Chapter Five

Madisyn's lungs burned as she sprinted down the dirt road, her sneakers slipping on loose gravel. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, drowning out everything except the sound of Chris's footsteps behind her.

"Madisyn, stop!" His voice was sharp, commanding. Like he expected her to listen.

She didn't.

She pushed herself harder, adrenaline surging through her veins. The trees on either side of the road blurred as she ran, her only focus on escaping. But she could hear him gaining on her, his heavy footfalls crunching against the dirt.

A sharp yank—Chris's hand clamped around her wrist, jerking her backward.

She let out a strangled gasp, twisting violently to break free, but his grip was ironclad.

"Why are you doing this?" he growled, his face inches from hers. "I do everything for you, Madisyn. And this is how you act?"

Terror gripped her chest. "Let me go, Chris!" She clawed at his fingers, but he only tightened his hold.

"Not until you calm down." His voice was low, eerily controlled, but his eyes burned with something dark, something possessive.

Madisyn's breath came in ragged gasps. She had to get away.

She swung her knee up—hard—right between his legs.

Chris let out a strangled shout, his grip instantly releasing as he doubled over.

Madisyn didn't wait.

She turned and ran, legs shaking but refusing to stop.

The trees thinned ahead, and in the distance, she saw headlights—a car. A way out.

She stumbled onto the paved road, waving her arms frantically. "Help! Please!"

The car screeched to a halt. The driver's side door flew open, and a tall figure stepped out.

"Madisyn?"

She froze. Lucian.

Chris's footsteps slowed behind her. She turned, breathless, and saw him standing at the edge of the road, his expression twisted with anger.

Lucian's gaze flicked from her to Chris, then back again. His brows furrowed. "What the hell is going on?"

Madisyn's chest heaved. She had no words. Only relief.

Chris's fists clenched. His jaw tightened. Then, without a word, he turned and disappeared back into the trees.

Madisyn's legs finally gave out, and she collapsed to her knees.

Lucian rushed forward, catching her before she hit the ground. "I got you," he murmured, steady and sure.

Lucian held onto Madisyn as she trembled, his arms steady around her. She could barely catch her breath, her entire body still buzzing with fear and adrenaline.

"Hey, I got you," he murmured again, his voice softer now. "You're safe."

Safe.

The word felt foreign. Unbelievable. But she wanted to believe it.

Lucian slowly guided her toward his car. "Sit," he said, opening the passenger door. She didn't argue—her legs were barely holding her up. She sank into the seat, gripping her knees, still shaking.

Lucian crouched in front of her, searching her face. "Madisyn, what happened?"

She swallowed hard, her throat raw. She could still feel Chris's hands on her wrist, his voice echoing in her mind. I do everything for you.

Lucian's brows furrowed as he glanced back toward the trees where Chris had disappeared. His jaw tightened. "Was that him?"

Madisyn nodded slowly, her breath uneven.

Lucian cursed under his breath. He stood up, fists clenched at his sides like he was ready to storm into the woods and drag Chris out himself.

But then he looked at Madisyn again, his anger melting into concern. "I should take you home."

"No!" The word shot out of her before she could stop it.

Lucian blinked, startled. "Madisyn-"

"I—I can't go home like this." She wrapped her arms around herself. If her mom saw her like this—disheveled, terrified—she would start asking questions. Questions Madisyn wasn't ready to answer.

Lucian hesitated, then exhaled. "Okay. Where do you want to go?"

She opened her mouth, but no answer came. She didn't know. Where did she feel safe?

Lucian studied her for a moment before making the decision for her. He shut the passenger door, walked around the car, and slid into the driver's seat. The engine rumbled to life, and he pulled back onto the road.

Madisyn stared out the window, gripping her seatbelt. Her mind raced, but exhaustion was starting to settle in, weighing her down.

A few minutes later, the car slowed. She blinked, realizing they were pulling into the driveway of a house.

Lucian's house.

He parked and turned to her. "You can stay here for a bit. Just until you're ready."

Madisyn hesitated. She shouldn't be here. She shouldn't involve Lucian in this.

But when she met his gaze, she saw something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Safety.

She nodded. "Okay."

Lucian gave her a small, reassuring smile. "Come on."

Lucian led her inside, his movements careful, like he was afraid she might break. The house was quiet, dimly lit, and smelled faintly of cinnamon and something warm and homey.

"Here," he said, motioning toward the couch. "You can sit. Or lie down if you want."

Madisyn hesitated, hugging her arms around herself. Her body was still tense, adrenaline lingering like an aftershock. But she was exhausted—physically, mentally, completely.

She sank onto the couch, curling her legs beneath her. Lucian disappeared down the hall and returned a moment later with a hoodie. He handed it to her without a word.

She stared at it for a moment before slipping it over her head. The fabric was soft, warm, safe. It smelled like him—like fresh air and something clean, something grounding.

"Do you want some water?" he asked.

She nodded weakly.

Lucian disappeared again. She heard the clink of a glass, the sound of the fridge opening.

Her gaze drifted to the window. The world outside was still dark, the trees swaying in the night breeze. She thought of Chris, of his grip on her wrist, his voice in her ear.

Her stomach twisted. What if he came back? What if this wasn't over?

"Madisyn."

She flinched.

Lucian stood in front of her, glass of water in hand. His face softened. "Hey. You're okay. It's just me."

She let out a slow, shaky breath and took the glass from him. Her hands trembled slightly as she took a sip, the cool water grounding her just a little.

Lucian sat across from her, elbows resting on his knees. He didn't push, didn't demand answers. He just waited.

After a long moment, she finally spoke.

"He tried to-" Her voice broke. She swallowed hard, shaking her head. "I knew something was wrong, but I didn't— I didn't think he'd actually-"

She couldn't finish. Her throat tightened, her chest rising and falling too quickly.

Lucian's eyes darkened. His fists clenched. But his voice was steady when he said, "You don't have to explain if you're not ready."

Madisyn clenched her jaw, staring at the floor. "I feel so stupid," she whispered.

"Don't." The word was firm, immediate. "This isn't your fault."

Her vision blurred. She didn't want to cry—not again. But the weight of everything, the fear, the exhaustion, the relief of being here and not in that car-it was too much.

Lucian hesitated for only a second before shifting closer. "Come here."

She hesitated, but then his arms were around her, solid and steady, and she finally let go.

For the first time that night, she let herself break.

Madisyn buried her face in Lucian's chest, her shoulders shaking as silent sobs wracked her body. He didn't say anything—he just held her, one hand resting gently on the back of her head, the other wrapped securely around her.

His warmth, his steady breathing, the way he didn't rush her—it all made her feel like, just for a moment, she wasn't drowning.

"You're okay," he murmured after a while. "I got you."

She clung to him, squeezing her eyes shut.

They stayed like that for a long time. Eventually, her sobs quieted, her breathing evening out. Her body felt heavy, drained, like all the fight had been wrung out of her.

Lucian pulled back slightly, studying her face. "You need sleep," he said gently. "I can take you home if you're ready."

Madisyn hesitated. The thought of being alone in her room, in the dark, sent a shiver down her spine. But she couldn't stay here forever.

She nodded slowly. "Okay."

Lucian stood, then crouched in front of her, offering his back. "Come on."

She blinked. "What?"

"You're exhausted," he said simply. "I'll carry you."

Madisyn opened her mouth to argue, but she was too tired to fight him on it. With a quiet sigh, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Lucian lifted her effortlessly, her weight settling against his back as he carried her outside. She rested her cheek against his shoulder, her eyelids already drooping.

The drive home was quiet. Madisyn fought sleep, but the moment they pulled up to her house, she forced herself to wake up completely.

Lucian parked a little away from the house and looked over at her. "You sure you'll be okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Lucian. For everything."

His eyes softened. "Call me if you need anything. I mean it."

She gave him a small, tired smile. "I know."

With that, she slipped out of the car and quietly made her way inside. Her house was silent, her mom already asleep.

She locked her door behind her, leaned against it, and exhaled.

Then she grabbed her phone.

Her hands trembled as she opened the group chat with Rosetta and Malika.

Madisyn: You guys up?

The typing bubbles appeared almost instantly.

Rosetta: Yeah, what's up?

Malika: Girl, it's almost 2AM. This better be good.

Madisyn's fingers hesitated over the keyboard. Then, before she could overthink it, she hit the call button.

It barely rang once before they answered.

"Madisyn?" Rosetta's voice was laced with concern. "What's wrong?"

"Are you okay?" Malika added, immediately picking up on the tension.

Madisyn inhaled shakily. "I need to tell you guys something."

Silence. Then, softly, Malika said, "We're listening."

And so, she told them everything.