HER "ROMANCE IN THE LAB"

THE ONE WHO STILL HOLDING ON

Alden came up beside her, his hand brushing against hers, grounding her even as adrenaline sent her thoughts spinning. “We need a place to hide, somewhere no one knows,” he said, voice low but urgent. His wet hair clung to his forehead, and his jacket was soaked through, but there was a determination in his eyes that made her chest tighten.

“I know a place,” Maxine whispered, teeth chattering. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. “A friend… my aunt’s old apartment. It’s empty. No one goes there.”

Alden nodded. “Good. Lead the way.”

The rain blurred the city into a world of silver and black streaks. Maxine ran blindly, heart hammering in her chest, lungs burning, until the buildings thinned and the streets opened into a narrow alleyway. She pressed herself against the brick walls, drenched, shivering, listening. The storm roared overhead, masking the sounds of pursuit, but she knew, it wouldn’t be long before Mike found her.

Together, they ran through the winding streets, slipping through puddles, ducking under the awnings of shuttered shops. Maxine’s mind was a chaotic storm of fear, guilt, and exhilaration. She had escaped Mike, escaped the suffocating control he wielded like a weapon, but the thought of him finding her, of his hands, of his eyes… it made her stomach churn.

And yet, the thought of Alden beside her, the warmth of his presence, the way he didn’t demand anything from her, gave her a fragile sense of hope she hadn’t felt in months. She tried to focus on that, and tried to breathe through the panic and exhaustion.

The apartment building was old, its brick walls darkened with rain and time. Maxine led him up the narrow stairwell, each step echoing. The door to the apartment was rusted at the hinge, the lock old but functional. She fumbled with the keys, trembling fingers struggling as Alden’s presence pressed behind her.

“Here,” she whispered. The door opened, revealing a small apartment, empty and dimly lit by the gray light filtering through rain-streaked windows. It smelled faintly of mildew and dust, but to Maxine, it smelled like safety. Like the possibility of breathing.

They stepped inside, closing the door behind them. Maxine leaned against it, sliding down until she sat on the floor, soaked and shivering. Alden dropped beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. His touch was warm, grounding, anchoring her in the moment.

“You’re safe,” he said quietly. “I’ve got you. No one’s touching you here.”

Maxine let out a shuddering breath, her body trembling from exhaustion and the intensity of everything she had just endured. “I… I can’t believe I ran. I… I actually left him.” Her voice cracked, barely a whisper. “He… he expects obedience, Alden. He… he thinks I belong to him.”

Alden’s jaw tightened. “He doesn’t. You belong to no one but yourself.”

Her hands shook as she pressed the vial against her chest again. The golden serum glimmered faintly in the dim light. “I grabbed this,” she admitted. “I didn’t know what I’d do with it… I just… I needed something to hold on to.”

Alden’s eyes softened, but the intensity in them remained. “Then hold onto it, Max. Hold onto yourself. You don’t need anyone’s rules. You don’t need his control. You’re stronger than he’ll ever understand.”

Her chest ached, tears streaming down her face. She didn’t know how long she sat there, clinging to the vial, clinging to him, listening to the storm outside. The apartment was small, cold, and empty, but it was the first place in a long time that felt like her own.

“I feel… like I’m drowning,” she whispered. “I’ve been… trapped for so long. And now… now I’m out, and I don’t even know how to breathe.”

Alden pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if he could absorb her fear into himself. “Then breathe with me,” he murmured. “We’ll figure it out together. Step by step.”

For a long moment, Maxine allowed herself to lean against him, to let herself be held. And for the first time in what felt like forever, she felt the suffocating weight of fear easily.

But the moment was fragile. Painfully fragile.

Her thoughts drifted back to Mike. The calm, precise way he had leaned over her in the lab, the way he measured her trust, the way he made her obedience feel like a choice even when it wasn’t. She could almost feel the weight of his eyes on her now, even though he was miles away. Even though she had run.

“I’m scared,” she admitted, the voice muffled against his chest. “I… I can’t stop thinking about him. About what he’ll do if he finds me.”

Alden kissed the top of her head, his grip tightening slightly. “Let him come,” he said, voice low, dangerous, but protective. “If he thinks he can control you… he’s about to learn he picked the wrong person.”

Maxine trembled in his arms. She wanted to believe him, and wanted to feel that same fierce confidence. But deep down, a part of her knew the storm wasn’t over. Mike didn’t just let go. He didn’t accept “no.” And she wasn’t naive enough to think that a few blocks, a locked door, or a stormy night would keep him away.

Yet, even with that knowledge, a spark of defiance bloomed in her chest. For the first time, she realized, she didn’t have to obey anyone. Not Mike. Not anyone. Not even Alden, though he was a sanctuary she had almost forgotten existed.

Her hand tightened around the vial, her fingers digging into the glass. “I… I don’t want to be afraid anymore,” she whispered.

“You won’t be,” Alden said, brushing the hair from her soaked face. “Not while I’m here. Not while you’re with me. And you won’t have to fight him alone.”

She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. Amid the storm raging in her heart and the chaos surrounding her life, she found a moment of clarity. She was ready to fight for herself. She would take back the pieces of her identity that were stolen away from fear, control, and obsession.

And she would choose... eventually, when the time comes. But for tonight, she just needed to survive.

The wind rattled the windows. Rain hammered against the roof. But inside, Maxine felt something she hadn’t felt in years, a quiet, and a fragile hope. A beginning. A chance to be more than just a pawn in someone else’s game.

And as Alden held her, whispering promises she could almost believe, Maxine Medina realized something terrifyingly beautiful, freedom wasn’t a gift. It wasn’t given. It was claimed. And she was ready to claim it.

Outside, the storm raged on. Inside, Maxine closed her eyes and finally let herself rest. For the first time, the world felt vast, no rules, just be free. And she would like to run through it, on her own terms.