her, his eyes searching her face. "Are you okay? Did anything else happen after I left last night?"

"No," she said quickly, though the truth was more complicated. She wasn't okay—not with the unanswered questions swirling in her mind. "But, Alex, who was that guy? Why was he here?"

His jaw clenched, and he looked away, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know," he said finally, though the hesitation in his voice was unmistakable.

"Don't lie to me," Maya snapped, surprising even herself with the sharpness of her tone. "He wasn't just some random guy. He knew you. He knew something about you."

Alex turned back to her, his expression darkening. "Maya, I'm trying to protect you. That's all you need to know right now."

"Protect me from what?" she demanded, her frustration boiling over. "From him? Or from you?"

The question hung in the air like a challenge. For a moment, Alex just stared at her, his face unreadable. Then, he sighed and sat down at the edge of her couch, resting his elbows on his knees.

"I've made mistakes," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "Things I'm not proud of. And some of those things… they have a way of catching up to you."

Maya crossed her arms, her pulse quickening. "What kind of things?"

Alex's eyes met hers, and for the first time since she'd met him, she saw something like fear in his gaze. "It's complicated," he said, his tone pleading. "But I promise you, whatever you think you saw last night, it's not what it seems."

Maya's stomach churned. She wanted to believe him—wanted to trust the man who had kissed her like she was the only thing that mattered. But the memory of the stranger's words echoed in her mind: Be careful about the company you keep.

"Alex, I can't keep doing this," she said, her voice trembling. "I can't keep pretending everything's fine when it's not. You're hiding something from me, and it's scaring the hell out of me."

He stood abruptly, closing the distance between them in a few long strides. His hands gripped her shoulders, firm but not harsh, and his eyes bore into hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch.

"Maya," he said, his voice low and urgent. "I care about you. More than I should. And that's why I'm asking you to trust me. Just… give me time to fix this. Please."

His words sent a confusing mix of warmth and fear through her. She wanted to pull away, to demand answers—but the raw vulnerability in his voice held her in place.

"Fine," she said after a long pause. "But if you keep me in the dark, I'm gone. I mean it, Alex."

"I understand," he said, his grip loosening as he let out a breath.

But as he stepped back, Maya noticed something she hadn't seen before—a small, dark bruise just below his collarbone, peeking out from the edge of his shirt.

"What's that?" she asked, pointing.

Alex froze, his hand instinctively moving to cover the mark. "It's nothing," he said quickly, but his voice had tightened.

"Alex…"

"It's nothing," he repeated, his tone sharper now. "Just… an old reminder of a bad decision."

Before she could press further, his phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket, glancing at the screen, and his expression hardened.

"I have to go," he said abruptly, heading for the door.

"What? Alex, wait—"

"I'll explain everything soon," he promised, pausing at the door to look back at her. "Just stay here. Don't open the door for anyone."

And with that, he was gone, leaving Maya standing in the middle of her apartment, her mind spinning.

Hours passed, but the unease never left her. She tried distracting herself with work, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Alex, the stranger, and the bruise he hadn't wanted to talk about.

By late afternoon, the tension was unbearable. She decided to do what she always did when she was overwhelmed—take a walk to clear her head.

As she stepped into the hallway, her footsteps echoed against the walls. The building felt unusually quiet, and a chill ran down her spine. She glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting to see someone watching her.

But the hallway was empty.

She shook off the feeling and headed for the stairs. As she descended, the sound of muffled voices reached her ears. She paused, her heart racing. The voices were coming from the stairwell below—a man and a woman, their words too low to make out.

Curiosity got the better of her. She crept down the stairs, careful to keep her steps light.

"…shouldn't be here," the man said, his tone angry but restrained.

"I don't care," the woman replied, her voice sharp and familiar.

Maya's breath caught. It was Kara.

Her pulse quickened as she peered around the corner, careful to stay hidden. Alex stood with his back to her, facing Kara, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"You're putting her in danger," Kara said, her voice dripping with disdain.

"I'm handling it," Alex snapped.

"Clearly, you're not," Kara shot back. "Do you have any idea what's coming? If she finds out the truth, she'll run. And you know what happens if she runs."

Maya's stomach dropped. The truth? What were they talking about?

She pressed herself against the wall, her mind racing. She needed to leave—needed to get out of the building before she got dragged even deeper into whatever this was.

But just as she turned to go, her foot slipped on the edge of the step, the faint scuff echoing like a gunshot.

The voices stopped.

"Maya?" Alex's voice called, sharp and alarmed.

Her heart pounded as she stood frozen in place, knowing she'd just crossed a line she couldn't uncross.