Chapter 11: Nowhere is Safe
1121 Words
Emma’s feet pounded against the pavement as she ran, her breath ragged, her pulse a wild drumbeat in her ears. Liam’s grip on her wrist was tight, practically dragging her forward as they sprinted down the dimly lit street. Behind them, the sound of a door slamming open sent fresh waves of terror down her spine.
Someone was following them.
Not just someone. Him.
The man from her apartment. The one who had whispered about Sophie.
Emma dared a glance over her shoulder.
A dark figure emerged from the building’s entrance. Tall. Hooded. Moving fast.
“We need to hide,” she gasped.
Liam didn’t slow down. “No, we need to get the hell away from here.”
“But he’s following us!”
“I know,” Liam gritted out. “That’s why we keep running.”
Emma’s legs burned, her lungs screaming for air, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t. If she did, she might end up like Sophie.
She might disappear too.
---
A Moment of Safety
After what felt like an eternity, Liam yanked her into a narrow alleyway between two closed storefronts. He pressed her against the brick wall, placing a finger to his lips.
Emma bit back a sob, sucking in gulps of air as she tried to quiet her breathing.
Footsteps thundered past the alley entrance. Then… silence.
She held her breath, straining to hear.
Had they lost him?
Liam didn’t move for a long moment, his body tense, eyes locked on the street. Then he finally let out a breath and turned to her.
“Are you okay?”
Emma wasn’t sure how to answer that. Was she okay? No. Not even close.
She had nearly been attacked in her own apartment. Someone had broken in, had grabbed her, had whispered about Sophie as if she were next.
And now, here she was—hiding in a filthy alley, completely shaken, her mind screaming with unanswered questions.
No, she wasn’t okay.
But she couldn’t fall apart. Not now.
“I don’t know,” she whispered.
Liam ran a hand through his hair, his jaw tight. “We need to go somewhere safe.”
Emma looked up at him, her heart still hammering. “Where?”
He hesitated.
Emma narrowed her eyes. “Liam, where are we going?”
“…My place.”
She stiffened. “Are you serious?”
He met her gaze, his expression unreadable. “Yes.”
She shook her head. “No. I can’t—”
“You think your apartment is safe now?” he cut her off. “You think whoever that was won’t come back?”
Emma swallowed hard.
Liam stepped closer, lowering his voice. “I get that you don’t trust me. But right now, I’m the only one who can keep you safe. If you have a better plan, tell me. Otherwise, we’re going to my place.”
Emma stared at him.
She hated this.
Hated feeling like she had no control.
But the truth was—he was right.
She had nowhere else to go.
So, against every instinct screaming at her, she nodded.
“Fine.”
---
A Tense Car Ride
Liam’s car was parked a few blocks away, an old black sedan with tinted windows. He unlocked the door for her, and she hesitated before getting in.
Every part of her told her this was a mistake.
She barely knew Liam.
And Daniel had told her not to trust him.
But she didn’t have much of a choice.
So she slid into the passenger seat, and Liam got behind the wheel.
The drive was silent at first. Emma stared out the window, her mind racing.
Then, she couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Who was that?” she asked, her voice tight.
Liam gripped the steering wheel. “I don’t know.”
Emma turned to him. “Don’t lie to me.”
Liam clenched his jaw. “I swear, Emma. I don’t know who he is.”
“Then why did he mention Sophie?”
Liam’s hands tightened. “Because someone doesn’t want you digging into her disappearance.”
Emma’s stomach twisted. “Did you have something to do with it?”
His head snapped toward her, eyes flashing. “What?”
Emma’s fingers curled into her lap. “Did you—” She swallowed hard. “Did you hurt her?”
Liam’s knuckles went white against the steering wheel.
For a moment, he didn’t answer.
Then—his voice came out quiet, controlled.
“No.”
Emma’s throat felt tight. “Then why did Daniel tell me not to trust you?”
Liam exhaled sharply. “Because he wants you to trust him.”
Emma frowned. “What are you saying?”
Liam pulled into the parking lot of a small apartment complex. He turned off the engine and looked at her.
“I’m saying,” he murmured, “that Daniel isn’t the person you think he is.”
---
Secrets Unravel
Emma sat on Liam’s couch, her arms wrapped around herself. His apartment was small but clean, with neutral-colored furniture and barely any decorations.
Liam handed her a glass of water. She took it with shaking hands.
They sat in silence for a long moment.
Then Emma finally spoke.
“Tell me the truth.”
Liam leaned against the arm of the couch, watching her carefully.
“I already did.”
“No,” Emma said, her voice firmer. “Tell me everything. About Sophie. About Daniel. About why I’m in danger.”
Liam ran a hand down his face, looking exhausted.
“Fine,” he said. “You want the truth?”
Emma nodded, her heart pounding.
Liam’s eyes locked onto hers.
“Sophie was my girlfriend,” he admitted. “And yeah, she wanted to leave me. But she didn’t disappear because of me.”
Emma waited.
Liam exhaled.
“She disappeared… because of Daniel.”
Emma’s breath caught. “What?”
Liam leaned forward. “Daniel was obsessed with her. He sent her letters, followed her, made her think she was in danger. And when she tried to go to the police, he made sure no one believed her.”
Emma shook her head. “No. That can’t be true.”
Liam’s expression darkened. “Ask yourself, Emma. Why is Daniel so desperate for you to trust him? Why does he want to keep you away from me?”
Emma’s pulse pounded.
Was it true?
Was Daniel the real danger all along?
She didn’t know what to believe anymore.
But one thing was clear.
She was caught in the middle of something deadly.
And she had to find the truth—before it was too late.
- Writer
