Page 63 of HEARTSTORM

His text came in at 7:14 AM:

Here's the address. Neutral ground. 9PM sharp.

Nick Crawford.

Neutral ground. As if that was supposed to make us feel safer.

Maya looked it up immediately, her jaw tight the whole time. It was a rental. A villa just outside the city. Quiet. Secured.

She put her phone down, a flash of something passing over her face before she sat up slowly.

"I have to go do something, Grace," she said, eyes locked on mine.

My brow furrowed. "What?"

Maya reached out, brushing my hand softly. "Just trust me."

I looked into her eyes. Calm. Nothing else. "I trust you, Maya," I said, steady.

Her face softened just slightly before she let out a controlled breath, her voice dropping.

"Whatever happens tonight, I'll be right there with you, Grace, I promise."

It wasn't just what she said.

It was how she said it—like she was carving it into her bones.

~

Maya came back an hour later.

Her expression was calm, unreadable, like she had done what needed to be done—but what that was... I couldn't tell. I didn't need to.

The rest of the afternoon passed in silence. Kind of. My mind was noisy, but I was doing my best not to show it.

I called Lily and told her we were going to see Nick tonight.

She literally had to invite herself and refused to take no for an answer.

And James will come too—because of course he won't let her go alone.

It didn't surprise me. Lily always wanted to put an end to things with Nick.

I convinced myself it was for the best—the more of us, the better.

I wasn't scared of Nick. I wasn't. I hated him. I hated his voice, his smirk, the way he twisted everything.

What scared me was Maya. What this could push her to do, what games he might use to get to her.

By 8:40, we were ready. Lily and James were already waiting outside in his car.

"Let me kiss you," Maya murmured softly, tugging at my wrist and closing the distance.

Her warm lips brushed against mine like a promise.

Her hand lingered on my cheek, her thumb stroking softly, pulling me just a little closer, refusing to let me go.

I melted against her, deepening the kiss, caught between wanting more and trying to stay in control.

I wished the world would just disappear, as long as I could stay close to her like this.

But we couldn't, and the thought of letting go already hurt.

In the car, Lily and James gave us a quick nod, trying to look calm and collected.

I could tell James was tense, his hands gripping the steering wheel a little too hard.

Lily, on the other hand, looked... still. Way too stll.

Maya's eyes flicked to her. "Are you sure, Lily?"

"I'm not afraid of him, Maya," she replied firmly, no hesitation in her voice.

It was dark now, the street quiet. None of us really said much as we drove. Just a few sarcastic comments from Lily, trying to lighten the mood.

Maya sat beside me in the back, her fingers laced with mine. I rested my head on her shoulder.

She didn't move. She didn't flinch. She just let me stay there.

Her eyes stared out the window, watching the world pass in shadows and streetlights.

I could tell she wasn't really seeing it.

Her mind was somewhere else, too far for me to reach.

There was something calm about her. But that calm wasn't peace, it was focus.

Then, we saw it.

A massive gate stood among a few small houses. James slowed down, and the gate creaked open automatically.

The house—or villa, whatever it was—was enormous, with clean white walls and tall glass windows.

Did Nick really rent it just to flash his wealth?

Kind of looked like a pathetic attempt to impress people who already hated him to their core.

James parked the car right at the entrance.

8:59 PM.

We stepped out together and walked up the stone path. My hand brushed against Maya's. She caught it. Tight.

Before we could even knock, the door opened.

Nick was there.

He was leaning on the doorframe like he was welcoming old friends—the audacity.

"Right on time" he said, eyes scanning all of us one by one. They stopped at Lily. His lips curled into something malicious. "Didn't think you'd be there, huh?"

Lily gave him a glare. "I figured you'd still be obsessed enough to hope I wouldn't."

His eyes flicked back to Maya, then to me.

"Grace," he said, as if my name were a secret. "Glad you came."

"Wouldn't miss watching you fall," I shot back.

Nick blinked, momentarily caught off guard. I saw his jaw twitch, then he slid back into that smooth, fake smile.

The inside of the house was worse than the outside—cold and expensive. That fake luxury that looked rich but had no warmth.

Nick's gang was also there.

His people—or his pack. Sitting already, watching us like we were the entertainment.

Four of us.

Eight of them.

Sounds unfair.

"Shall we sit?" Nick asked, voice cool and controlled.

Maya didn't move. "We're not here for tea, Crawford. You said you wanted to end this. Let's end it."

"Let's be civilized," he grinned. "It's just a conversation."

Maya gestured us toward the couch without another word. I started to sit, but she caught my arm and gently pulled me back, guiding me to sit between her and James. She took the spot at the end of the couch.

Her hand never left mine—it only tightened.

Nick sat across from us, legs crossed, that twisted grin never leaving his face.

I felt Maya shift slightly beside me, I could feel the tension in her shoulders.

She didn't blink much, her jaw was set, her stare could've burned a hole straight through him.

Nick leaned forward, gaze fixed on Maya. "I wouldn't think we'd end this without playing first and have some fun. Would you?"

Her stare was ice. Her voice sharp. "You're confusing 'fun' with all the shit you've stirred."

"This time," Nick said slowly, letting each word linger, "it's a simple game. No lies, no tricks." His voice dripped with false sincerity.

Maya scoffed, deadly calm. "That's rich coming from you."

"Truth or Dare. One round. That's it," Nick said.

Maya laughed—cold, mocking. "Is this your smart way of ending things?"

"I'm offering clarity," Nick shot back, tone calm, measured. "Something I know you crave."

The entire room fell quiet as if that interaction only had already caused an earthquake.

"Make it quick," Maya said, precise and unflinching.

Nick grabbed a deck of cards and set it down in the middle of the table.

"The card decides if it's Truth or Dare."

"Only you and I are playing," Maya said firmly.

"Too bad," Nick huffed sarcastically. "I wanted to ask Lily how things were going with James boy here..."

I could feel my nerves pulsing.

Maya's hand rested on my waist, steady and warm—the only thing holding me together.

James was fidgeting beside me, restless, like he was about to jump at Nick.

But then Lily's hand found his, their fingers laced together, grounding him—FINALLY.

Lily spoke, calm, breaking the tension.

"If you think that I'm still trapped in whatever twisted hold you believe you have on me, Crawford—you're pathetic."

Nick's smug smile faltered within seconds.

I wanted to jump like a kid, seeing Lily and James finally share their moment—while Nick just stood there, frustrated.

My eyes met Maya's, but she didn't let her guard drop, not even for that second.

Nick cleared his throat. "I'll take the first turn," he muttered. "I'm a gentleman."

Coward.

He just wanted to play power games with us.

A slow smirk spread across his face as he picked up his card.

"Enjoy your grin while it lasts, Crawford," Maya said coolly.

I prayed with all my being for a Dare.

I just knew Maya had a plan—like she had a secret move ready to drop.

His face was way too relaxed as he flipped the card with deliberate slowness.

Truth.

Shit.

Maya's lips pressed together for a second before she met his gaze, her posture braced for what she had planned.

"Tell us, Nick," she paused.

I could tell this was her moment.

"Who exactly did you pay to stay out?"

"Out of what?" Nick asked, furrowing his brow.

"Out of prison."

I looked at her, seeing that faint smirk curl on her lips, knowing this was exactly the ruthless move that would corner him.

"It's not like your friends here know the whole truth... right?" she continued, sparking a flicker of curiosity on their faces.

Clearly, they didn't know a thing.

They didn't know about the accident he'd caused Lily, or about him getting sentenced to community service in that crappy library.

This could ruin his reputation.

Nick swallowed hard.

He froze.

"You don't want me to bring up everything you've done, right, Nick?" Maya's tone was both taunting and daring.

"I won't dignify your accusations with an answer," Nick said, voice even.

You could literally see him trying to play it cool but failing miserably.

"If you don't answer, you'll take the Dare instead," Maya shot back, calm but cutting.

"Bring it on," Nick said, eyes blazing at her. "But you take your turn first, Russell."

Coward again.

"Let's end this," he added, his voice cracking—no longer calm, no longer in control.

Maya didn't waste time, and I felt my pulse quicken again—faster, tighter, like my chest couldn't keep up.

She leaned forward, but instead of taking a single card—she grabbed the whole deck.

Her eyes locked on Nick's, calculating. "You don't mind if I look at these cards, do you?"

Nick blinked, caught off guard, his eyes widening a fraction.

"Go ahead," he muttered.

Maya checked through the cards, a single brow raised slightly as she gave me a quick, sidelong glance, as if to tell me something was off.

I think he messed with the cards... of course he did.

That's exactly the kind of low move he would pull.

Maya shuffled the deck thoroughly and set it back on the table, only then picking a card.

Nick swallowed, there was a flicker in his eyes that hadn't been there before. Fear? Doubt? Regret? Good.

I turned my attention back to the card, my heart stopping in my chest.

Maya flipped it with a small, satisfied smile—weak, but enough to show she'd won this round.

Her card read Truth.

Nick's fists tightened on his knees, his jaw set hard.

You could tell he had it all planned for a Dare. To control her. Not this. Not a card that forced honesty.

He stayed silent. Too silent. Longer than anyone would have thought.

His eyes darted, calculating, searching for a way out.

Then, he leaned forward, back straight and shoulders squared, as if trying to intimidate.

His voice came low, calm, precise—

"What's the most traumatic thing that's ever happened to you?"

My chest tightened. A chill ran down my spine.

Everyone knew what he was aiming for.

It was the one wound Maya never let anyone touch.

He was digging where it hurt the most.

I took her hand, gripping it tightly. I squeezed it, grounding her, giving her strength without words.

I met her eyes, but she was just looking straight ahead, as if to block everything out. Her gaze was empty—sharpness gone, swallowed by thought, by memory.

"You're a bastard," I said, my anger seeping into every word.

Nick's lips twitched into a grin. "I'm just offering clarity, Grace."

"Don't talk to her," Maya finally spoke.

Nick's eyes flicked to her sharply. "Take the Dare instaed, Russell. You wouldn't want anyone in this room to see your weakness, would you?"

Maya drew in a shaky breath, her body rigid—almost empty, as if her mind had retreated somewhere else.

I tightened my grip around her hand, but she didn't respond.

Nick's eyes narrowed. "Or maybe part of you wants someone to see how fragile you can be?"

Maya drew a steadying breath, her once-lost gaze locking on him.

Her hand tightened around mine.

She was fully present now.

"The death of my mother," she said, her voice steady but cracking underneath, "was the most traumatic thing."

My pulse raced at her words, but I stayed calm for her, steadying her with my presence.

The surface calm betrayed the tremor running inside her.

I could feel it in her fingers.

In her eyes.

In everything about her.

Nick blinked, caught off guard, his face momentarily frozen as if he couldn't believe she had said it.

But then, true to him, he pushed further.

"How many nightmares did that give you?" he asked, trying to poke her.

"More than you could ever bear," Maya spat, and I felt a shiver run through her body.

"Enough," I cut in, not letting another degrading word leave his mouth. "She answered. Now it's your turn—take your Dare."

Maya took another controlled breath before speaking again. "I'll make sure you never fucking forget it, Crawford."

"What do you want me to do, Russell?" Nick scoffed. "Say sorry? Crawl on the floor?" His voice dripped sarcasm.

Maya grinned.

Without a flicker of hesitation, she reached into her bag. Her movements were precise, like she'd played this moment in her head a thousand times.

She pulled out a paper—seeming like an official-looking document—and laid it on the table.

Her eyes locked onto Nick's. "I Dare you to sign this."

Nick blinked. "What the fuck is that?"

Maya's lips curled into a confident smile. "It's a document that gives my family full control of the hotel again."

So this is what she did when she disappeared for that hour.

I knew I had to trust her.

Nick grabbed it roughly, his eyes darting back and forth over it.

"As you can see, it's official," Maya's voice was unwavering. "Sign it and it will be mine again."

"I won't sign it," he said sharply, throwing it on the table.

"Oh, you have no choice," Maya said firmly. "Those are the rules."

She smoothly pulled out a pen, sliding it across the table toward Nick. It wasn't an offer. It was a warning. An order.

He didn't take it.

"Oh, Nick," Maya sighed, dripping with fake patience. "No one ever told you that if you play with fire, you'll get burned? Go ahead—sign it."

Nick hesitated—one second, five, ten. His face turned pale, his breath quickened.

Then he tore the pen from her fingers and signed the document in a rush—eyes cold, frantic... scared.

Maya snatched the document from his hands and slipped it back into her bag—safe, locked, and done.

It felt like we had won.

Like Maya had it all under control—like we had it all under control.

She looked at me and smiled, that kind of smile that tells you breathe, it's done. Her arm tightened around my waist, steady, grounding.

"It's over," she said, nudging me gently to stand. She gave Lily and James a small nod. "We're leaving."

Finally, we all got to our feet. Maya grabbed her bag with the document and squeezed my hand tightly as we moved forward.

Nick's eyes followed us, sharp and furious.

He'd been bested, and we were completely ignoring him.

But just as I started to believe we were finally safe—

Nick spoke again.