41. Draven

I wouldn't have taken it away from her.

I'm feeling a mix of confusion and clarity. What I could have offered her would have been as glorious as her winning this maze.

I can't bring myself to think otherwise, or my heart actually may stop. How could a woman bring me down to such a feeling I'm ready to light this maze she just walked into on fire to get her back? I'm ready to go in and throw her over my shoulder and tie her to a post until she tells me everything.

Damn you, Max.

Still on my knees, I'm already devising a plan to get in there and drag her out, despite the fact she only just walked into the maze a few minutes ago .

She may not want my protection—scratch that, she may not want anything from me other than my cock, but I don't give a fuck. She's trapped in my house of horrors for the rest of her life, or mine if I die first, and she'll come to understand that.

"Grim…"

I really don't want to be bothered, and I couldn't care less that it's her best friend trying to get my attention.

"She'll be fine... She can do this." Even with as strong as her words are, I can tell by the influx she is struggling with the prospect. Sasha doesn't understand the extent of this maze. She could be running in circles, looking for the exit, and even if she does outrun the dogs, if she doesn't make it to that door before midnight, she's dead.

Dead…

"I'm sorry son, we tried to call you— "

I cannot imagine her being chow for hunting dogs or that stunning head not atop her perfect shoulders.

"Whatever…" I push off my thighs to help myself rise to my feet. "Going to head to my... place at the end of the maze."

"Wait—" It's then I look up and see Troy standing a few feet behind her. His eyes are wide, as if some sort of revelation has occurred and it was too profound to be true.

"What?" I'm unsure of who I'm directing the question to. Sasha, or Troy.

She sighs, "I'm going to tell you… who did this to Max."

I try to keep my anger in check. "Why are you telling me now?!" Okay, my irritation slips. "Why not come to me before this maze? Do you understand how dangerous this one— "

"Because I just saw him ." I don't need clarification on who this him is.

My teeth crack under the pressure, and I know, I fucking know , that I'm shaking despite feeling numb. "Here?"

"Yes—"

"Where is he?!" My shout is so loud she takes a step back and nearly trips over her own feet. Troy has quickly stepped forward to grab her before she can fall.

"Draven… breathe." He understands my anger issues; he's seen it firsthand and just how incapable I am of controlling it sometimes. "He's already gone, it's why we are here looking for you. We were hoping to catch both of you before she went in… it was the Governor's son…"

My vision goes in and out, and I just stare into his green eyes as if they are the tether to reality I am slipping from.

"You know who Patrick Doherty is…" Sasha asks without really asking the question.

A dead man. Just like his son.

My silence is enough to keep her going, but I'm so numb, caught between rage and blacking out that if I say anything, I might be completely consumed by it.

"He isn't just the Governor of California, he's the man that made sure everything was redacted from Max's history. His son, Adam, and his two best friends, did that to Max."

"Where… were you…" I remember the story about the frat party. Where was Sasha? Her friends? Where the fuck was anyone for her?!

"I wasn't there Draven, I would have—" her words cracked through the emotions pouring out of her. "I'd have died to keep that from happening. I saw the pictures of her that she kept. The one's they took of all of them…"

Why am I standing here? I can catch them, bring them back to her. Get her out of this maze and give her the justice she deserves right now.

"Adam Doherty," etched into memory. "Sam Jones," etched. "And Michael Willis." Etched. Dead men. All of them fucking dead.

"Adam and Max were mutual friends when they were in high school, he crushed on her but—"

I can't tell if I tune her out or she stops talking, because I'm solely focused on pulling out my phone and typing. The chat that reads " Loyauté ", is empty, but has over one hundred recipients.

After finishing my message, I send it.

Maze six, cleared before entry. Keep Maxine safe, my final order.

The first message comes through.

Order received.

Then the next.

Order received.

See you on the other side, Grim.

Order received.

Thanks for everything. Order received.

I turn my gaze back to Sasha and see she has stopped talking.

"And her parents…" I drag out with seething rage. I had received confirmation about an hour ago her father was located. It was a little more difficult to get to him, Jose Escarra, but my contacts are powerful.

No, scratch that, I am powerful .

"Jose Escarra, her father for all intents and purposes, works within the trafficking industry. He helps reduce prison time… he also works with the Governor… it's why he sold Max to his son."

Max's name is Deluca, which I could only assume meant when all of this happened, she took another. Maybe her mother's.

"I wish you had been here sooner; I could guarantee to Max I'd—"

"She has no doubt you couldn't," Sasha interrupts me. I need to teach her I do not like that. "That isn't the point."

My nose twitches, and Troy moves between the two of us. "I do not give a fuck what the point is. Get to the end of the maze, and I'll be—"

"Grim!" I'm taken aback by someone calling for me and quickly turn my head. It's a female worker with a tied-up bun and face paint that makes her look like a demon. Red and black splotches cover her forehead and cheeks, and she's wearing yellow contacts.

When she's near, I turn from Sasha and Troy. "Bridget, right?"

"Yes, Grim—there is someone else in the maze!" My vision focuses so sharply I feel like I may go cross eyed.

"A boy, he entered through my door. His name was Ben—"

Sasha's gasp is the last thing I hear. I swore he had left. How did I not verify that?!

My gaze shifts to Troy, who is shaking his head, "Don't, you know the rules!"

The dogs, yes—she could do it.

If that boy is in there. Do I risk the dogs getting to him? But I think she mentioned meeting Ben in college… had they met running track?

He is obsessed in all the wrong ways with what is mine.

Even if he doesn't find her, but instead gets to the end of the maze first.

Only one gets out. Max…

I don't say anything as I move toward the entrance where Max had gone in. My body moves on its own, driven by instinct. Even if I were fully aware, I'd make the same decision. I can't risk being too late again.

I'll die to make sure she makes it out of that maze.

"Troy, make sure she completes maze six."

"There is another—" Sasha says through her own tears.

"Draven stop!" he shouts.

"Give me a collar, and let me in." The attendee right at the entrance has their phone in their hand, eyes widened up at me. "Now."

He hesitates, and I can hear Troy coming up behind me. His grip on my forearm tight as he tugs me downward. "Think about this. She would not—"

My gaze drags to his slowly. "If she dies in there because you held me back even a second Troy, I will kill you or haunt you, whichever fate gives me."

He swallows. "Not after everything you've survived. You've only known her for the weekend."

I search between his eyes. "One second or fifty years, my decision wouldn't change." He shakes his head, but he understands why I have to do this. I've lived long enough with the regret of not being strong enough to save the only person my heart beat for. Now that I have a new one, the reason for it needs to live. "Do as you have been told, Troy. My last fucking order."

I tear my arm from his grip, grab the collar from the table, and put it around my neck. Then, I barrel through the door that requires a collar to open, and straight through the gate that awaits me. As I pick up speed, I don't look back.

Funny how I know I'll die here, but fear doesn't grip me. At least, not for my own life.

Only for Max's.