#18.You

"Or wait, maybe he's part of the mafia or something. Who knows?" Olivia squeals excitedly, her voice loud coming from my phone speaker

"That's crazy." Marcus scowls behind her.

I roll my eyes at the two. With everything going on, we hadn't really facetimed much and I'm glad we could now. I missed them so much.

"I agree with Marcus." I say, seconding Marcus "He's definitely not part of the mafia, but I know there's something up with him."

"Well, you never know. He could be into some shady shit. One time I overheard him talking on the phone, and it sounded like some serious business," Olivia adds, her tone now more serious.

Marcus leans closer to the screen, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "Maybe he's a spy. You know, living a double life."

I chuckle, "A spy in our ordinary lives? That would be something."

As we delve deeper into our imaginative speculations, my door creaks open slowly. The room plunges into darkness, leaving only the glow of the phone illuminating our startled faces.

"Did anyone else see that?" Olivia's voice trembles.

"Yeah, it's probably just the wind," Marcus tries to reassure, but the unease lingers.

As I fumble for a flashlight, a mysterious figure emerges from the shadows, and things take an unexpected turn.

JUSTIN'S POV

"I clearly recall, you saying this was our last deal." I yell, so infuriated, that I was just seconds away from losing it.

"Yes, but it's not always what it is, Justin." He chuckles evilly.

"She has nothing to do with this, let her go please." I sigh defeated, pleading with him

"You know what to do, boy." He sys and ends the call

"Shit" I slam my phone on the kitchen slab.

Everything was spiralling out of my control. Nothing was going according to the way I wanted it to.

I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. Reina was never supposed to get involved in this mess. My past, a labyrinth of mistakes and missteps, had caught up with me, entangling her in a dangerous web she didn't deserve.

The weight of guilt settled on my shoulders as I rushed to think of a way out. The cold realization that I was running out of options sent a shiver down my spine. Miles, the puppeteer orchestrating this nightmare, held the strings too tightly, and I was dancing to his malevolent tune.

I stormed through the dimly lit streets, my mind racing. Reina's safety was non-negotiable. The promise I made to protect her echoed in my ears, taunting me with each step. The city's gritty atmosphere mirrored the turmoil within me as I navigated its shadows.

Reina, oblivious to the storm brewing around her, was my anchor in this chaos. I couldn't let Miles use her as leverage, couldn't let the darkness of my past cast a shadow over her life. Yet, I found myself ensnared in a web of criminal dealings, desperately seeking a way to break free.

I dialed Chris's number, my fingers tapping impatiently on the phone. "We have to find a way to end this, Chris. I can't let her pay for my sins," I said, my voice laced with urgency.

Chris, the pragmatic voice of reason in my life, sighed on the other end. "We'll figure it out, Justin. Keep your head straight. I'm on my way."

The minutes stretched into eternity as I stood alone in the dimly lit alley, the weight of impending danger suffocating me. Reina's face, a mosaic of emotions, haunted my thoughts. She had unknowingly stepped into the crossfire of my past, and I was determined to shield her from the storm.

As Chris arrived, we huddled in a secluded corner, mapping out our plan. Miles had underestimated the depth of our bond, the lengths I would go to protect Reina. The pieces of a dangerous puzzle fell into place as we unraveled Miles's intricate game.

The night unfurled with a series of clandestine moves. Each step taken was a gamble, a high-stakes game with Reina's life hanging in the balance. The echoes of our footsteps in desolate alleys harmonized with the pounding of my heart, a rhythmic reminder of the risks we embraced.

REINA'S POV

"Miles?" I say, unsure of what was happening.

He gives me a sick smile "Yes babe. It's me."

I stare at him in disgust "What more do you want from me?"

My heart pounded in my chest, the sight of Miles sending shivers down my spine. The scars of the past etched across his face, a grotesque reminder of the torment he had unleashed upon me. His presence rekindled a cocktail of fear, anger, and defiance within me.

Miles's sickening smile, an embodiment of malevolence, filled me with revulsion. The audacity to call me "babe," a term that once dripped with deceit and cruelty, intensified the bitterness that lingered between us.

My voice, though laced with a tremor, held a hint of defiance. "What more do you want from me?" I questioned, my eyes narrowing as I braced myself for whatever twisted game he intended to play.

He circled me like a vulture, reveling in the discomfort he inflicted. "Oh, Rain, you still don't get it, do you?" he sneered, his words dripping with a venomous satisfaction. "You're a part of this whether you like it or not."

Every step he took echoed the haunting memories of the past. I refused to let him see the fear bubbling beneath the surface. Instead, I summoned the strength to meet his gaze with unwavering determination.

The tangled web of our shared history unfurled, exposing the scars he had left on my soul. Miles, the puppeteer of my nightmares, reveled in his ability to manipulate and torment. Yet, I was no longer the vulnerable girl he once preyed upon.

I clenched my fists, a silent rebellion against the power he sought to wield. The wounds he inflicted had healed, leaving scars that testified to my resilience. I refused to be shackled by the chains of my past.

"Leave me alone, Miles," I declared, my voice steadier than I anticipated. "Your games won't work anymore. I've moved beyond your reach."

Miles's laughter echoed, a twisted melody that filled the air with malice. "You think you can escape? You think you're free?" he mocked, the arrogance in his tone revealing a desperate attempt to regain control.

The atmosphere crackled with tension, a confrontation between a haunted past and a defiant present. I stood my ground, a testament to the strength I had cultivated in the wake of Miles's torment.

As the twisted dance between us continued, I braced myself for whatever horrors he intended to unleash. The scars of our shared history may never fully fade, but I had transformed from a victim into a survivor. Miles, blinded by his delusions of power, failed to grasp that the chains he thought bound me were nothing more than illusions.

In that moment, I vowed to confront the shadows of my past with unwavering courage. Miles may linger as a malevolent specter, but I was no longer his captive. The echoes of my defiance reverberated through the air, a declaration that I was not broken beyond repair.