Chapter Six

MAXWELL

Lying next to Raya in the soft glow of the bedroom, I could feel her tension vibrating through the mattress, a taut energy that contrasted sharply with the gentle rise and fall of her chest. Her soft caramel skin, warm and smooth beneath my fingers, seemed almost too delicate for the weight she was carrying. I could tell something was gnawing at her, something she was trying hard to keep from me, but I didn't press. Not yet.

The room was dimly lit, the night spilling through the large windows in shades of deep blue, casting shadows that danced across the walls. The scent of jasmine drifted in from the garden, mingling with the faint smell of the ocean that was always present here, a reminder of the world beyond these walls. The bed was big enough for both of us to lose ourselves in, but right now, it felt like the smallest space in the world, as if it were closing in on us, making the air thick with unspoken words.

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from her face, my fingers lingering on her cheek. Her skin was soft, her eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears. She was holding back, trying so hard to keep it together, but I knew she was close to breaking.

And then, just as I thought she might keep it all inside, the dam broke. Raya's breath hitched, and she suddenly turned away from me, her shoulders shaking with the force of her sobs. It was as if she couldn't hold it in any longer, as if the pressure had become too much, and it all came pouring out in a flood of tears.

I didn't say anything at first. I just moved closer, wrapping my arms around her from behind, pulling her against my chest. Her body was warm, her back pressed to my front, and I could feel every tremor that ran through her as she cried. I rested my chin on her shoulder, my lips close to her ear, trying to offer comfort without words.

"Raya," I finally whispered, my voice low and soft, barely more than a breath. "Darling. Talk to me. Tell me what's wrong. Please. Whatever it is, I want to help."

She didn't answer immediately. She just cried, her sobs muffled against the pillow. I could feel her pain, raw and palpable, and it tore at something deep inside me. It took everything I had to stay calm, to not demand answers, to let her come to me on her own terms.

After what felt like an eternity, she began to speak, her voice thick with emotion. "My ex-boyfriend," she said, the words tumbling out between shaky breaths. "He…he showed up at the bar. Johnny."

My jaw clenched, but I kept my voice steady, soothing. "What did he do, Raya? What happened between you?"

She took a shuddering breath, and I felt her relax slightly in my arms, as if the simple act of talking was helping to ease some of the weight she was carrying. "I grew up in foster care," she began, her voice barely more than a whisper. "In the system. I was shuffled around a lot, never had a real family, never had anyone to rely on. It was…it was rough. I was just a kid, and I had no one."

I held her tighter, my chest tightening at the thought of her being so alone, so vulnerable at such a young age. She continued, her voice wavering. "Then Johnny found me. He…he offered me a way out. He said he'd take care of me, that I didn't have to be alone anymore. I was desperate, naive. I believed him."

Her words were laced with bitterness, self-loathing. I stroked her hair, trying to soothe her, to offer comfort where words couldn't. "But he didn't take care of you," I said softly, knowing instinctively where this story was going.

"No," she whispered, her voice breaking. "He didn't. He got me hooked on drugs, and then…then he started pimping me out. I thought I had no choice. I thought that was all I was worth. I was so stupid, so broken."

The tears started again, and I could feel the wetness of them soaking into the pillow. My heart ached for her, for the pain she'd endured, for the way she'd been used and discarded by someone who should have protected her. I wanted to find Johnny and make him pay for what he'd done to her.

"But Johnny's dead now," she whispered after a long moment, her voice trembling. "I saw it on the news this morning. His car went off a cliff. The police say it was an accident, but…I don't know, Maxwell. I don't know if I believe that."

I tensed at her words, the implications swirling in my mind. Johnny's sudden appearance, his death—something about it didn't sit right with me either. But I couldn't let Raya see that. Not yet. "Tell me everything," I urged gently, trying to keep my voice calm. "What happened? How did he die?"

She hesitated, and I could feel the fear in her. "It was on the news this morning," she repeated, her voice quieter now, almost as if she were afraid to say the words out loud. "His car…it went off a cliff and crashed at the bottom of a ravine. The police say it was an accident, probably because he was looking at his phone while he should have focusing on the road, but…I don't know, Maxwell. I don't know what to believe."

Her words hung in the air between us, heavy with the weight of what they could mean. If Johnny's death wasn't an accident, then someone had killed him, or at least arranged his murder. And if someone had killed him, could Raya be in danger as well? The thought made my blood run cold.

I shifted, turning her in my arms so that I could look into her eyes. "Raya," I said carefully, "if it wasn't an accident, do you think someone might be after you too?"

Her eyes were wide, filled with a fear that made my heart ache. "I don't know," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I don't know who to trust, Maxwell. I'm scared."

I could feel my protective instincts kicking in, a fierce desire to keep her safe, to shield her from whatever darkness was closing in. I cupped her face in my hands, forcing her to meet my gaze.

"Raya, I understand what you're feeling. More than you know. I wish I could tell you everything, but I can't. It's for your own protection. But I need you to know that we have something in common. We've both risked everything to live without stains on our soul, to be free. Freedom is a precious thing, something never to take for granted but for which to strive and be grateful every single moment."

Her eyes searched mine for a long moment. "Like love?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Only…I've never really known it."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I hadn't expected her to be so vulnerable, so raw. I brushed my thumb over her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. "Neither have I," I admitted, my voice rough with emotion. "But maybe…maybe we can find it together."

The words hung between us, heavy with meaning, and for a moment, it felt like the whole world had narrowed down to just this—Just us. There was something between us, something real and undeniable, and it scared me as much as it thrilled me. I had spent so long keeping people at a distance, building walls around my heart, but with Raya, those walls were starting to crumble.

I leaned in, pressing my lips to hers, slow and tender. She responded instantly, her hands coming up to cup my face, her fingers in my hair. The kiss was soft at first, tentative, as if we were both afraid of breaking whatever fragile connection had formed between us. But then it deepened, the intensity building, the heat between us flaring into something almost overwhelming.

I rolled us over so that I was hovering above her, my weight supported by my forearms as I kissed her deeply, hungrily. Her hands roamed over my naked back, pulling me closer, as if she needed the contact as much as I did. There was a desperation in the way we moved together, as if we were trying to drown out the rest of the world, to lose ourselves in each other.

I could feel her heartbeat beneath my fingertips, fast and erratic, matching the rhythm of my own. Her skin was warm, her body soft and yielding beneath mine. I kissed her neck, her collarbone, the hollow of her throat, each touch igniting a fire inside me that threatened to consume us both.

She arched against me, her breath hitching as my hands roamed lower, exploring the curves of her body. Her skin was like silk under my fingers, her scent intoxicating. I wanted to lose myself in her, to forget everything else, if only for a little while.

But even as her hips met mine, even as I felt the connection between us deepen, a part of my mind remained alert, cautious. There was so much I hadn't told her, so much I was still trying to figure out. I could sense that she was holding back too, that there was more she wasn't telling me. But I couldn't push her, not now. Not when she was so vulnerable, so raw.

We moved in sync, our bodies perfectly attuned to each other, the rhythm of our movements a silent conversation that spoke of need, of desire, of something deeper that neither of us could fully articulate. Every touch, every kiss, felt like a promise, a silent vow that we would figure this out together, no matter how complicated or dangerous it might become.

As the intensity built, I could feel the tension in her body, the way her breath quickened, the way her nails dug into my back, grounding herself in the sensation. I wanted to give her everything, to show her that she was safe with me, that whatever shadows haunted her, I would chase them away. Her body arched beneath mine, and I pressed deeper, my name a gasp on her lips, a sound that sent a jolt of electricity through me.

When we finally reached the peak, it was like falling apart and coming back together all at once, a shattering of boundaries that left us both breathless, trembling in the aftermath. I held her close, my forehead resting against hers as we struggled to catch our breath, our bodies slick with sweat and satisfaction. For a moment, there was nothing but the sound of our breathing, the quiet of the room wrapping around us like a cocoon.

I could feel her heart beating against my chest, her body still quivering with the aftershocks. I wanted to stay like this forever, just the two of us, lost in our own little world. But I knew it wasn't that simple. There were still too many unanswered questions, too many secrets between us.

As the seconds ticked by, I could feel the weight of reality creeping back in, the tension that had been momentarily banished returning with a vengeance. Raya shifted in my arms, and I knew she was feeling it too. Her body was still, but her mind was clearly racing, and I could sense the turmoil brewing inside her.

I lifted my head to look at her, my hand brushing a damp lock of hair from her forehead. "Raya," I said softly, my voice laced with concern. "Talk to me. I know there's more you're not telling me."

She bit her lip, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. For a moment, I thought she might retreat again, pull away and shut down. But then she surprised me, her voice barely more than a whisper as she confessed, "Maxwell…I'm scared. I don't know who to trust. I don't even know if I can trust myself."

Her words were like a punch to the gut, but I kept my expression neutral, refusing to let her see the fear that was gnawing at me. "You can trust me," I said, trying to infuse my voice with as much reassurance as possible. "I swear to you, Raya, I will do everything I can to protect you. But I need you to trust me too. I can't help you if you shut me out."

Her eyes searched mine, as if looking for some sign that I was telling the truth. "But you're not telling me everything either," she said, her voice trembling. "How can I trust you when I know you're keeping things from me?"

She was right, of course. There were things I hadn't told her, things I couldn't tell her—not yet, anyway. But that didn't mean I didn't want to. I wanted to tell her everything, to lay it all out on the table and let her see the real me, even the parts of myself that I kept hidden from the world. But I couldn't risk it. Not until I knew for sure who was pulling the strings, who was behind Johnny's death, and what role, if any, Raya was playing in this twisted game.

"I wish I could tell you everything," I admitted, my voice thick with regret. "But there are things…things that are too dangerous for you to know. Not because I don't trust you, but because I can't risk putting you in harm's way. Not until I figure out what's going on."

Her expression softened, her hand reaching up to cup my cheek. "Maxwell, I don't want you to protect me by keeping secrets. I've had enough of people lying to me, hiding things from me. I just want the truth, even if it's ugly."

"I understand," I said, my heart aching at the pain in her voice. "And I promise you, I will tell you everything when the time is right. But right now, there's too much at stake. I need you to trust that I'm doing this for you, for us. We share more than you know, Raya. We've both left our pasts behind to start over, and that's something I don't take lightly. You must have faith in yourself, in your own strength and inner wisdom."

She looked at me, her eyes filled with emotion so intense it cut straight to my core. "Do you think it's possible, Maxwell? To leave the past behind?"

"I do," I said firmly. "Freedom is everything, Raya. But so is love. And that's the one thing money can't buy. We've both been through hell, but we've come out the other side. We're survivors. And I'm not going to let anything or anyone take that away from us."

She let out a shaky breath, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I want to believe that. I want to believe that we have a chance."

"Then do," I urged, my voice gentle but insistent. "Because I want that, too."

She nodded slowly, as if trying to convince herself. But I could see the doubt lingering in her eyes, the fear that still gripped her. I couldn't blame her. There was so much at play, so many variables that neither of us fully understood. But I knew one thing for certain—I wasn't going to lose her. Not now, maybe not ever.

I kissed her again, slow and tender, trying to convey all the emotions I couldn't put into words. She responded immediately, pulling me closer. But even as we lost ourselves in each other once more, a part of me remained on edge, the gears in my mind turning. Johnny's death wasn't an accident, of that I was now certain. Someone had killed him, and I had a sinking feeling that Raya was caught in the crossfire. I vowed to do whatever it took to keep her safe, to keep her by my side. But I couldn't afford to let my guard down, not until I knew who the players were and what their endgame was. And until then, I would have to play my cards close to my chest, even with Raya. I needed to figure out who was behind it, who was pulling the strings, before it was too late. For both of us.