Chapter 3 - The Danger in the Details
Reed Callaway was not a man you forgot. Standing over six feet tall, dressed in a charcoal bespoke suit that fit like armor, he possessed a quiet, predatory stillness. His hair was dark, brushed back neatly, and his eyes were a piercing, ice-cold gray that seemed capable of stripping away every secret you tried to hide.
“Is there a problem here, Councilman?” Reed asked, his tone deceptively polite, yet laced with a subtle, lethal warning.
“No—no problem at all, Reed,” the politician stammered, smoothing his silk tie with shaking fingers. “Just... having a friendly conversation with the staff.”
“We don't tolerate friendly conversations that look like kidnapping in this establishment,” Reed said softly. He didn't raise his voice, but the entire bar area had gone dead silent. “Get out. And don't bother booking a table here again.”
The councilman practically tripped over his own feet rushing toward the exit. Reed watched him leave, then turned his gaze slowly toward me. Up close, his presence was overwhelming. It felt like standing too close to a cliff edge during a heavy gale.
“You,” Reed said, his sharp eyes scanning my face, noting the frayed edges of my collar, the exhaustion etched around my eyes, and the unnatural tension in my posture. “What’s your name?”
“Maya, Mr. Callaway,” I managed, keeping my voice steady through sheer willpower. “I’m a floor server.”
“Maya,” he repeated, tasting the word on his tongue as if trying to figure out what kind of threat or asset I might represent. “You have a habit of inserting yourself into dangerous situations.”
“I just wanted to make sure our guests were comfortable,” I replied, keeping my gaze level, refusing to cower beneath his intense scrutiny.
A flicker of amusement crossed his sharp features, though it vanished as quickly as it appeared. “Keep working. And try not to cause any more spectacles.”
He turned and walked away, disappearing down the private hallway toward the forbidden stairs. I let out a long, shaky breath I hadn't realized I was holding. My hands were trembling so badly I had to grip the edge of the service station to steady myself.
An hour later, the shift finally ended. I rushed back to the supply room, terrified of what I might find. When I opened the door, Ava was fast asleep, curled up on her blanket, breathing softly. Relief washed over me so fiercely I felt lightheaded. I scooped her up, hid her under my coat once more, and slipped out into the freezing Chicago night.
May you like
As I walked back to my tiny, freezing apartment through the blowing snow, I thought I was safe. I thought I had survived the worst day of my life.
I was dangerously wrong.
