Page 56 of HEARTSTORM

"Wow, this bathroom is so beautiful," I said casually, like Maya and I hadn't just had our first fight as a couple.

"It's the black marble," she said, tightening my waist and pulling me closer to the sink. My fingers pressed into the cold edge as her warm breath tickled the side of my cheek.

Her lips traced slow kisses along my neck, steady as she sucked gently on my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.

"Slow down, tiger," I breathed.

"Just making up for lost time," she murmured, her lips brushing against the shell of my ear.

I gasped softly. "You're relentless, Maya..."

I drew a moan when she sucked with more purpose on the spot between my ear and jaw, the sensation sparking a hot rush through me.

"I'm good now," she said, satisfied as I nudged her shoulder.

Maya stepped up to the mirror, leaned in, and reapplied her red lipstick, her movements smooth and confident.

"What now?" I asked.

"We go back, Gracie," she replied. "The party's still going, and Nick won't be ruining anything else tonight—or I'll make him regret it."

She snapped her lipstick shut and turned to face me, her expression serious. "What else did he tell you, Grace?"

"That he won't reveal our secret to anyone..."

Maya scoffed. "Of course he told you that. That manipulative piece of shit."

I took her hand and squeezed it. "We have to tell them, Maya. As soon as possible, before they find out."

She nodded, her shoulders relaxing as she gave me a reassuring smile, tightening her grip on my hand.

We left the bathroom, our hands parted, but we walked so close that the space between us felt nonexistent. When we stepped back into the room, a slow dance was underway—bodies swaying gently, close together as soft music played in the background.

"I wish we could dance right now, Grace," Maya softly whispered in my ear.

"Me too," I whispered back.

My gaze unintentionally landed on Nick, casually chatting with some people across the room, as if he weren't the devil in disguise.

"I'd puch that face so fucking hard he'd need a map to find his way back," Maya muttered under her breath.

Knowing her, she'd probably do that without hesitation, and that made me laugh. It also terrified me.

I scanned the rest of the room with purpose, heart pounding, until I spotted my mom and Victor dancing closely—their smiles calming me.

"Guess they still don't know about us..." I said, relieved.

Maya glanced over. "Oh, yeah, look at them..."

I felt a sharp ache in my chest, wishing Maya and I could share a moment like that in the daylight, not always hidden away.

"Grace," she whispered. "I know a place we can dance. Just the two of us."

I turned to face her, my heart beating a little faster. It was like she could read my mind, even without me saying a word.

"We can't Maya, not right now, there's too much going on..."

She let out a sigh, stepping closer to me. "I know, but we can still have our moment, can't we? Just us—five minutes while everyone's still dancing..."

I looked into her pleading eyes, then around the room. This might be our only chance—our moment.

I didn't want to lose it because of my stupid fear.

"Where?" I asked.

Maya's eyes sparkled. "Follow me, baby," she said, taking my hand and leading me down the hallway to the elevator.

She swiftly pressed the button for the top floor.

"What's up there?" I asked, curious.

Maya grinned. "You'll see..."

She guided me out of the elevator into a dark, spacious room. It was enormous, with comfy chairs and a large wooden table, like a conference room.

Then, I noticed the windows—huge glass panels stretching from one end of the room to the other, offering a breathtaking view of the city.

"How did you know about this?" I asked in disbelief.

"Top floor." A smirk curled on her lips. "Every hotel we own has a view like this."

It was night, and the city lights twinkled below us. The sky above was clear, full of stars, and everything looked unreal, ethereal.

"It's incredible," I whispered.

Maya squeezed my hand, her smile lighting up the dark. "Shall we dance?"

I nodded as her hands slid down to my hips, her fingers warm and firm against the fabric of my dress.

"I'm not much for dancing," I admitted.

"I'll manage," she replied, her voice calm but sure.

Maya guided my movements, pulling me closer and twirling me in a smooth spin. I finally let go and followed her lead, her teasing grin spreading wide, making me burst into laughter.

"Good girl," she murmured.

When I came back into her arms, her hands settled on my waist, this time holding me just a little tighter. I melted into her body, my head resting on her shoulder as we swayed gently.

"I needed this, baby. I needed you," Maya said, her voice filled with longing.

"I know. Me too, more than anything," I replied softly.

Our faces drew closer as her lips finally brushed against mine—soft, desperate. I responded eagerly, my whole body pressing against hers, our tongues intertwining as the kiss deepened, burning with desire and ache.

Our breaths turned into low, soft groans deep in our throats.

The room filled with our sighs.

Until—

A sudden series of noises cut through the moment.

Footsteps approaching, then stopping. Slow whispers followed, then fell silent.

I froze. Maya's eyes flickered toward the noises, her jaw clenched, but she didn't flinch.

"Maya," a man's stern voice.

"Grace?" I heard myself call a second later.

I didn't turn around. I didn't have the courage. I just leaned back from Maya, eyes glued to the floor.

Her grip tightened around me, not wanting me to pull away, but I let out a shaky sigh and shook my head.

"They already saw us, Grace," she said, voice steady.

This can't be happening. Not now. Not after everything we've already been through.

"Grace?" My mom called me once again, her voice cracking.

I slowly raised my head, my eyes meeting Maya's. The intensity in her gaze and her hands on my waist were the only things keeping me grounded, stopping me from crumbling to the floor.

"It's okay," she whispered.

I slowly tore my eyes from Maya, and finally recognized Victor and my mom standing there.

Their shocked faces illuminated by the soft light from the window.

"We are all leaving," Victor's tense voice broke the fragile silence.

We didn't move a single inch.

"Now," he stated, leading my mom toward the door. They left without another word.

I felt a lump in my throat, my heart faltered, my legs shook, and the ground seemed to drop beneath me.

"Grace, I'm here," Maya said.

I couldn't even speak.

She didn't let go. She slid her hand up to my cheek. "Look at me." Her eyes locked with mine. "Everything's going to be okay."

I squeezed her hand, desperate for reassurance, but all I could manage were shaky gasps—one after another—uncontrollably—

"Breathe, Grace," Maya said firmly.

I nodded, holding on to her voice, her touch, her eyes—anything to stop the panic clawing at my throat.

"Just breathe, Grace. In and out. Like this. Slow and steady."

I closed my eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply, then exhaling slowly just like she was showing me, her firm voice guiding me like a lullaby.

The panic didn't disappear completely, but it softened into something more bearable.

"I'm scared," I managed to say.

"I'm right here, Grace. I'll be with you through everything. Keep breathing." Her fingers tightened on my wrist, pulling me back to reality.

"Okay—okay," I said, my voice steadier. "We've got this, right?"

"We do, baby," Maya replied. "Just you and me." She tilted her head toward me as I took another deep breath. "Are you feeling a little better?"

I nodded. "Yes... we can handle this."

I tried hard to believe everything was going to be okay—that we had it under control, so I wouldn't alarm her even more.

Maya studied me for a beat, then gave a slow nod. "We should go."

She led me into the elevator, where, suddenly, she tugged her perfect bun loose. Her usually steady movements now unsteady—like the calm she tried to hold onto was slipping away.

"My father had the same idea as me—the damn top floor," she muttered, voice low and tense. "Fuck me."

"You couldn't have known, baby," I said softly.

I got so lost in my panic that I didn't realize Maya was dealing with her own, personal chaos too.

Her fingers nervously twisted through her hair as she exhaled deeply, giving in to nervousness.

I stepped closer and took her hand, immediately feeling her frustration. "Maya, none of this was your fault. You couldn't have seen it coming, okay?" I said, reading the darkness in her eyes.

She just nodded, her posture easing just slightly as she met my eyes, then the elevator doors slid open.

"Outside," she said.

We walked down the hallway toward the exit. I glanced up, and there they were—Victor and my mom waiting for us.

"Drive," Victor said, tossing the car keys to Maya, who caught them mid-air with a scoff.

I couldn't even force myself to meet my mom's eyes as we all climbed into the car.

It was the most awkward, uncomfortable ride I've ever had in my entire life. Not a single word was said.

I sat in the backseat, catching Maya's gaze flickering again and again in the rearview mirror demanding my attention. Each time our eyes met, it was like a silent conversation only we could understand.

When I looked down, her knuckles gripped the steering wheel far too tightly, betraying her calm.

I turned my head, but my mom was staring out the window, lost in her thoughts.

Ten minutes later, we pulled up to the house. Before I could even reach for the door handle, Maya was already beside me.

My mom and Victor practically stormed into the house, expecting us to just follow.

"Shit. That was intense," Maya muttered.

I sighed. "That's exactly what I was trying to avoid."

We walked to the door together, our hands tightly clasped as Maya reached for the handle while I took a shaky breath.

"We've got this, remember?" she said, locking eyes with me.

My gaze lingered on hers for a moment longer.

"Yeah, fuck—open this door."

I'm not sure why, but suddenly I got this weird burst of courage.

Victor was pacing back and forth, restless, while my mom stood still, her expression unreadable.

His eyes snapped on us. "This needs an explanation of when, where, and how this happened."

"Yeah, we figured that part out," Maya said.

"Cut your sarcasm, Maya," he said, his voice the strictest I'd ever heard.

"A few months ago..." I answered.

My mom's face dropped as she stepped closer. "Grace... all this time, and you didn't say anything?"

"I know, Mom..." I whispered, guilt heavy in my voice. "It just... happened between us."

Her eyes flickered toward me and Maya, torn and confused. "You could've trusted me, Grace."

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. The silence that followed was suffocating and thick.

Then, Victor broke it—

"I don't know what you were thinking, but this—" He tightened his jaw, "this is reckless."

Maya scoffed. "Oh, right, your favorite word." She let out a dry sigh. "But this is our choice—whether you like it or not."

Victor exhaled sharply. "There are consequences to every choice."

Maya didn't flinch. "Grace and I will handle them."

Before their words could turn even harsher, my mom's voice broke through—softer than I expected.

"Let's just take a step back," she suggested.

"Mom, we didn't want you to find out like this," I cut in. "I swear, it was never supposed to happen this way..." I choked out, my breath catching.

"Why lying, Grace?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"I was... scared," I admitted, feeling Maya's grip tighten before I looked Victor in the eye. "It's my fault. Maya wanted to say it right away."

But she cut in without hesitation. "We decided this together."

"You have no idea what you're doing," Victor snapped, running a nervous hand through his hair. "You're playing with it."

His voice was aimed at Maya, his gaze locked solely on hers, like she was the only one to blame.

Maya stepped up, putting herself forward as a shield, hands gripping the table, her body tense and nervous.

"We're not playing," she shot back. "We're serious—more serious than you'll ever understand." Her voice didn't waver as she looked straight at him.

I stepped forward too, mirroring Maya's stance. "I'm just as responsible here," I said.

At those words, Victor's gaze sharpened, flickering with a mix of surprise and frustration.

That look—that silent 'I'm not taking you seriously' look—was the worst.

I couldn't tell what was going on with him—it was like something deeper was gnawing at him.

"This is going to get out of control," he warned, dismissing our words.

"Well, guess what?" Maya retorted, her voice rising with frustration. "I'm not asking for your approval!"

"When have you ever cared about it, huh, Maya?" he shot back. He glanced away for a moment, then back at her. "You always do whatever you want anyway."

I stepped closer, placing a hand on her back, feeling the tension ripple through her body as she stood rigid.

"It's better if we talk in your room, Grace," my mom suggested, touching Victor's shoulder.

"No..." I murmured, not wanting to leave Maya alone.

"It's okay, baby," Maya turned to me, her voice soft as she reached for my hand. "Go. I'll see you in a bit."

Something in the way she said it made it less of an order and more of a plea.

I hesitated, searching for a sign. She gave me a small, reassuring nod, but behind it, her eyes remained tormented. Her gaze held mine a moment longer, ensuring her words sank in.

Reluctantly, I let go of her hand and followed my mom down the hallway, each step feeling heavier than the last. Before climbing the stairs, I glanced back one last time.

"I'll be right there, Grace," Maya said, reading the stress in my eyes.

I could feel her gaze following me with every slow step I took until I reached my room's door handle. Then, she turned her eyes back to her father, and her whole demeanor changed completely.

My mom closed the door behind us, then took a deep breath, as if choosing her words carefully.

I braced myself for what was coming.

And for what was about to come to Maya.

Because this had definitely backfired on us.

I just didn't know how much messier it could get.