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Lucy listened, her fear slowly giving way to curiosity and a flicker of understanding. Carver continued, his voice low and earnest, and she found herself drawn in. No matter what he told her, he was still a monster, she reminded herself. Lucy couldn’t be sympathetic to a monster, and yet, she hadn’t exactly seen him kill anyone.
His prisoner got away and … why was she trying to justify his actions? No, she was just trying to understand him better because she had no choice, did she?
“I think I understand,” she said. “I won’t say a word about you or your family.”
Carver looked at her for a long moment, and Lucy began to sweat. She wondered if he bought her lie, and it was a lie, wasn’t it? Surely, she wasn’t deluded enough to believe that by some miracle, she could somehow redeem a man like Carver.
Carver eventually rose to his feet. She moved by instinct, her back hitting the bedpost.
Pain flickered across his features. Was he saddened by the fact she was a little scared of him? Did that make him change his mind about letting her go if she kept his secrets?
“Promise me,” he told her.
“I promise,” she whispered and waited.
She didn’t have to wait long. He walked to the bedroom door and opened it.
“Then you’re free to go,” he said.
She got out of bed, wondering if this was all a trick, but he simply stood there, waiting. Lucy hesitantly left the bedroom, telling herself not to look back at him. If she did, he might decide not to let her leave after all. Only a few steps to the front door now. She took a deep breath, walked a little faster. Almost there.
Lucy couldn’t help it, she looked over her shoulder. Carver leaned against the door of his bedroom, his grave eyes on her. She wondered what he was thinking, then remembered the precarious situation she was in. She wasn’t naive enough to believe he’d simply let her go. He’d probably watch her closely from now onward, but first, she had to walk out of this place in one piece.
Lucy stepped into the corridor, half-expecting him to come after her. When he didn’t, she closed the door behind her, heart racing.
Then she ran back to her own apartment, slammed the door shut, and locked it. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she leaned against the door, trying to catch her breath.
As the initial shock began to wear off, Lucy’s mind raced. What was she going to do now? She couldn’t just pretend nothing had happened. She needed a plan. She needed to figure out how to deal with Carver and the Arrow brothers without getting herself killed.
She glanced around her apartment, trying to find a sense of normalcy in the familiar surroundings. But everything felt different now. She was entangled in a dangerous world, and she didn’t know how to escape.
Her phone buzzed, making her jump. It was a text from Cindy, asking if she was okay because she wasn’t at work yet. Lucy hesitated before typing out a quick reply, trying to sound casual. She couldn’t involve Cindy in this mess.
As she set her phone down, her thoughts drifted back to Carver. Despite everything, there was a part of her that was drawn to him, that wanted to believe he could be more than the monster everyone said he was. But she couldn’t afford to be naive. Not now.
She had to stay focused, stay vigilant. Because no matter what Carver said, she knew she was far from safe. Lucy closed her eyes, staying pressed to the door for a few moments before realizing that being afraid and hiding wouldn’t get her anywhere.
Work. For once in her life, she didn’t dread going to the diner. Some sense of normalcy and routine was exactly what she needed. She dragged herself to the shower and dressed.
In the corridor again, she glanced at Carver’s door, wondering if he was watching her. Probably not.
Still, as she left her apartment, she had the distinct impression someone was watching her. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and she couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes on her, an unsettling sensation that made her heart race and her palms sweat.
Don’t think too much of it, she reminded herself, then took the bus to work.
When she arrived, Burt immediately chewed her out for being late.
“Do you think this place runs itself, Lucy?” he asked her.
Annoyance flared in her. This was the first time she had been late for work in all the months she’d worked there. She shrugged off Burt’s depreciating words and focused on doing her job instead.
But she must have been off, because after the lunch crowd left, Cindy pulled her aside.
“What’s wrong with you today, Lucy?” Cindy asked.
“Just feeling a little unwell, that’s all,” she said, trying to muster a reassuring smile.
Cindy looked skeptical but didn’t push for more answers. As her shift neared its end, Lucy’s thoughts drifted back to her apartment. The thought of fleeing crossed her mind, but where would she go? This city was the only home she’d ever known.
