Maya
"Let go of me!" I planted my feet on the threshold, refusing to move another inch. "How dare you break into my apartment like this?! This is assault!"
One of the men actually laughed. "Your apartment?"
"Yes, MY apartment! You broke down my door and dragged me out like I'm some kind of criminal! Is this normal here? Is this how you treat people in Northern Pack?"
"Listen, lady." The first man's grip loosened slightly. "You either walk out of here on your own, or we use a lot more force than we just did. Your choice."
I stopped struggling, confusion replacing the panic.
They were serious. They weren't Mason's men. Not at all
"Wait." I tried to calm my breathing. "What's going on? Why are you treating me like this? What did I do?"
"What you did," the second man said slowly, like he was talking to a child, "is live in a room that doesn't belong to you. And you've got the nerve to act all offended about it."
I blinked. "But I paid for this room. Just this afternoon. I paid Brown, the woman who owns the restaurant downstairs. She told me I could stay here."
They burst out laughing.
Like full-on, doubled-over, tears-in-their-eyes laughing.
"How gullible are you?" the first man wheezed. "You actually fell for it?"
"Fell for what?"
"You got scammed, sweetheart. Congratulations." He wiped his eyes. "Tell me, this 'Brown' person. What did she look like?"
"She was old. Brunette hair. Really nice. She works in the restaurant downstairs and she told me she owned this place." I gestured around frantically. "She even had one of her employees help with my luggage. You can ask them."
"No old woman owns this restaurant, let alone the rooms above it." The first man shook his head. "How did you not know this? Are you not from Northern Pack, or are you just stupid?"
The embarrassment hit me like a physical blow.
"But she." My voice got smaller. "She seemed so legitimate. She called one of the waitresses. Terra, I think her name was. She helped with my bags."
The second man grabbed my arm. "Come on. Let's go downstairs and you can show me this 'Brown' person."
Still confused and humiliated, I let them lead me back through the dark corridor. The only light came from a small hexagonal window at the top of the wall, probably catching moonlight from the street.
This couldn't be happening. One minute I was settling into my new room, exhausted but hopeful. The next, I was being dragged out by angry men who were calling me a scammer.
We reached the door at the bottom of the stairs. I opened it carefully, half afraid it was going to crumble to dust in my hands.
The restaurant was nearly empty now. Just one customer at the counter, dropping some coins before heading out.
"Hey!" I called to the woman behind the counter. She turned around and my stomach dropped.
This wasn't the same person. This woman had bright orange hair and a face covered in freckles. Nothing like the brunette who'd helped me earlier.
"Can I help you?" She looked confused, her eyes darting between me and the two men.
"Brown," I said desperately. "You know Brown, right? The owner of this place? The woman who owns the rooms upstairs?"
The waitress tilted her head. "I have no idea who you're talking about."
"Brown!" I slapped my hand on the counter and started looking around wildly. "She was here this afternoon! She owns this restaurant! She helped me with my bags! I paid her!"
But the waitress just stared at me like I was insane.
I ran around the restaurant, checking every corner. "Brown! Brown, where are you?!"
Nothing.
The two men and the waitress watched me with a mixture of amusement and pity.
I must have looked absolutely unhinged. Hair a mess, barefoot, screaming a stranger's name in an empty restaurant.
"I need to check the mini mart," I said suddenly, and bolted out the door before anyone could stop me.
I burst into the mart like a madwoman, making every customer turn and stare.
"Does anyone know Brown?" I shouted. "Old lady, brunette, works at the deli down the street?"
Blank stares. Head shakes.
Nothing.
I walked back to the restaurant slowly, defeat weighing down every step.
This was real. I'd been scammed.
The men were still waiting when I pushed open the door. The stupid bell above it jingled cheerfully, which made me want to rip it down.
"There's no Brown," I said quietly. "Is there?"
"Glad you figured it out." The first man crossed his arms. "Now get your stuff and leave."
I looked down at my bare feet. Several blisters had formed from running on the cobblestones. I tried to hold back tears but my stupid pregnancy hormones had other ideas.
"I'll go." My voice cracked. "I'll find a hotel before it gets dark. Can I at least get my stuff?"
The first man disappeared upstairs and came back with a single small bag.
My small bag. Not my luggage.
"Wait." I took the bag from him, my hands shaking. "This isn't everything. I came here with three boxes and a tote bag. Where are they?"
"This is all that was in the room."
"No." I shook my head wildly. "No, no, no. I had luggage. I know I did. Three boxes and a tote bag. I'm not crazy!"
"Look, lady." The first man's patience was clearly running out. "This is what we found. Now leave before we make you leave."
"Make me leave? Are you kidding me?" My voice rose. "I was robbed of three hundred dollars and all my belongings and I'M the problem?"
"You can go check the room if you don't believe us," the second man said, and there was actual sympathy in his voice.
I ran back upstairs and tore through the room.
Nothing in the closet. Nothing in the kitchen. Nothing in the bathroom.
Gone. Everything was gone.
I sank to the floor and started crying. Not just tears, but full-body sobs that made my chest hurt.
When I finally stumbled back downstairs, I was done being polite.
"Thieves!" I screamed at the two men. "You're both thieves! You took everything I had! Brown's working with you, isn't she? This is how you do it to everyone, right?"
The first man's face turned dark. "You're calling US thieves? Do you have any idea who we are?"
"Yes!" I pointed at both of them. "Thieves! That's who you are!"
He shoved me. Hard.
I stumbled backward and fell, my hands and knees scraping against the concrete outside the restaurant.
The second man crouched down next to me, his face cold. "You dare call us thieves? I'm going to teach you a lesson. You'll learn never to speak to us like that again."
He raised his hand and I closed my eyes, bracing for the hit.
"Back away from her. Both of you." The voice was male. Deep. Commanding.
