Chapter 38
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
MAYA
Ican't believe he actually called and asked me out. I want Duncan to call, but his last words ring through my head again.
"If you walk out now, you better be real sure before you come back.
" I don't know if I'm confident in our future.
I then hear James's voice. "That's love, darling.
" I've run on the treadmill so much lately I'm afraid I'm going to break it.
I look at my phone and know I need to make the call.
I dial the number, being sure to add the codes to prevent a trace or someone to listen in.
I wait for him to pick up, then I start to pace my condo.
"Maya, it's been a long time. How are you doing? James, Greg, and Derek are worried about you. They told me about your man."
"I knew they'd call you, Dr. Mason. He isn’t my man anymore. I know you told me over and over it wasn't my fault, but how can I believe that? What if he dies? I could kill him too. Now with this stalker threatening him, I have to protect him."
"Maya, your parents’ deaths were a tragic accident. Death is inevitable, it happens to us all. You can't outrun it or outfight it if it's your time. Yes, he could die, but is loneliness worth that? What's not to stop your stalker from killing him even now with you away from him?"
"No. I can't let that happen. He can't die. I need him. I hurt so much."
"Pick yourself up and do what you're good at, fight for what you want. Do you want him?"
"Yes." I feel calm and sit on my sofa, looking out at the DC skyline.
"Then you know what you need to do. As for right now, go to the gym and work off that tension I hear in your voice. Use your release. I'm always here for you. As for your stalkers, find them and put a bullet between their eyes. Come on, Maya, fight. You know how to do that."
"Thank you, Dr. Mason." I hang up and grab my gym bag, then head down to the garage and jump into my truck.
It takes about twenty minutes to get to the gym.
I walk in and say hi to the guys as I walk to the locker room to change.
No classes are going on right now, but people are practicing.
It's Friday night, so there will be fights starting soon and I'm hoping to get involved.
I stretch out, bouncing on my toes and warming up, when the owner walks up.
"Want to fight tonight, Maya?" Vic asks me.
"Yes."
"I have a new guy who asked specifically to fight you." He points to a corner where a man is standing in the shadows watching us.
"Who's he? What level?"
"He says he knows Krav Maga and is an MMA fighter.
He came in the other day and asked if you do the Friday night fights.
I told him you do them every other week.
I warned him that none of our guys would fight you anymore.
Guess word is getting around to the other gyms that we have a master with a lot of talent. "
"Okay, I'll fight him." I smile at Vic. I'm not a master, but I'm good.
"Maya, are you sure? He looks like he wants to actually fight you, no holds barred."
"I got this, Vic. Put on the song." I continue to stretch and warm up my muscles.
Vic comes back to help me put on my safety gear.
I enter the matted area where we grapple and fight.
I don't know my competitor. He's about six feet with short blond hair and brown eyes.
He smiles at me as I put my mouth guard in and my helmet on.
He puts on regular open-faced headgear; my helmet has face protection. Vic steps to the center of the mat.
"Okay, let's keep this clean and show the newbies how this works. Maya, please be gentle." He looks at me. I smile through my gear and mouth guard.
My opponent doesn't shake my hand or introduce himself. He steps into the center, holds out his gloves, and I bump them with mine. The music I like to release to starts and I barely hear what my opponent says.
"Let's go, girly." He slips in his mouth guard. Why would he say that to me?
He immediately kicks out without warning.
Thank God for all my training, I barely avoid the kick as I drop down and come up with a punch to his low stomach.
He drops his elbows onto the back of my neck and I feel the pain ricochet through my head and body.
I fall back and see his leg come at me again.
I turn to take the brunt of the hit on my right shoulder.
I twist back, step in, and nail him in the solar plexus with my left fist and then bring my right into the side of his headgear.
He staggers back for a second. This is just a show of training, so I don't advance on him.
I start to tell him how to avoid that hit when he rushes me.
He grabs me around the middle and lifts me up.
My body flies through the air, and when I hit the mat, I immediately roll to avoid the knee coming down for my face.
This guy is dangerous. I pop up to my feet and look at him.
I turn to see Vic rushing in to stop the match.
The man swings and hits Vic in the face.
Vic goes down, and others rush to his aid.
I see a doctor I know kneeling by Vic to help him. I turn back to my fight.
My opponent comes at me again. This time, I'm ready.
He kicks out, and I spin and miss the kick but am ready with my own.
He obviously isn't aware I also study other forms of self-defense.
The karate roundhouse hits the guy on the side of his headgear.
He shakes it off and rushes at me again.
I'm able to keep him from picking me up with a shin kick and punch I angle up into his diaphragm.
I grab his head and bring his headgear and face to my knee.
He swings and hits me on my side, and my breath rushes from my body.
I fall on my hands and knees. He leans down, bent over my back, trying to trap me to the mat.
"Girly, I have a message for you. Stop your investigation or Anabel will be hurt. Also, don't go back to Duncan unless you want him to die too." I see red.
I spin explosively to my right, throwing my elbow back as I spin, hitting him in the stomach.
I then proceed to land several punches on his back and kidneys.
He falls face forward to the mat. I drop onto his back, but he rolls, throwing me off him.
I roll to my back and grab his arm as I put my feet over his body.
I use the leverage that Derek and Greg taught me.
I feel him start to fight me as I pull the armbar tighter.
I keep pulling until he yells that he gives.
I let go of him and roll to the side. He rises up above me and I see his intent.
I roll away from him and push up. He comes at me again, his arm dangling uselessly.
I kick out, knocking his legs from under him, and wrap my forearm around his neck, using my other arm for leverage.
I hold him in the chokehold for the required time until he loses consciousness.
I spit my mouth guard to the side of my mask.
I'm yelling at him the whole time. I know he can't answer me, but I'm so angry. They threatened Ana and Duncan.
"Who the hell are you, asshole? How do you know Ana and Duncan?"
I dive for my bag, where I have a pair of cuffs for training. I cuff him and rip off my headgear.
"Are you okay?" I say to Vic after I spit out my mouth guard completely.
"Good. You?"
"Who the fuck is this asshole?"
"I don't know. Police are on the way."
"Hey, doc, want to check him before the ambulance arrives? Make sure I didn't kill him." I turn to the doctor. She bends down and checks his pulse.
"He'll live. Have a headache and he needs his shoulder relocated." She smiles at me.
The police arrive and take the guy away. I answer their questions as best as I can. My body hurts everywhere from the few hits I took. The doc checks me and says I am just bruised up.
I head home with new thoughts in my head. Something is up with Ana. Why did he threaten Duncan? I left Duncan and he's still in danger. I send a quick text to Joshua and let him know about the threats. He doesn't respond back, which I expect.
I'm walking up to my door when I notice it.
Stabbed into the door with my other missing tactical knife is a note.
Maya,
He thought he would warn you. I've killed for you once, injured another, you will be mine soon. How'd you like my friend? Hope you're not too bruised. I'm coming for you.
Your true lover
I step back from the door, knowing that my world is about to blow up in my face. I dial Greg.
"Hello, darling. I didn't expect to hear from you tonight."
"I've had a visitor at my condo."
"I'll call SSA Jones. I'm on my way."
"Call IAD Officer Olsen for me too please."
"Why?"
"My stalker killed Yancy."
"Shit. On my way."
I'm waiting outside my condo for backup to arrive when my cell phone starts ringing. I don't recognize the number but answer it anyway.
"Sweetheart, we need to talk."
"Uncle David?"
"I wasn't shot because of what I was doing. I was shot because of something you're involved in. Want to tell me?"
"I'm dealing with it. Stay away. Gotta go, Greg is here."
"Take care."
I hang up and realize what the note means more so now.
Oh my God. Who else did he hurt?
Derek runs past the others and right to me, taking me into his arms. I pull away as all the bumps and bruises make themselves known.
"David just called. He said his shooting was about me not him. That's what the note means."
"What do they mean about friend and not too bruised?" Greg demands.
"I was attacked tonight at the gym."
"Officer Aaron, this is getting to be a little unsettling. I just got off the phone regarding the situation at your gym tonight. I'm talking to your captain now about relieving you from duty for a little while," IAD Officer Olsen says as he walks up.
"I don't want to be relieved. Find this asshole so I can get on with my life."
It takes hours for everyone to leave. Finally, it’s just Derek and me. I go take a shower, hoping it will release some of the muscle pain.
After my shower, I'm icing my body while I watch the Food Network when Derek walks into the living room.
"Did you call him?"
"Yes." I groan.
"Well, at least the fight got you some release of all your energy." He laughs at me.
"Sure it did."
"So now you think you really are a danger to them?"
"Actually, I don't know how I feel other than sore. It feels like I'm missing something. By the way, Lawrence called again today. I blocked him again, so keep an eye out. I have to tell you something, but don't be angry."
"What's up, sexy?"
"I left Duncan because the attack at his flat was a message, I had twenty-four hours to leave or a sniper was going to kill him."
"Son of a bitch! I knew it. Did you let Joshua know?"
"Yeah, I texted him earlier."
"As for Lawrence, there were already a dozen red roses in the lobby. I sent them to the hospital."
"Damn it."
"Did you let Joshua know about tonight?"
"Yes. I have a meeting with the chief tomorrow about the attack. They want to make sure it's not someone I put away."
"Do you want a beer? By the way, Dad is on his way back up."
"Yes. Why?"
"He wants to talk to you? He didn't say anything other than he needed to speak to you."
"Guess I'm going to have to make a decision. Even when I'm not with Duncan, he gets threatened."
"I know, sexy."
Greg shows up and questions me more about both attacks.
I know he wants to ask me about calling Dr. Mason, but he respects my privacy too much.
We relax for the rest of the night, but my thoughts are filled with questions.
Who was that man and why did he attack me?
Who left the note on the door? It has to be another cop, and that pisses me off.
Guess I'll find out tomorrow. As Greg is leaving, he hugs me close.
"Heard you used an armbar and almost dislocated the guy's arm," he says proudly.
"Thank you for teaching me that move. According to Dr. Nic, I did dislocate it. I should've just put him into the sleeper hold first, though."
"How bad are you hurt?"
"Just sore. Good night."
"Night, sweetheart. Love you."
I go to my room until I hear Derek head to bed. I then walk back into the living room and run on my treadmill until I feel like I'm going to drop.