Tamed Heart

Chapter 4

Tessa’s POV

Water dripped from me like I didn’t belong to my own body anymore.

It slid down my hair in thin streams, traced the curve of my jaw, gathered at my chin before falling—one drop at a time—onto the cold, unforgiving ground beneath my feet. My clothes clung to me, soaked and heavy, dragging me down with every step I took.

I could feel everything.

The wind didn’t just touch me, it invaded me. It slipped under my skin, coiled around my bones, gnawed at my insides like something alive.

But none of it mattered.

Not even the way my teeth refused to stop chattering.

My eyes were locked on one thing.

That car.

That number.

Even if I went blind, I knew I would still see it burned into my mind.

It was parked inside the compound like nothing had happened.

My fathers killer must be somewhere around here having the best life after he just destroyed mine.

Like it hadn’t crushed my world into something unrecognizable.

My father’s face flashed in my mind—smiling, tired, kind.

Gone.

Just like that.

My chest tightened so sharply I had to stop walking for a second.

Breathe.

Just breathe.

But even that felt like too much.

My feet moved again before I could stop them. Slow. Reluctant.

I pushed the gate open.

The faint creak echoed louder than it should have in the silence of the night. My fingers tightened around the metal for a brief second, grounding myself.

Then I stepped inside.

Each step felt heavier than the last, like invisible hands were pulling me back, begging me to turn around.

Go home.

Forget this.

You’re not ready.

But I kept going.

Because I didn’t have a home anymore.

Not without him.

My hands shook violently as I reached the door. I stared at it for a long time, my reflection faintly staring back at me from the glossy surface.

I barely recognized the girl looking back.

Her eyes were hollow.

Her face pale.

Her lips trembling like she was seconds away from shattering completely.

Is this who I am now?

My fingers hovered over the doorbell.

What am I doing?

What do I think will happen?

If he opens the door…

If the man who killed my father stands in front of me…

What then?

Will I say?

What do I ask him?

Or will I…

lose control?

My stomach twisted violently.

I wasn’t strong enough for this.

I wasn’t ready.

I wasn’t anything.

My finger pressed the bell anyway.

Once.

The sound echoed faintly inside.

My heart skipped.

Twice.

Still nothing.

My breathing became uneven.

Third time.

The silence stretched too long.

Too heavy.

Panic crept in.

This is wrong.

I shouldn’t be here.

I turned quickly, my wet slippers scraping against the ground as I started to walk away.

Then—

Click.

The door slid open.

Everything inside me stopped.

Time.

Breath.

Thought.

“Hey, water lady!”

The voice came from behind me, slicing through the stillness.

My heart slammed violently against my chest, so hard it felt like it might break through my ribs.

Slowly… slowly… I turned.

A boy stood there.

Young. Bright. Alive.

He was obviously a teenager. A drunk teenager.

There was something almost cruel about how alive he looked.

His smile came easily, like the world had never given him a reason to hide it. His eyes sparkled with careless energy, untouched by grief.

My mind spun.

Was it him?

Did those two hands…

take my father from me?

I stared at him, searching—digging—for something dark behind his eyes.

Guilt.

Fear.

Anything.

But there was nothing.

“You’re late,” he said casually.

Late?

My brows furrowed slightly.

Late for what?

Before I could ask, his fingers wrapped around my wrist.

The contact sent a jolt through my body.

“Come on,” he said, pulling me in.

I stumbled forward, my wet feet slipping slightly against the smooth floor as I crossed into the house.

And then—

Everything exploded.

Music crashed into me, loud and suffocating, vibrating through my skull. Lights flashed violently—purple, red, blue—blinding and dizzying.

People.

So many people.

Bodies pressed together, moving, laughing, shouting.

A party.

A costume party.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe.

This… this is where the car belongs?

This chaos?

This noise?

“Nice customer, water lady!” someone called out.

Laughter followed.

It echoed around me, sharp and mocking.

I didn’t respond.

I couldn’t.

My eyes moved slowly, scanning every face.

Anyone here could be him.

Anyone here could have watched my father die… and walked away.

My chest tightened painfully.

They all looked so normal.

So free.

They danced like nothing in the world could touch them. Some were already drunk, their movements sloppy, their laughter too loud, too careless.

It made something inside me twist.

How can the world keep moving… when mine has stopped?

My fingers curled into fists.

If I wanted answers…

I had to stay.

I had to pretend like I was one of them.

I forced my lips into a smile.

I walked slowly through the crowd, my eyes searching, scanning, desperate.

I didn’t even know what I was looking for.

Maybe something dark.

Something broken.

Because killers shouldn’t look normal… right?

But everyone blurred together.

Until—

I saw Him.

My breath caught.

A man staring at me in the shadows.

His eyes were dark.

Too dark.

They locked onto mine like he had been watching me for a while.

A cigarette rested between his fingers, smoke curling lazily around his face.

There was something wrong about him.

Something cold.

My heart started racing.

His eyes…. It was like he could see right through me.

What if…

I stepped back.

Slowly.

My legs trembling—

And I crashed into someone.

“Oh—sorry—”

“Dumb,” the girl snapped, not even sparing me a glance before returning to kissing the guy in front of her.

Heat rushed to my face.

I turned back—

He was gone.

Just like that.

Panic surged through me.

I pushed through the crowd, faster now.

I had to find him.

I needed to.

But he had disappeared.

Like he was never there.

My chest rose and fell rapidly.

He knew me.

I was sure of it.

He looked at me like he knew me.

Like he recognized me.

And if he did…

Then—

Who else could know me in this strange party unless the murder.

AE-6888

My thoughts snapped as I noticed a group of boys staring.

Their gaze dragged over me slowly.

They were drooling.

I almost felt naked with their piercing eyes.

I shifted uncomfortably.

I wrapped my arms around myself instantly.

My skin crawled.

I turned to leave—

But one of them stepped in front of me.

Blocking my path.

My heart dropped.

“Wha… what do you want?” My voice trembled.

He smiled.

And somehow… that made it worse.

“First time at a party?” he asked, amused. “Uhn? Sweetheart!”

His hand reached for my hair—

I slapped it away.

His expression changed instantly.

Dark.

Dangerous.

He glared at me like he was prepared to hit me so hard.

My breath hitched.

I stepped back—

And collided with someone behind me.

Strong arms caught me.

My body tensed.

Another one?

I clenched my fists, ready to fight—

I won’t let these guys have their way so easily.

Then something heavy settled over my shoulders.

A coat.

Warm coat.

My body froze.

What could this mean? What is this accomplice up to.

Slowly…

I turned.

And everything inside me shattered.

Drake Michelson.

My breath caught painfully in my chest.

Him.

Of all people…

Him.

I never thought I would see him again and worse— it just had to be when I’m at my lowest.

He looked the same.

No.

He looked Better.

Stronger.

More dangerous.

His grey eyes locked onto mine like he could see everything I was trying to hide.

The fear.

The grief.

The weakness.

His hands slowly wrapped around my waist.

He pulled me closer.

I gasped softly.

Then his gaze shifted.

Cold.

Sharp.

Deadly.

“Do you have a problem with my girlfriend?” he asked.

The boys froze.

Fear replaced everything on their faces.

“We—we didn’t know…”

“Then now you do.”

They didn’t wait for more.

They ran.

Just like that.

Silence fell around us, even with the music still blasting.

I stared at him.

My heart racing uncontrollably.

“Long time no see,” he said.

My brows furrowed slightly.

What did he mean?

Last I checked, Drake Michelson had never seen me before.

It was all a one-sided crush. I loved him from afar.

Hiding whenever he was near.

There was no way Drake Michelson could have met me in the past.

He smiled faintly.

“We will meet again!”

Then just like that—

He stepped away.

And he disappeared into the crowd.

Like he was never there.

I stood frozen.

Shaken.

Completely thrown off balance.

It was only after he completely disappeared i jolted back into reality.

I came here for a reason!

And I had totally gotten distracted.

Forgotten.

My eyes widened. I rushed out of the party.

To the car.

AE-6888.

Someone had just gotten in.

I didn’t see who it was but before I could rush over, the car sped off.

“Hey!”

I screamed as loud as I could but it was useless.

There goes my one chance of finding my father’s killer.

I felt weak instantly.

Tears gathered in my eyes.

It was gone.

The killer was gone!