Bound to Damian Cross

Chapter Three:The Relief

Mara's POV

I stared at the message from Anderson, my hands trembling so badly I could barely hold the phone.

{Mara, it didn't go as planned. I'm in trouble, I need you... please.}

"f**k!" I muttered.

Cold fear shot through me. Trouble? What have I gotten my brother into? I had expected him to blend in, to get the Job. But now, otherwise was the case.

I grabbed my coat and rushed toward the door, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure the neighbors could hear it. My thoughts spun, what if they kill him? How and where do I even start from?

My hands shook as I struggled with my keys, my palms wet with sweat. I started running down the stairs, two at a time, the building echoing with my hurried steps.

I was just about to step onto the street, my heart pounding, and my mind filled with the worst thoughts. I was ready to run straight to Damian's penthouse and give myself up... anything to make them let Anderson go.

Then, suddenly, laughter burst out behind me.

I jumped in shock. My keys, my phone, everything slipped from my hands and hit the ground as fear shook through me. I spun around, and to my greatest surprise, Anderson stood there, bent over with his hands on his knees, laughing so hard he could barely breathe.

"Mara! Mara! You should've seen your face!" he gasped between chuckles.

"What... what?" I stammered, confused and still trembling.

"It's a prank! I got the job... it's real, yes, but I just... I wanted to scare you!" He doubled over, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, still shaking with laughter.

I froze for a moment, and then everything hit me at once... relief, the tension, the fear that had been suffocating me for hours. I dropped my coat and threw myself at him, hugging him tightly, laughing and crying at the same time.

"Oh my God... Anderson... you scared me half to death!" I gasped into his chest.

"I know, I know! But hey, mission accomplished... I got your heart racing!" he said, grinning, finally letting go just enough to look at me.

My hands cupped his face instantly as I murmured, "You're safe. You're actually safe."

He nodded, the grin never leaving his face. "Yeah... and I start tomorrow. Victor told me to bring my few belongings and move into the staff quarters. That's where I'll be staying first."

"Who's Victor?" I asked.

"I think... uh... he's Damian's right-hand man."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah. He never left Damian's side... and he was the one who even suggested they hire me. So, I guess that's it."

"So, did you meet ALMIGHTY Damian Cross?"

"He's mean."

"Huh.."

"Very mean, he barely spoke to me.. and he looks scary but that doesn't stop us."

I grabbed him for another quick, frantic hug, then let go, still holding his shoulders. "So... the plan... it starts tomorrow night?"

"Exactly Mara," he said, taking my hands in his. "Tomorrow morning, I move in. Tomorrow night, we begin. We stick to the plan, just like we talked about."

Relief washed over me. All the fear, all the panic, melted into laughter and tears. For the first time in what felt like forever, I could breathe. Anderson was here, alive, untouched, and ready to help get us both out of Sean's wrath.

"Thank you Anderson... what could I have done without you."

We stayed like that for a long moment, holding each other, sharing the unspoken promise that we would survive this together.

Tomorrow, the real game will begin. But tonight... tonight, we could just be us.

The next day, Anderson's message came at exactly 11:00 p.m.

{Start coming, sis... I have everything planned out.}

I tapped my reply with trembling fingers. {Am coming right away.}

A wave of fear hit me like a punch to my chest. But this was it, the only chance to escape Sean's wrath and get his huge offer. My mind screamed with all the "what ifs," but I forced the panic down. No... no... no... I thought, slamming the mental door on every negative scenario.

I got ready, checking the essentials: phone, tracker, and small recorder, making sure they were all in my bag. Each item felt heavier than usual, weighed down by the fear of what tonight could bring. My hands trembled slightly as I zipped the bag shut, the sound echoing in the apartment.

My heart hammered in my chest as I headed down the stairs, moving faster than usual. The street was dark, and the city was quieter than normal. I jumped into my car, yanking the door shut behind me. My hands gripped the wheel so tight my knuckles whitened. Engines hummed in the distance, but I barely noticed.

Fear and determination filled my mind as I drove, moving quickly through the streets. Every red light felt like it could be a trap. Minutes felt like hours. I kept thinking of Sean, his threats still ringing in my head, and of Damian Cross, the man whose empire I was about to sneak into.

I arrived at the penthouse, but I parked a few blocks from it.

"Oh my God." I muttered, looking at the tall building that rose above me, its glass walls glowing faintly in the city lights.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands as I sent a message across to Anderson.

"I am here now."

I sat in my car waiting, and just in 3 minutes, Anderson appeared from the shadows. I got out of the car, immediately I saw him.

"Mara," he whispered, waving at me to come.

I hurried toward him, not wasting a second.

He looked sharp, his posture steady, as his eyes scanned the street. "Ready?" he whispered.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Let's do this."

"Quick."

We moved quickly, slipping through the side entrance Anderson had checked out earlier. Every step felt heavy with the weight of what was to come. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears.

We made our way through the penthouse's dim corridors, Anderson leading the way with practiced movements. The green lights of the security cameras flashed on the walls, but he had already figured out when they weren't watching.

"This way," he murmured, and I followed, trusting him completely.

We reached the study. The door was heavy, cold metal with an electronic lock. Anderson quickly disabled it with a device I didn't fully understand, and the door swung open.

Rows of shelves, expensive equipment, and Damian's desk filled the room. My stomach twisted in anticipation. This was it. One wrong move, and everything could be messed up.

I slipped inside and went straight to the desk where the audio drive Sean had told me about was. Anderson stayed at the door, his eyes quickly scanning everywhere to keep us safe. My hands went straight to the secure drive with the audio file. I typed fast, breaking through the encryption and opening the files. All my training, skills, and instincts kicked in.

"Mara be fast... please." He whispered.

"Sure." I replied sharply.

Finally, I found it, the secured drive, labeled GI445.

"Anderson... I found it... I found it," I whispered, my heart racing with excitement.

"Yes," Anderson said, nodding fast and lightly hitting his hand against his palm, a small gesture of triumph.

I started deleting the file, but it kept coming back, stubborn and impossible to remove.

"Crap!" I muttered.

"What's happening?" Anderson asked.

"It's..."

"Shhh!" he cut me off, his eyes snapping toward the hallway.

I followed his gaze and froze. A tall, broad figure moved with slow, certain steps. He was coming straight to the study room.

"f**k! It's Damian," Anderson whispered, tensed. "He's coming, Mara."