Midnight Heat

Dangerous Game

Maya’s POV

I could not sleep at all. Liam stayed beside me the whole night. His arm was around me but my mind kept racing. Tomorrow night at the warehouse. Mr Havisham. The blackmailers. Chloe in danger. Sarah’s old phone hidden under the bed. Everything felt too heavy. Inside my head I thought, I am only nineteen. How did my life become this scary? One wrong step and people I love will die.

In the morning Liam left early to meet his secret friends. I went to work with fear in my stomach. Mr Havisham was busy in meetings so I sat at my desk and tried to look normal. My body still remembered his punishment from yesterday. Every time I moved my bottom hurt.

During lunch I went to a quiet corner of the big office building to get coffee. The hallway was empty. I turned a corner and bumped into a man. Hot coffee spilled on his shirt.

“Oh no I am sorry,” I said quickly.

The man looked at me. He was about thirty two. Quiet face. Sharp eyes. He wore a simple accountant shirt. He did not look angry. He just smiled a little.

“It is okay,” he said in a calm voice. “Accidents happen.”

He took out a tissue and wiped his shirt. Something about him felt different. Safe but careful. I started to walk away but he spoke again.

“You are Maya Collins right? The new assistant.”

I froze. How did he know my name? “Yes. Who are you?”

“Damien Gray,” he said softly. “I work in accounts. I have seen you around.”

He looked around the empty hallway then stepped closer. His voice became very low. “I know what is happening to you. Mr Havisham. The secrets. Your sister too. I have been watching from inside.”

My heart jumped. I stepped back. “How do you know about my sister?”

Damien looked nervous but his eyes stayed kind. “I worked here when Sarah was alive. She trusted me with some files. She was trying to expose everything. Then she got sick suddenly. I know it was not natural.”

Tears came to my eyes fast. Finally someone who knew the truth. “They are blackmailing me now,” I whispered. “They want me to bring Liam to the warehouse tomorrow night. They say they will kill us.”

Damien nodded. “I heard whispers about tomorrow. You cannot go alone. But you cannot trust many people here. The walls have ears.”

He quickly gave me a small USB drive from his pocket. “Hide this. It has more proof about your sister’s medicine and payments. Use it carefully. I will try to help from inside but I cannot be seen talking to you.”

I took the USB and hid it in my bra. My hands shook. “Why are you helping me?”

“Because your sister was a good person,” he said. “And I am tired of watching girls get destroyed here.”

Before I could thank him footsteps came from the end of the hallway. Damien’s face changed. He spoke louder. “Sorry about the coffee again. Have a good day.”

He walked away fast like nothing happened. I stood there with my heart pounding. For the first time I felt a small hope. Someone inside the company was on my side.

The rest of the day passed slowly. Mr Havisham called me in once and made me suck him under his desk while he was on a call. I did it with tears in my eyes. When he finished in my mouth he smiled and said, “Tomorrow night will be special. Be ready.”

I left the office early. When I reached home Liam was waiting inside my apartment. He looked tense.

“I met some people,” he said. “They can help but it is risky. What happened today?”

I told him about Damien Gray. I showed him the USB drive. Liam’s eyes became sharp. “This could be the proof we need. But we must be careful. It could also be a trap.”

We sat together and made a simple plan. Liam would follow me secretly to the warehouse. He would bring help. I would take Sarah’s old phone and the new USB.

But as we talked my phone buzzed. Unknown number. I opened it.

A new video played. It showed Chloe tied to a chair in a dark room. Her eyes were scared. Mr Havisham stood beside her with a smile. The voice message said:

“Tomorrow night. Warehouse. Bring Liam and all the evidence. If you are late or try anything smart, Chloe dies first. Then you watch Liam die. Then it is your turn.”

I dropped the phone. Liam watched the video with me. His face became hard like stone.

“They have Chloe,” I cried. “My best friend. This is my fault.”

Liam pulled me into his arms. “We will save her. We go tomorrow. But we fight smart.”

He kissed me hard. Fear and need mixed together. We ended up on the bed. He f****d me with deep strong thrusts. I moaned and cried at the same time. I came hard while thinking about tomorrow. He finished inside me and held me close after.

But as we lay there another message came.

“Sleep well tonight Maya. Tomorrow the game becomes real.”

I looked at Liam. Tomorrow night at the warehouse everything would happen. Mr Havisham. The blackmailers. Chloe. My sister’s truth. Life or death.

We had one night left.