5. Chapter 5

My head throbs from the cut on my forehead, a reminder of how they barged into the apartment and brought us here. They haven"t even bothered to attend to it, leaving me to deal with the pain on my own. With a frustrated growl, I jerk at the cuffs securing my hands to the table in front of me.

The metal digs into my wrists, sending another sharp jolt of pain through my arms. But the pain helps center me, calming down my racing thoughts. I take a deep breath, trying to push back the negative thoughts that threaten to overwhelm me.

They left me alone in this room, likely hoping to unnerve me with the silence and isolation. And it's working, but the pain is helping.

Finally, the sound of the door opening distracts me from my thoughts, and I watch as a woman with sleek, short black hair enters the room. Her hair is styled differently than I remember, but it takes only a second to recognize the girl I knew in the woman before me. I grin viciously at her.

"Nicole, fancy seeing you here," I say, my voice filled with humor despite the situation.

Nicole"s expression remains stoic, but I can see a hint of surprise flicker in her eyes before she regains her composure. She strides into the room with an air of confidence, her gaze fixed on me.

"Maverick," she responds, her tone neutral.

I lean back in my chair as much as I can, unfazed by her presence. "What brings you to this lovely establishment?" I ask sarcastically, looking around the bare room we"re in.

Nicole"s lips twitch with amusement, but she quickly schools her features into a more serious expression. "I"m here to ask you some questions," she says cryptically, her eyes narrowing slightly.

I raise an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Oh? And here I was, thinking you came to rescue me," I quip, flashing her a playful grin as I tug on the handcuffs again, the sound of the metal on metal echoing through the room.

Nicole"s gaze flicks down to the red marks around my wrists, and a flicker of concern crosses her features. I can tell it"s fake, but I don"t say anything as she simpers for me.

"Oh my, I"m so sorry. Here, let me undo those for you," she says, her voice dripping with false sympathy.

I"m surprised when she actually moves to undo the cuffs. As soon as she releases them, I take the opportunity to get up out of the chair and retreat backward until my back is against the wall. I rub my wrists where the cuffs bit into my skin, the pain still fresh and raw.

Nicole watches me with a carefully neutral expression, but I can see a hint of tension in her shoulders. She knows I"m not buying her act, but she"s playing along for now.

"Feeling better?" she asks, her tone casual as she sits down slowly into the chair across from where I was a moment ago.

I give her a tight-lipped smile, not bothering to respond. Instead, I keep my eyes trained on her, waiting for her next move.

Nicole clears her throat, breaking the silence that has settled between us. "I need to ask you some questions, Maverick," she says, her tone more serious now.

I raise an eyebrow, crossing my arms over my chest. "You already said that. So, what"s on your mind?" I ask, my voice laced with sarcasm.

Nicole"s lips thin into a tight line, but she remains composed. "I need to know about your involvement in certain... activities," she says carefully, choosing her words with caution.

I tilt my head to the side, studying her carefully. "And what activities would those be?" I ask, playing dumb.

Nicole"s gaze flickers with annoyance, but she quickly regains her composure. "You know exactly what I"m talking about, Maverick. I need you to cooperate with me," she says firmly.

I scoff softly, shaking my head. "Sorry, Nicole. I"m not in the mood to play games right now, and trust me, I love a good game normally," I reply, and I can't stop the snicker escaping at the reminder of my last ‘game'.

Nicole"s frustration is palpable, and it just makes my grin widen.

"I don"t want to play with you," she snaps, her frustration making her cool and calm exterior slip for a moment.

I burst out laughing at her reaction. "Really? Cause I recall both you and that other friend of yours, Jasmine or whatever her name was, wanting to play with both me and Beck," I accuse, unable to resist needling her further.

Nicole grits her teeth as she narrows her gaze at me. I can see the anger simmering just beneath the surface. Both of them had been panting hard after us before we made it clear we were not on the market. Ash had been oblivious to her friends" attention because she was so focused on her studies, and we were so focused on Ash. I took pleasure in finally making it clear that there was no one for me but Ash and Beck, and I thought they were going to have a meltdown at that.

Nicole"s jaw clenches as she takes a deep breath, struggling to maintain her composure. "That was so long ago, Maverick, I can barely remember it," she says through gritted teeth, her tone icy.

"Oh come on, Nicole," I say, my grin still firmly in place. "It seems awfully convenient that suddenly we are being ambushed and brought in here, for reasons I have still yet to hear, and you just so happen to be here trying to question me, which by the way I still haven"t actually heard a question yet."

Nicole lays her palms on the table and takes a deep, calming breath. It"s not hard to see that I have flustered her. "Fine, then come and sit down please, and we will get to those questions," she says, her voice strained with frustration.

I laugh and shake my head. "Nah, I"ll stay standing, thanks. It"s not like I"ll be here long," I reply casually, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me comply.

Nicole"s lips twitch as though she"s trying to stop from smiling, but it doesn"t stop the condescending look on her face. "I hate to break it to you, Rick, but you aren"t going anywhere. See, we can hold you as long as we want to," she retorts, her tone dripping with superiority.

I roll my eyes, refusing to let her get under my skin. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that, Nicole," I reply dismissively, my tone mocking.

Nicole"s facade of composure starts to crack again, and I can see the frustration bubbling beneath the surface. With a sharp exhale, she stands up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor as she pushes it back. Without another word, she turns on her heel and walks briskly out of the room, the door clicking shut behind her.

Once again, I"m left alone with the oppressive silence, the only sound being the faint hum of the ventilation system. My thoughts start to race, and I can feel the worries and concerns creeping back in, like shadows in the corners of my mind.

Unable to sit still, I start to pace the perimeter of the room, my footsteps echoing off the bare walls. Nervous energy builds inside me, fueling my movements as I try to shake off the scenarios in my mind. The ones that tell me that this all feels too coincidental.

The timing of this whole thing, the agents involved… it just was too many things to not be suspicious.

My nails dig into the flesh of my arms as my feet continue along their path. I need Beck and I need to get back to my pretty girl. Nothing will ever be right until I have them both in my arms again; I don't care about whatever walls Ash erected. Like I said, I would burn them to the ground.