Chapter 8 Out

Maya's POV

The laundry room was just around the corner. I had noticed it while wandering through the house that morning, I turned left and…there it was.

I pulled the key from my pocket, opening the door.

The lock clicked and I quickly pushed the door open, stepping inside.

The sharp smell of detergent hit me first. Shelves lined one wall, stacked with folded towels and cleaning supplies, while several machines hummed quietly along the other side. A row of clothes hung near the back, but none of them were what I needed.

I checked another rack…Nothing. I went on, checking the rest but I found nothing. “Shit.”

All this trouble for nothing?

Ma'am," a voice whispered behind me. I spun around. The housekeeper stood there, her brows furrowed in confusion.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

“Um…I…I.” My eyes dropped to her uniform, then back to her face. “I was just..”

Her gaze moved to the key in my hand. “How did you get my keys?”

There wasn't time to explain. I moved before she could turn around and call for anyone. I caught her arms, covering her nose with my hand, cutting off her breath. Panic fluttered in my chest, but I knew this was the only way out. I need to get the hell out of this place.

"I'm sorry," I whispered as her muffled struggles faded and she went limp in my hold.

I laid her gently on the floor, crouching beside her long enough to see that she was breathing. Relief washed through me. “Thank Goodness.” But there was no time to waste. I pulled the uniform from her shoulders and quickly changed, my hands were shaking as I fixed the buttons…This was insane.

I had never planned to take it this far. But I needed to go back to Luna and who knows what Xavier plans to do with me.

I grabbed her cap, pulled it over my hair, taking one last look at her. “I'm really sorry.” I shut the laundry-room door behind me and locked it before slipping the key into my pocket. I couldn't leave her in there with the door open. Someone finding her too soon would ruin everything. “Now I just had to make it past the guards.”

I kept my head down as I walked toward the stairs. The uniform felt strange on me, but from a distance, I looked the part…At least, I hoped I did.

I reached the ground floor and was almost at the front hall when a voice stopped me.

“Where are you going?”

I looked up, it was the same guard who had stopped me that morning.

My stomach tightened but I forced myself to talk. “Groceries.”

He didn't move. “Groceries?”

“Mrs. Sylvia sent me.” I pulled the folded list from my pocket and held it out.

His eyes moved over it, then back to me. “Who are you?”

There it was…the question I'd been hoping he wouldn't ask.

I kept my face straight. “Mia's not feeling well. Mrs.Sylvia asked me to cover for her.”

“Mia doesn't usually get sick.”

“Apparently today she does, she caught a cold.”

His expression remained hard. “What department?”

“Kitchen.” I straightened.

“Name?”

I nearly cursed. Instead, I gave him the name of the housekeeper whose uniform I was wearing.

He studied me for another second. “I'm going to call Mrs. Sylvia.”

“Go ahead.” I said quickly, but not too quickly.

That seemed to make him hesitate.

I added, “But if she answers, tell her I'm standing here with the list she gave me and that you’re holding up her groceries.”

His eyes narrowed.b“I didn't say I was holding you up.”

“You kind of are.” The corner of my mouth lifted.

He glanced toward the list again. “Where's Chris?”

I paused. “Chris?”

“The driver… he takes the kitchen staff whenever they go out.”

Of course, there was always another problem.

I looked toward the driveway as if I genuinely expected to see him there. “I was actually about to find him.”

“He's not outside.”

“Then where is he?”

The guard watched me carefully. “He’s duty post….by the garage.”

I nodded as though that explained everything. “Fine, I'll get him.”

I was about to move past him but he stepped sideways, blocking me again. “Wait.”

My fingers tightened around the grocery list. “What now?”

“You're forgetting something.” He pointed toward the security desk. “Your exit pass.”

I looked down at the list in my hand and sighed. “Right.” I gave a small, embarrassed laugh. “First day filling in for someone else and I'm already making mistakes.”

His expression didn't change, but he finally stepped aside. “Get the pass from security.”

I nodded and walked toward the desk without rushing. I could feel his eyes following me.

I didn't look back. If I ran now, I was finished. So I had the whole day.

------

Chris kept both hands on the wheel, watching the road while I sat in the back with the grocery list resting on my lap.

“So, you do this every time?” I asked.

He shrugged. “Most days.”

“Must be boring.”

He gave a short laugh. “Depends on who I'm driving.”

I smiled faintly, looking out the window.

My heart was beating too fast. I kept telling myself to breathe normally, but every time the villa disappeared farther behind us, the same thought returned….I was actually getting away…. from a mafia. I never thought I was this good.

Chris pulled into the parking area of a large grocery store and stopped near the entrance.

He looked back at me. “Same as usual, I'll wait here.”

“Right.” I opened the door.

“And don't take too long,” he added. “I have another trip later.”

“I'll be quick.” I stepped out and shut the door.

The moment I entered the store, the noise swallowed me. Carts rolled across the floor, people moved between the aisles and employees called to one another from behind the counters. Nobody paid attention to me….that was exactly what I needed.

I picked up a basket and walked farther inside, pretending to look for something on the list. I turned into another aisle, then another, until I was sure I was no longer directly in the driver's line of sight.

I kept walking. Near the back of the store, I found the restrooms. I slipped inside, the door closed behind me, and I finally let out the breath I'd been holding since I left the villa.

My hands went straight to the buttons of the uniform. One by one, I pulled it off, folded it quickly and left it where it wouldn't immediately draw attention, followed by the cap.

I picked up my bag and left through the other side of the restroom, keeping my head down as I moved through the building.

I reached an exit at the rear of the store and pushed the door open. Cool air hit my face as I stepped outside…I had done it.

I'm done conning rich men, Luna was right. This was getting really dangerous.

I turned toward the road and started walking. I didn't have a plan yet but I was out of Xavier Lockwood's house, that was enough.

I glanced back once at the building before continuing down the street.