Iris’s POV
Victor’s message lit up my phone, and I felt my chest tighten the moment I saw it.
“ I’ve handled Marcus. Call me when you’re clear.”
I swallowed, letting a small measure of relief slip through the panic that had been clawing at me all morning. Finally, a lifeline.
I parked a block from Maya’s apartment, letting the quiet street give me a moment to steady my racing heart. Every step toward her door felt like I was inching toward safety through a maze I had no map for. I could still feel the morning’s adrenaline buzzing through me, every nerve on edge, every thought fracturing into a hundred “what ifs.”
Before I could second-guess myself, I tapped out a quick message to Victor:
“Thank you. You saved me.”
Then I squared my shoulders and rang Maya’s bell, my hands trembli
