The apology disappeared.
“No,” she said.
“I wanted you to leave me alone.”
Derek stared at her.
Maya had said those words before.
Never in front of witnesses.
That made them different.
The security guard returned with the lounge manager.
The second man held a tablet angled away from the room so no guest information was visible.
The owner gestured once.
“Tell me what happened at the entrance.”
The manager looked uncomfortable but answered.
“The gentleman arrived with two associates.
He asked whether a woman matching Maya’s description worked here.
I told him we don’t give out staff information.”
Derek interrupted.
“I showed him her photograph.”
The manager continued.
“He then entered the main lounge and began searching.”
“Did anyone invite him into this booth?”
“No.”
“Did Maya?”
“No.”
Derek scoffed.
“So I walked into the wrong section.
Fine.
I’ll leave.”
He stepped toward the curtain.
The owner remained seated.
“Without her.”
Derek stopped.
His face changed completely.
The careful charm vanished.
“You think this ends because you say so?”
Maya felt the old fear rush back through her.
There was the Derek she knew.
Not concerned.
Not reasonable.
Possessive.
Furious.
He turned toward her.
“You can hide tonight.
What about tomorrow?”
One security guard moved between them.
Derek laughed bitterly.
“What, he’s going to protect you forever?”
Maya could not answer.
Because that was the question that had kept her running.
A locked door protected her until she opened it.
A new job protected her until Derek found it.
A false name protected her until someone recognized her.
Nothing had ever felt permanent.
The owner stood.
Until then, Derek had been looking down at him.
That ended.
The man was taller than Maya expected, his stillness somehow more threatening now that he was on his feet.
