Chapter 37

Chapter 37
Caught in the Dark

Judith

The air turned colder. My arms squeezed Caleb until he squirmed. I didn’t care. My chest was beating really fast. The broken glass in my sleeve cut my arm, it hurt, but I didn’t let go of it.

The person at the doorway didn’t move. Just stood there like a scary statue.

“You really thought you could outrun us?”

I swallowed. My mouth was dry like chalk. Caleb grabbed my shirt with his little fingers.

I whispered, “Don’t move, baby.”

The other voice came again, from behind me this time. Softer, broken. “Judith?”

I spun so fast my head hurt. Another Person came out of the dark. Taller. Leaner. His shirt had dried blood on it. Green eyes flashing even in the shadows.

Maxwell.

My stomach twisted. Rage and relief tangled together. I hated him. I wanted to hit him. But right now, I almost cried seeing him. Because at least he wasn’t a faceless soldier.

The hooded figure turned, growling. “You shouldn’t be here.”

Maxwell’s voice was ice. “And you shouldn’t be anywhere near her.”

Guns. I hadn’t seen them at first, but now I did. The glint under the light. The way the hooded figure’s hands twitched near their belt. My body went stiff. Caleb whimpered again.

Maxwell’s eyes darted to me. “Stay behind me.”

I shook my head. “No. I’m not letting anyone take him again.” My arm tightened around Caleb. My sleeve slid, the shard of glass flashing for a second. Maxwell’s eyes caught it. His mouth moved a little, like he wanted to say something, then stopped.

The figure laughed. “Pathetic. You think you can fight us with broken glass?”

My lips trembled, but I raised the shard anyway. My hand shook, but my voice didn’t. “I’ll kill you if you touch him.”

The laugh cut off. Silence pressed heavy in the room.

Then everything happened fast.

The hooded figure lunged. Maxwell rushed in, stopping the arm before it touched me. They hit the wall so hard the building shook. Caleb screamed in my arms. I bent down low, holding him, rocking fast as little bits of dust fell from above.

I wanted to shut my eyes.

But I couldn’t. I watched Maxwell fight like an animal. Fists slamming. Elbows cracking. The hood fell back for a second. A face scarred. An eye missing.

Adrian.

My blood turned to ice. He wasn’t gone. He wasn’t captured. He was here.

“You won’t win, Maxwell,” Adrian spat. Blood dripped from his mouth. “She’ll always be mine.”

I froze. My stomach knotted. Mine. That word again. In my head, I kept saying no, no, no. But he still stared straight at me when he said it.

Maxwell roared and threw him across the room. Adrian hit the wall, hard, but he laughed. Always laughing. He used the back of his hand and wiped blood from his chin.

“This isn’t over,” Adrian hissed. Then, too fast, he pulled something small from his pocket. A flash of metal. A knife again. My scream caught in my throat.

Maxwell moved, but not fast enough. The knife cut across his side. Red bloomed on his shirt. He groaned, staggering.

“Mommy!” Caleb screamed.

My legs moved before I thought. I stood, the shard of glass tight in my hand. My chest burned. My throat felt like fire. I charged.

Adrian’s one good eye widened. He didn’t expect me. My hand slashed wild, the glass cutting across his arm. He yelled bad words, tripping back. The knife fell with a loud clink.

Maxwell grabbed it quick. He swung, his face angry like a storm. But Adrian slipped back into the shadows, limping, laughing. “Next time, Judith. Next time.”

His voice echoed until it vanished.

Silence filled the room again. Only Caleb crying and me gasping for air stayed.

Maxwell dropped the knife, sliding down the wall.

I wanted to hate him. I wanted to scream. But I rushed forward anyway. “Sit down.” My voice cracked. “You’re bleeding.”

He smirked weakly. “Still bossy.”

I ignored him. Ripped the sleeve from my shirt. Pressed it against the wound. My hands were shaking, but I still pushed harder. He groaned, and bit his lip.

Caleb sat curled beside me, clutching my waist. His face buried in my side. “Mommy… I don’t like this. I don’t like him.”

I stroked his hair. “I know, baby. I know.”

Maxwell opened his eyes, staring at Caleb. Something flickered there. Soft. Regretful. But he didn’t say anything. Just let me hold the cloth to his wound.

Minutes passed. My arms ached. My head pounded. But slowly, his bleeding slowed.

“We need to move,” Maxwell muttered, trying to stand. I pushed him back down. “You’ll collapse.”

He grabbed my wrist, gentle this time. His voice low. “If we stay here, he’ll come back. With more men.”

I swallowed. He was right. My stomach churned. My body wanted to collapse. But I nodded.

“Fine. But if you fall, I leave you,” I whispered.

He almost smiled, weak and small.

We moved. Slowly. Careful. Out of the building, into the night again. My arms still around Caleb, Maxwell leaning on me more than once.

The streets stretched forever. Every shadow felt like Adrian waiting. Every sound felt like danger.

We found another alley. Darker. Quieter. Maxwell slid down the wall, clutching his side. He looked pale. Too pale.

I sat across from him, Caleb curled in my lap. My hands stroked his curls. His little breaths finally slowed. Sleep tugged at him, but he kept fighting it.

“Mommy… will we be okay?” he whispered.

I kissed his forehead. My throat tight. “Yes, baby. We will.”

Maxwell’s green eyes watched me. Soft. Sad. “Judith…”

I cut him off. “Don’t. Just rest.”

Silence fell. Heavy. Thick.

The city breathed around us. Somewhere far away, laughter. Somewhere closer, sirens. But here? Just us.

I stared at Caleb’s sleeping face. His tiny lips parted. His little hand clutched my shirt even in sleep. My heart ached. My body shook. But my fire burned.

I whispered into the night, “No one will take you again.”

Maxwell stirred, his voice low, broken. “Adrian won’t stop.”

“I won’t stop either,” I whispered back.

My eyes shut for a moment, too tired. But before sleep could catch me, I heard it.

Footsteps. Slow. Steady. Echoing down the alley.

I froze. My arms clutched Caleb tight. My eyes snapped open.

Maxwell lifted his head. His face hard. He reached out for the knife.

The footsteps stopped.

Then a shadow leaned into the alley.

A woman’s voice whispered, soft, deadly.

“Judith… you always did underestimate me.”

My blood ran cold.

Lila.