Chapter Seventeen - Zoe
I stand beside Jason, my laugh forced and hollow, as he talks animatedly about the latest art deal he’s just won. He’s clearly trying to impress me—and everyone else around us—with his business acumen, with how much money he’s made and how important he’s become.
“I closed the deal last week. It’s worth millions,” he says, grinning as he gestures toward the group of people who are now listening intently, hanging on every word he says. “It’s going to change everything for us. Huge move in the art world. You won’t believe the offers I’m getting.”
I laugh when it seems appropriate, nodding in all the right places, but it doesn’t matter to me. Not really. I’m not paying attention to the details of his success, not truly listening.
I’m just here for the distraction.
This gala, this event—it’s a break from the suffocating silence I’ve been stuck in. It’s a chance to pretend I’m not caught up in my own mess, to forget about the chaos in my life, if only for a few hours.
I’m grateful to Jason for this—grateful that he’s giving me the space to breathe, even if I’m not as interested as he probably thinks I am. His hand rests on the small of my back, his fingers warm through the fabric of my dress.
I’m uncomfortable with the touch. I don’t like it. It feels too possessive, too familiar, but I don’t shake it off. Not here. Not in front of all these people.
They’re watching us. Watching him.
I can’t make a scene. It would raise too many questions. I don’t want the attention, don’t want the pity, don’t want anyone to know what’s really going on inside me. So, I let him keep his hand there, the weight of it a reminder that I’m here with him, pretending everything’s normal.
But it’s not.
None of it is.
I try not to think about Lukin, but my mind keeps returning to him. To that dark, dangerous man in my head that keeps bothering me. Ugh. I hate him. I do! Gosh. I wish I never went to the club that night.
“Are you okay, Zoe?”
“Yeah.”
“What?’ He leans close, and I raise my head to whisper in his ear because the noise in the gala is a little high.
“Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks, Jason.”
As Jason nods and rubs my back gently, I feel it. That dark, disturbing pressure on my neck. It’s the familiar tingle I always feel whenever someone’s looking at me. Whenever he’s watching me. I pull away from Jason, lift my head and look across the room. The moment my gaze lifts, I see him.
Lukin.
Standing tall, his figure cutting through the crowd like a shadow, his tailored suit a perfect fit, every detail screaming danger and control. He doesn’t have to do anything—he doesn’t have to say a word—and yet, he commands the room. He stands there, unmoving, a presence that demands attention.
He’s looking right at me.
But that’s not what makes my heart beat faster than a drum.
It’s the grin.
His gaze drops to Jason’s arm on my back and then slides back to me, slow and dangerous. Then he grins.
It’s a lazy, dark thing that stretches across his face, predatory. It’s the kind of grin a hunter gives its prey before catching it.
My breath catches, and I swear my heart stops for a moment. Every part of me freezes, but I can’t tear my eyes away from him.
My chest tightens, the weight in my body growing heavier, and I feel the world around me blur. My stomach drops like I’ve just fallen from a great height.
The words he said to me the last time we met echo in my head, louder than the music, louder than the laughter, louder than the voices around me.
“Better make sure our paths don’t cross next time. If I see you again, I won’t let you go.”
I try to breathe, try to steady myself, but it’s no use. I can’t escape the sound of his voice, the intensity of those words, the truth behind them.
He’s here.
And I don’t know what to do. It’s over.
I stumble back a step, my body jerking as I knock into Jason. His hand steadies me immediately, concern flashing across his face. “You okay?” he asks, his voice thick with worry.
I force a smile, the panic building in my chest as I try to regain some composure. “Yeah,” I mumble, my voice trembling just slightly. “I just… need to use the bathroom. I’ll be right back.”
Before he can respond, I slip away through the crowd, not daring to glance back. My heart is hammering, my pulse pounding in my ears. I push past people, desperate to put space between me and Lukin, my feet clicking sharply against the polished floor as I move faster than I should.
Every instinct in my body is screaming at me to run.
To get away.
But I don’t know if I can outrun him.
The crowd feels like it’s closing in on me as I head for the exit, the door in sight.
I look over my shoulder, hoping to escape unnoticed, but my breath catches in my throat when I see that he’s still staring at me.
I gasp, my chest tightening, and before I can think, I turn back around, not wanting to be caught in his gaze.
But just as I reach the door, something catches my eye—a flash of movement.
One of his men. Watching.
I gasp again, my heart racing even faster. I pick up my pace, almost running now. The click of my heels echoes in the hallway, loud against the quiet tension building inside me.
And then, another one.
A second man, standing just a little too still, a little too close, his eyes locked on me. Closing in.
My breath turns shallow. I don’t know how they found me, but I know I’m not safe. Not anymore.
I force myself to keep moving, my legs almost shaking beneath me. I can’t get caught. I can’t—
I finally reach the bathroom, my hand trembling as I push open the door and lock it behind me. I lean against it for a moment, my pulse still racing, the sound of my heartbeat loud in my ears.
I try to steady my breathing, but it’s no use. I can feel it—his presence, the weight of his eyes, even though he’s not physically here.
Lukin’s still watching. He’s still out there, closing in on me, even though I’ve run.
And I know this isn’t over.
It won’t be until he gets what he wants.
I stand in front of the bathroom mirror, my chest heaving as I try to steady my breathing. I need to calm down. I need to think.
I close my eyes for a moment, leaning against the cool sink, the sound of my heart still pounding in my ears. This is a crowded place. He wouldn’t try anything in here. Not with so many people around.
But the thought doesn’t bring me peace. It’s too hard to shake the feeling that I’m still being hunted, that even in this crowd, he can still take me. I saw how he commanded the room. If he chooses to do anything, no matter how unethical, he’ll get away with it. Because he’s Lukin. Lukin Rusnak.
I need to act smart. I need to keep my head.
But just as I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself, there’s a knock on the door. I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. My heart races all over again. I tell myself to calm down. Maybe it’s just some other girl who wants to use the bathroom.
“Who is it?” I call out shakily. But there’s no response.
Another knock.
I know. I know it’s them. I know they’re here.
The knocking turns into banging, louder now, more forceful, echoing in the small bathroom. My pulse spikes, my legs trembling beneath me.
I can’t breathe.
They’re not leaving. They won’t stop until they get in.
I need to run. I need to get out.
I glance around the bathroom, looking for an escape. My eyes dart to the window, my pulse racing as I rush forward to peek out. It opens into the back of the hall, and there’s a bush just below. A risk.
But the knocking behind me is getting louder, more forceful. The door is rattling now, and I know it won’t hold much longer. Panic surges through me, my hands trembling as I press them against the window frame, my mind is calculating.
I could try to make a run for it down the hallway, but they’ll have already blocked the exits. And the banging on the door makes it clear they’re not going to give up easily.
I think about it for a moment longer. The stakes. If I get caught, it’s over. I don’t know what they’ll do to me. I don’t know what Lukin will do when he finds me.
But I can’t wait around to find out.
I make my decision.
I pull up the hem of my gown, steadying myself as I climb out the window. The fabric drags against the edge, but I push it aside, forcing my legs through.
The drop isn’t far, just a few feet to the ground. My heart hammers in my chest, but I land softly, stumbling for a moment before catching my balance. I shut the window and hide behind the bush, my breath shallow, my body shaking with adrenaline.
I crouch low, my heart hammering in my chest, every muscle in my body frozen in place. The night air feels cold against my skin, but it’s nothing compared to the chill that’s sweeping over me. I hold my breath, praying they don’t notice me, don’t see me hiding in the shadows.
The sound of the bathroom door breaking down echoes in the still night air, sharp and loud. I flinch, my body tensing as the sound vibrates through me. They’re inside.
I know they’ll look out the window, because it’s obviously the only escape route, so I press myself deeper into the bushes, waiting with bated breaths and praying they don’t find me.
I can hear them—Lukin’s men—bursting into the bathroom, their movements swift and sharp, looking for any sign of movement, any trace of me.
They’re not going to stop until they find me.
I force myself to stay low, every instinct screaming at me to run, to get away before they make it outside. The wind picks up, rustling the leaves around me, but I don’t dare move.
They start moving around the room, tearing through the stalls, their boots stomping loudly in the stillness around me. They’re methodical, but there’s panic in their movements now. They know I’ve slipped away. They know they’re in trouble if they don’t find me. I don’t care.