Chapter 9: The Enemy Who Loved Me
I stared at the wedding photograph.
The man behind us smiled like he belonged there.
Like he was part of our happiness.
Like he hadn’t been standing beside the destruction of our lives.
My hands tightened around the picture.
“Tell me his name.””
Maya looked at me.
“Damian Cross.””
The name finally had a face.
A history.
A reason.
I remembered him now.
Not everything.
But enough.
Damian was the investor who wanted to buy my motorcycle shop.
The businessman who always wore expensive suits.
The man who laughed too loudly at my jokes.
The man who told me I had “potential.””
I had trusted him.
Because he knew how to make people feel important.
“He was your friend,” Maya said.
I looked at her.
“No.””
She shook her head.
“He wanted to be.””
The words hurt because they were true.
Damian was never one of us.
He wanted what we built.
“What did he do?””
Maya sat down.
Eli stayed close to her.
She looked exhausted.
“Damian found out about the shop’s value.””
I frowned.
“The shop?””
“And everything connected to it.””
Marcus stepped inside.
“He wanted the business contracts.””
I looked at him.
“And you knew?””
Marcus looked away.
“I knew pieces.””
“Not enough to tell me?””
His expression changed.
“Bear…”
“No.””
I shook my head.
“You all keep saying you protected me.””
I pointed around the room.
“But everyone made choices for me.””
Silence.
Maya looked down.
“You’re right.””
The honesty surprised me.
She continued.
“I was afraid.””
I looked at her.
“Afraid of what?””
She touched Eli’s shoulder.
“Losing him.””
The anger in me softened.
Only slightly.
She looked at me.
“Damian knew I was pregnant.””
My jaw tightened.
“How?””
“He saw me at the hospital.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“He knew?””
“Yes.””
“And he kept quiet?””
Maya nodded.
“He said it was better that way.””
“Better?””
Her eyes filled with anger.
“He told me you were dangerous.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Me?””
“He said you would destroy everything if you knew.””
My expression hardened.
“And you believed him?””
Maya looked at me.
“No.””
The answer was immediate.
“I never stopped believing in you.””
That hurt more.
“Then why?””
She looked at Eli.
“Because he threatened him.””
Everything stopped.
My son.
The word echoed.
“What did he threaten?””
Maya’s voice became smaller.
“He said if I contacted you, Eli would disappear.””
My hands curled into fists.
“And you let me live without knowing?””
“I thought I was protecting him.””
The room was silent.
Then Eli spoke.
“Why didn’t you tell me about my dad?””
Everyone froze.
Maya looked at him.
“Oh, baby…”
“No.””
His voice was quiet.
“I wanted to know.””
She pulled him close.
“I was scared.””
“Were you scared of him?””
She looked at me.
Then answered:
“Yes.””
Eli looked at me.
“Are you scared?””
The question surprised me.
I looked at him.
“No.””
It was the first thing I had been certain about.
“No, I’m not.””
A sound came from outside.
A car.
Everyone froze.
Marcus moved toward the window.
His face changed.
“What?””
I stood.
“What is it?””
He looked back at us.
“We weren’t followed.””
Relief almost came.
Then he finished.
“Because they were already here.””
The lights inside the house flickered.
Maya grabbed Eli.
Tasha stepped backward.
Marcus reached for the old knife on his belt.
I looked toward the front door.
A shadow moved across the glass.
Then a voice came from outside.
Calm.
Familiar.
A voice I had heard before.
A voice from a life I thought was gone.
“Bear.””
My blood ran cold.
The door opened.
May you like
And the man standing there smiled.
“Long time no see.””
