Chapter 8

Katarina's POV, Liam's Apartment

"What the hell!" I slammed the bathroom door so hard the walls trembled.

My chest rose and fell in panicked, ragged gasps.

I slumped against the door, heart pounding, bare feet slipping on the wet tile.

I pressed my forehead to the cold wood, squeezing my eyes shut, trying not to break.

Liam was watching me. I felt his eyes on my body the whole time. Burning, staring, even when I ducked under the water.

Even when I turned away, hoping he would leave without making it obvious, I caught him and making everything weird between us.

He just stood there. Silent. Peeking through the crack of the door like some twisted predator.

My hands shook as I grabbed the thin towel from the rack, wrapping it around my naked body.

I could still feel the sting of soap against my raw skin.

Bruises bloomed across my thighs. My legs ached deep between, from running, falling—from everything that broke me in the last 24 hours.

I rubbed my arms roughly, trying to scrub off the feeling of his eyes... but it was too late. It was under my skin now.

I limped to the mirror, legs shaking.

That's when I saw it — a jagged gash on my elbow, raw and red like it had been clawed open. the skin torn and blood crusted around it.

I hadn't noticed it before.

Must've been from when I fell running from the cartel.

Or maybe when Liam grabbed me too hard and shoved me toward the wall earlier.

The pain pulsed, sharp and hot under the fluorescent light. I swallowed hard in the rising panic.

I needed help. I needed to call Selena. I needed to get the hell outta of here.

I was still wrapped in the damp towel, and I cracked the door open, peeking out into the hallway.

Silent. No sign of Liam. I moved fast, my bare feet slapping against the floor.

The towel barely stayed up around my chest barely covering my tits as I ran across to the kitchen were I had seen a landline earlier.

The apartment was too quiet.

Not calm — silent in that way that made your ears ring.

Like the building was holding its breath, waiting for something awful to happen.

I closed the kitchen blinds.

Then opened them again.

There was no one outside. But I could've sworn a car had been parked there five seconds ago. Watching.

The landline hung crooked on the wall in the kitchen, the ancient, dirty kind that you had to punch the numbers into.

My fingers shook as I snatched it up. My heart was pounding so loudly that it filled my ears.

I had no clothes. No shoes. Just fear.

And a growing certainty that I wasn't safe here.Not even for another hour.

I needed clothes. Anything. I couldn't go back in there naked and cornered. I needed to ask Liam for something, anything, because my own clothes were torn, lying with holes by the bathtub like a corpse.

Shit.

I didn't even have my phone.

I had to remember Selena's number from memory.

Think, Katarina. THINK. Come on.

Sweat dripped down my back as I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing my brain to work through the panic.

"My mind went blank. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely think. Numbers, numbers—what were the numbers?

I punched the numbers in.

Please work. Please work.

The line clicked. A dial tone

I clutched the towel tighter around myself with one hand, dialing Selena's number with the other.

Each beep echoed loudly in the empty house.

Come on, come on, come on...

And then her sleepy voice crackled through:

"Hello?"

I nearly collapsed with relief.

"Selena," I gasped, the words falling out of me in a rush. "Selena, listen to me. Something's wrong. Something's really, really wrong."

"Katarina?" Her voice sharpened instantly.

"Where are you? What happened? Talk to me!"

I gripped the sticky plastic receiver so hard my fingers ached.

The smells in the house made me want to gag: cheap cleaner, sweat, something burnt.

"I'm at Liam's," I choked out. "But he's not... he's not right, Sel. He's not who we thought he was."

"What do you mean not right?" she demanded, voice rising.

"And why the hell are you at Liam's house? Kat—are you hurt?!"

"No— I mean— not yet," I stammered. "Selena, one minute he's sweet and nerdy, asking if I want tea, telling me to sleep... and the next—"

I shuddered.

"The next, he's like someone else. Cold. Angry. Violent. His eyes... God, his eyes don't even look human sometimes."

The words tumbled out fast, messy.

Selena's breathing sharpened on the other end.

"Kat... that sounds like DID. Dissociative Identity Disorder. You remember we studied that, right?" It's real. It's serious." He could have... multiple personalities."

I squeezed the phone tighter, my nails digging into the dirty plastic.

"I know. I know, Sel. I saw it. I saw it happen."

My legs were shaking so hard I slid down the wall, clutching the receiver to my ear.

"Listen to me carefully," Selena said, voice low and fierce.

"You need to get out of there. Now. Come to my house. You're not safe."

Tears blurred my vision. My body wanted to run, but my brain screamed no.

"I can't," I whispered. "I can't, Sel. It's not just him."

My voice cracked, the truth bursting out of me:

"My father... he sold me, Sel. Sold me to the Mafia."

And there was silence.

Selena didn't breathe.

I could feel it. The silence stabbing through the line.

"I managed to escape, but... they're out there. Hunting me. The Cartels... they're waiting for me."

I heard a small, broken sound escape from Selena like her heart was shattering right there.

"Oh my God," she whispered.

"Oh my fucking God, Kat..."

I wiped my eyes roughly, fighting the sob building in my throat.

"I can't leave, Sel." My voice cracked. "If I run now... they'll find me. They'll kill me."

Selena finally found her voice, and it broke into a thousand pieces.

"No, Kat, no, you listen to me. I'm coming to get you. I'll find you. I swear to God, I'll tear down the whole fucking city if I have to!"

Her voice cracked on the last word, thick with tears."You're my best friend," she cried. "My sister. I can't lose you."

My throat closed up."I know," I whispered, voice shaking. Selena's breathing was ragged, panicked, furious..

"Kat, please. Just hide somewhere. Stay locked up until you can run. Don't trust him. Not any side of him."

"I know, I'll try," I whispered.

I wiped my eyes roughly with the back of my hand, swallowing the sob building in my throat.

I had to find Mateo. I had to get away. Somehow.

I opened my mouth to say more—

But the floorboards creaked behind me.

My blood turned to ice. I turned my head slowly.

Liam stood there. His body was stiff. His fists clenched at his sides. His brown eyes were darker than I'd ever seen, cold, hollow, dead.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

His voice wasn't Liam's. It was low. Rough. Dangerous.

"Who said you could use the phone?"

My whole body locked up. The receiver slipped from my hand and clattered against the wall, the call with Selena cutting off instantly.

The sound of the receiver against the wall, the sharp crack of plastic, seemed to snap something inside Liam.

He stumbled back, hands twitching, chest heaving like he couldn't breathe.

I watched in frozen horror as his whole face shifted. His body sagged. His eyes softened. He looked... confused. Scared.

From behind Liam's stiff silhouette, I could see the living room window.The streetlight flickered outside.And parked beneath it...A black car with its headlights off.

"Katarina?" His voice was high, nervous.

"D-did you hurt yourself? I heard a noise. Are you okay? You need to be careful. I can get you tea... I'll fix it..."

"You fell when you were running earlier," he said softly. "Scraped your elbow."

I froze.

I hadn't told him that.

Tears prickled behind my eyes. I didn't know which Liam I was talking to. I didn't know which Liam was standing in front of me, the boy who made tea or the monster who might snap my neck.

I forced a smile so tight it hurt. My fingers dug into the towel like it could protect me.

"I'm fine," I lied, my voice barely a whisper.

Liam's head twitched to the side, a sudden jerk, like something inside him was breaking loose again.

I stood there, barefoot, half-naked, with no way out.

If this Liam slipped away… I was dead.

I smiled wider, teeth aching.

Not because I was safe.

Because I wanted him to think I was prey.

Survive the night, Katarina. Or kill trying.