Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
ATLAS
Thirty minutes into wandering around the corn maze, we realized just how grand the sheer size of this thing was. Sam had texted me, verifying they were still inside, too, so I was determined to find our way out first.
We’d passed a few signs with letters declaring the zone we were in and a phone number we could call if we needed help to get out, but I was determined to solve this maze ourselves.
The path widened into a larger open space with two more path choices. A few people were standing around chatting with each other. They looked up when we approached, their faces lighting up when they saw us.
“Hey, aren’t you the owner of Hector’s? Hector in the flesh,” one of the men said.
Wariness was written all over his face, but I squeezed his hand in support. They were unfamiliar faces, but we got a lot more tourists around these parts after Wren’s vlogs, and they didn’t look like they had bad intentions.
“The Diner,” Hector corrected, which only made me smile. Nobody besides us really used its official name. Everyone just called the place Hector’s. “But yes, I’m Hector.”
“That’s sick, bro!” The same man who spoke first looked excited as he ribbed his group of friends. “Wren raves about your place in his vlogs, and we got the chance to try it the other day. I never knew a hole-in-the-wall could have such good food.”
“Is it true there’s a secret menu, and that menu being we can ask for anything we want?”
“Well, sometimes. If the diner isn’t too busy and I have the ingredients and know how to make the dish, then I’m not opposed to making it,” Hector replied shyly.
“He’s being humble. There isn’t a dish Hector has failed to make yet,” I said truthfully.
Hector once told me that since his parents were usually too high to take care of him and they never bothered making sure he had food, he had to get creative in making meals with the random ingredients he found in the house. It was probably the reason he was such an excellent chef now.
“That’s amazing, bro!” The same guy spoke up and nudged one of his friends. “He’s aspiring to be a chef. Do you have any tips for him? Maybe you can give him some advice?”
His friend was a lot shyer, but his eyes were shining as they looked up at Hector. Hector frowned, probably caught off guard by the enthusiasm, but I nudged him forward so he could share his experience. I knew he’d want to help, regardless.
The group crowded around him as he spoke, like he was some sort of celebrity. I moved to the side so they could chat. Hector looked so out of his element, but it was nice that people recognized him without it being a negative experience.
It was nice hearing him talk about something he clearly loved, but a lot of it went over my head. Cooking wasn’t my thing, and I found myself super lucky to have snatched a man who knew his way around the kitchen.
I let them continue the conversation and wandered a bit further away. Hector glanced my way with a worried expression, but I waved him off. I wanted him to have his moment, but I also wanted to see if I could figure out our next route.
We’d been sticking to all the right paths because I’d read somewhere that you’d eventually find the way out if you did that, but now I was wondering if we’d been heading in the wrong direction.
I went over to the right path first, just to take a look. I wasn’t planning to go far without Hector. This path was a straight line forward that split into two directions. I turned right again to be met with a dead end.
There went that plan.
Returning to the open space, Hector looked relieved to see me. The group of friends was still chatting animatedly, asking Hector questions about his experience opening the diner. I could tell he was answering each question with the seriousness with which he did everything.
I smiled in his direction and made my way to the left path. This one immediately curved left, right, and left again, but it was only one route that led straight after that. I had a good feeling about this direction and planned to return to tell Hector.
Rustling came from behind me, and I figured Hector was done with his conversation and had come to find me. Before I could turn around to face him, arms wrapped around me.
I smiled for a brief second before I sensed something was wrong. These weren’t Hector’s arms. They were too thin, and the body pressed against me was too frail. A sinking feeling went down my spine.
I tried to turn around and push the stranger away, but something hard pressed against my back. A gun?
“Don’t move,” the stranger said, and I knew in my gut that this was him.
The stalker.
“Who are you?” I asked, proud that my voice didn’t tremble. There was nobody besides us around, and the curves in this path made it harder for people to see us. I was alone without any help.
The stalker laughed, a sickening sound. “I’m hurt you don’t remember me, Atlas,” he cooed, almost sounding actually hurt.
I tried to rack my brain for where I’d heard his voice before, but fear clouded my thoughts.
“God, you’re stunning up close. As beautiful as the first time I saw you,” he murmured. His hot breath sliced against my skin. Every cell in my body screamed to run, but there was probably a gun pointed at my back.
“What do you want from me?” I asked. If I just kept him talking long enough, Hector would come find me soon.
But then what? What if he pointed the gun at Hector? What if he got hurt? Fear swirled in my stomach.
“I was so close to getting you, Atlas. God, you smell so good,” he said and took a deep sniff at the base of my neck. The hairs there stood up. “I can’t wait to lick every inch of your skin. I would’ve done it already, but you just had to run away.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
That meant I must have known him from somewhere. But where?
“You enjoy spreading your legs for that ex-con?” he continued, completely ignoring my question.
It was fine. Maybe if he kept talking, I could finally place his voice and figure out who this fucker was.
“You like playing with danger, don’t you, you little slut?
But don’t worry, I’m generous. You can have fun with your little plaything now, but you’ll be in my arms soon. ”
I was trembling by the time he finished. I told myself I couldn’t get shaken up. I had to stay strong.
“Are you shaking with excitement, baby?” the creep whispered in my ear. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you what you want soon. You like danger, so I’ll indulge in this foreplay a little longer. Just for you.”
His gloved hand skirted over my chest, and I tried to struggle out of his hold, but he pressed the hard object harder into my back. I froze again with fear when a voice called from behind us.
“Atlas?”
The sound of Hector’s voice was enough to smack the courage right back into me. I wasn’t going to let this fucker have his way.
The stalker must have been surprised by Hector’s call, because I felt the gun slip from my back just slightly. I took the chance, twisting my body and slapping his hand away.
It worked. He dropped the gun and stumbled backwards a bit.
For a brief second, I got a clear view of his face.
Average face with ordinary features, brown hair and eyes, and a gray hoodie over a black cap.
He looked like someone who could blend into a crowd, which was probably part of the reason why nobody had caught him so far.
But still, I racked my brain.
Where had I seen him before?
I only had a second longer to try to place him before he was running forward, not even bothering to pick up his gun.
“Stop!” I called. I wanted to chase after him, but my legs failed me. I collapsed where I stood. My entire body was shaking.
Hector came into view, and it felt like I could finally breathe again. He was visibly startled to see the gun beside me and me on the ground.
“Shit, what happened? Are you alright?” he asked, running to my side. He was beside me on his knees in seconds. His hands cupped my face, angling it all around, as if checking me for injury.
I was still shaking. The terror lessened with Hector here now, but I was shaking, nevertheless. Words seemed impossible at the moment, so I just clung to him.
“Holy fuck, is that a gun?”
We turned at the sound. It was the group of friends from earlier.
Hector used his body to shield me. He was stiff, on high alert, and I should be as well, but I couldn’t muster up much more than snuggling closer to Hector and taking calming breaths filled with his scent.
I’m safe now.
That was all I needed to focus on. I knew Hector would take care of the rest. I vaguely heard him giving the others instructions, but I was too focused on the strong beat of his heart. It was going fast, but the steady pattern tethered me to him.
I heard Hector say Clay’s name, so I figured backup was being called. I didn’t know how much time passed, but other people soon flooded this narrow passageway. Hector kept using his body to hold me, shielding me from everything.
When he wasn’t replying to someone, he was gently caressing my face and murmuring soft words to me. He called me love, and that was almost enough to make me break down and cry.
Not because fear was still running through my veins.
I was feeling angrier than anything. I was having such a great date with Hector, and the fucker had to ruin it.
My emotions were going haywire, and that was the only reason tears filled my eyes.
I willed them back, at least until I was alone with Hector.
In front of others, I wanted to be strong.
Clay came into view and started asking questions, to which Hector quickly shut down.
“I know you’re doing your job, but let’s save this for later.
Now that you’re here, I’m sure you can take care of the rest, right?
I’m going to take my man home.” Then, in a much more tender tone, he asked me, “Can you stand, love?”