Chapter 99: Echoes of Desire

Taylor was nervous as she got closer to Mia’s apartment. She had not been able to share a word with Mia for days now, not when things were getting worse between them. When she was standing in front of the door, she had some doubt whether she was ready to have this conversation or not. But the fact of Alex’s constant support helped her to stand firm and continue her fight. She had to do this for Mia, for herself, and for the relationship she has been forging with Alex. After counting to five, Taylor took a deep breath and knocked on the door. A few moments later, the door groaned on its hinges, and a sleep-deprived and unkempt Mia appeared. The twinkle in the eyes was gone, and she looked like she had not slept for days as her eyes were puffy. “Taylor,” Mia acknowledged her in a rough-sounding voice. “I thought you knew me better than this; I asked, ‘What are you doing here?’. ” “I think we have to talk, Mia,” Taylor whispered as her voice was filled with sorrow seeing her friend in such a condition. “Can I come in?” Mia just glanced at Taylor and then moved away from the door to let her come in. The apartment was chaotic, with clothes scattered all over the place, dishes stacked in the sink, and bottles all over the coffee table. It could also be seen that Mia had been stressed up for some time now. Taylor looked at the mayhem that surrounded him, then shifted his attention to Mia. “Mia, what is it? Why are you like this? This is not like you?” Mia dropped down on the couch and rested her head on her hands. “It’s… it’s a lot, Taylor.” I didn’t know how to explain it; I didn’t know from where to begin. “Then start with what has been bothering you,” Taylor said, and he sat down next to her. “You can trust me. You do know that, don’t you?” Taylor and Mia stared at each other, and looking at the girl, Mia felt guilty and at the same time afraid. “I have done some wrong things, Taylor. I got connected with some wrong people... and now I am so deep into these wrong things.” Taylor’s heart sink. She had realized that Mia was in a fix, but hearing it firsthand was even more terrible than she had anticipated. In dismay, she looked at him and asked, “What kind of trouble?” She tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. Mia bit her lip before she said no. “It’s too dangerous, Taylor; I don’t want to endanger you or Alex; you two are too important to me.” Taylor touched her, shaking her hand and saying hi to her. “We are already into it, Mia; you are my friend, and Alex also looks forward to you; whatever it is, we will sort it out.” Mia looked at Taylor, and her eyes welled up with tears, and she held Taylor’s hand very tight. “Taylor, I’m so You never deserved any of this, and I never wanted any of this to happen either. Taylor hugged Mia and was holding her close as she cried on Taylor’s shoulder. “It’s alright, Mia, we shall pull through this, but you need to let us know everything so that we can assist you. ” All that Taylor could do for a moment was hold Mia, who just cried as if her only hope was in Taylor. But soon she backed off, drying her tears with the side of her hand. “You know, there is this man... Dominic. He is dangerous, Taylor. I thought I could deal with it, but I was wrong. He has been telling me he will kill me, and I believe him.” Taylor shuddered when she heard his name, Dominic. She had heard some stories about him—he was in every type of wrongful doing, and he was also an infamous man whose enemies feared him. “Mia, why did you not tell us earlier?” Taylor asked in concern. “I was scared,” Mia said this honestly. “I never intended to pull you into this situation. I believed I could handle it myself, but I was wrong. Taylor He will not stop; he is dangerous.” Taylor’s mind raced as she tried to think of a solution. She knew that involving the authorities would be the logical choice, but she also knew that Dominic had a way of making people disappear—people who crossed him or went to the police. They needed to be careful, but they also couldn’t let him continue to terrorize Mia. “We’ll figure something out,” Taylor said firmly. “But you’re not facing this alone. We’ll talk to Alex, and we’ll come up with a plan.” Mia nodded, her expression one of mixed relief and fear. “Thank you, Taylor. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” “You’re not going to have to find out,” Taylor promised, giving Mia’s hand one last squeeze before letting go. “But for now, you need to stay strong. We’ll get through this, one step at a time.” As they sat together in the quiet of Mia’s apartment, Taylor’s thoughts turned to Alex. She knew that involving Alex in this would be risky, but she also knew that Alex would want to help. They were a team now, and they would face whatever challenges came their way together. Later that evening, Taylor returned to the apartment she shared with Alex. As she walked through the door, she found Alex waiting for her in the living room, concern etched across her face. “How did it go?” Alex asked, standing up as soon as she saw Taylor. Taylor sighed, running a hand through her hair. “It’s bad, Alex. Mia’s in deep with Dominic. She’s scared, and she doesn’t know what to do.” Alex’s expression hardened at the mention of Dominic. “We need to do something, Taylor. We can’t just let him keep terrorizing her.” “I know,” Taylor agreed, sinking onto the couch. “But we have to be smart about this. If we go to the police, he might retaliate. We need to come up with a plan that keeps Mia safe.” Alex sat down beside Taylor, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “We’ll figure it out. But Taylor, I need you to promise me something.” “What is it?” Taylor asked, looking up at Alex. “Promise me that you’ll be careful,” Alex said, her voice filled with concern. “I can’t lose you, Taylor. Not when we’re just starting our lives together.” Taylor’s heart ached at the sincerity in Alex’s voice. “I promise, Alex. I’ll be careful. We’ll get through this together.” Alex leaned in, capturing Taylor’s lips in a slow, tender kiss. The world outside their apartment might have been filled with uncertainty and danger, but in that moment, all that mattered was the love they shared. As they pulled away, Taylor rested her forehead against Alex’s, taking comfort in the warmth and strength of their connection. “We’ll get through this,” Alex murmured, her voice soft but resolute. “Together.” And in that moment, Taylor knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, as long as she had Alex by her side, they could face anything. Their love was a force stronger than any threat, and together, they would find a way to protect Mia and build the future they both deserved.