Chapter 5 Chapter 5

The room felt uncomfortably still, as though the air itself had thickened with tension. Damien stood across from me, his shadow stretching long under the dim overhead light. His silence was unnerving, a predator’s stillness before the pounce. My hands rested on the edge of the table, gripping it so tightly that my knuckles ached, but I couldn’t let go.

The phone between us was a silent reminder of the trap I had walked into. Damien had read Claudia’s messages, and no matter what I said, no matter how I framed the truth, I could feel his disbelief like a weight pressing on my chest.

“She only asked for money,” I had told him earlier. My voice had been steady, but inside, I was unraveling. The lie felt too flimsy, too transparent in the face of his cold, calculating gaze.

Damien didn’t respond right away. He let the silence stretch, his eyes locked onto mine, daring me to falter. The faint sound of leather creaking as he shifted was the only noise in the room. I could feel the heat of his scrutiny, the way he was dissecting me, looking for cracks.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and deliberate. “Track her phone.”

The command was simple, but its implications hit me like a blow. My stomach churned as one of his men stepped forward, a hulking figure with a laptop tucked under his arm. He moved to a small table in the corner, the faint glow of the screen cutting through the shadows.

I wanted to say something, to stop this before it went any further, but my throat felt tight, my words trapped beneath the weight of my fear. I watched helplessly as the man began typing, his fingers flying across the keys with practiced efficiency.

The room felt colder now, though I couldn’t tell if it was the temperature or the growing dread tightening around me. The faint hum of the laptop filled the silence, the sound grating against my nerves.

“She’s still in the city,” the man said after a moment.

My breath caught. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but I could feel the panic rising, clawing at the edges of my composure.

Damien tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. He didn’t look at me, but I knew he was watching, waiting for any sign of guilt.

“Where?” he asked.

The man typed a few more commands, the glow of the screen reflecting off his face. “East side,” he said. “A motel. Room 214.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I gripped the table harder, my nails digging into the wood. My thoughts raced, searching for a way out, but every path led to the same conclusion: he would find her, and I couldn’t stop him.

Damien stepped away from the table, his movements slow and deliberate. He crossed the room in measured strides, his boots heavy against the floor. Each step felt like the ticking of a clock, counting down to the moment when everything would fall apart.

He stopped beside the man with the laptop, leaning over to look at the screen. His jaw tightened, the faint flicker of tension breaking through his otherwise calm demeanor.

“I want her here,” he said, his voice cold and precise.

I felt the room tilt, the weight of his words pressing down on me. He didn’t have to explain what “here” meant. I knew.

“You’re going to fix this,” he said, turning back to me.

My chest tightened. I could feel the sweat on my palms, the way my pulse thudded in my ears.

“You’re going to bring her in,” he continued, his tone leaving no room for argument. “And if you don’t…”

He left the threat unfinished, but it hung in the air, heavy and suffocating.

I nodded, my movements stiff and mechanical. My fingers trembled as I reached for the phone on the table. The cold metal felt foreign in my hand, as though it didn’t belong to me.

I stared at the screen, the numbers blurring as my mind raced. If I called Claudia, I could warn her. But if Damien suspected anything, if he even caught a hint of hesitation, he wouldn’t hesitate to act.

The man at the laptop spoke again, his voice cutting through the silence. “She’s not alone.”

Damien’s head snapped toward him, the faintest flicker of surprise crossing his face.

“Who’s with her?” he asked.

The man typed quickly, his fingers moving with precision. “Can’t tell,” he said after a moment. “But there’s movement. Someone else is there.”

The air seemed to freeze, the tension in the room rising to a breaking point. My stomach twisted as the words sank in. If someone else was with Claudia, it could mean trouble. Or it could mean hope.

Damien straightened, his expression darkening. His jaw clenched, the muscle ticking beneath the surface.

“Make the call,” he said, his voice low and unrelenting.

I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the screen. My thoughts scrambled for a solution, some way to buy time, but the pressure was crushing.

The phone slipped slightly in my damp palm, and I tightened my grip, forcing myself to stay steady. My heart pounded as I dialed, the sound of each tone loud and final.

The line rang once, twice, and then silence.

Damien’s gaze never left me, his presence suffocating. I could feel his suspicion, the way he was waiting for me to slip up.

Finally, the call connected.

“Hello?” Claudia’s voice was faint, distant.

I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat. Every second felt like an eternity as I struggled to find the balance between truth and deception.

Damien stepped closer, his shadow falling over me.

“Say something,” he said, his voice a low command.

I took a shaky breath, my fingers gripping the phone so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

“It’s me,” I said finally, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

The pause on the other end of the line was almost imperceptible, but I felt it. Claudia knew something was wrong.

“I need you to come to me,” I said, each word measured and deliberate. “Now.”

The line was silent for a moment, and then—

“I’m not alone,” Claudia whispered.

The connection cut off abruptly, leaving me staring at the blank screen. My stomach dropped as I realized what had just happened.

Damien’s expression darkened, his suspicion sharpening into something more dangerous.

“She knows,” he said, his voice low and lethal.

The room felt like it was closing in, the walls pressing tighter around me. My breath hitched as Damien turned to his men, his movements deliberate and controlled.

“Find her,” he said. “Now.”

The air seemed to crackle with the weight of his order, the tension in the room snapping like a taut wire. I stood frozen, my mind racing, as Damien’s eyes flicked back to me.

“You have one more chance, Lisa,” he said, his voice quiet but deadly. “Don’t waste it.”