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SACRIFICIAL LOVE

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CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE


"She's right." Marcus stood behind us.


We whirled around, but Marcus blocked my escape—as did two more of his
men.


He smirked, knowingly. "Hi, Maya."


Chance swiftly raised his gun.


"No!" I threw my arm over his and shoved his arm back down.


Shocked, Chance gaped, "What?"


Jace needed Marcus alive. I just didn't know if Chance could understand
that.


"I'm touched, Mayan." Marcus smiled. "You still love me."


"I never loved you!" I seethed and stood in front of Chance.


Marcus reached for me, but I reeled back. "Don't touch me!"


He studied me a moment and then nodded to the two men behind him, "Take
him."


Chance dodged the first, swung at the second, and twisted to slam the first
into the wall. Both men were on the ground within a few seconds.


Marcus laughed.


I stared, incredulous.


"That was entertainment." Marcus chuckled. "But do you really think I didn't
come with more?" He stepped back and another group of men rushed inside.


They had Chance paralyzed within seconds. He couldn't fight off five men.


Marcus twisted my arm before I could dart around him.


He pushed me further into the room while the men dragged Chance out of the
door. They shut it behind them and it was just me with Marcus.


"What do you want?" I asked, backed in the corner.


I hated corners. And I hated being forced into one. I didn't go to
corners.


"I'm not taking you with me, Maya." Marcus murmured. He sighed and leaned
against the wall, right next to the door. I couldn't dart for safety. He was too
close, too quick.


It wasn't like last time. He wasn't sleeping.


"I'll admit. I enjoyed when it was about you, but ultimately—you're just a
pawn in this. Everyone's a pawn and most of you don't even know it."


"Who's playing the game?" I asked.


Marcus laughed shortly. "You're always quick to roll with anything that's
thrown at you. I miss that about you."


"Don't patronize me." I snarled.


"No. I'm not patronizing you. I really do miss that about you."


"What's this about? If it's not about me—why'd you send Petrie after me?"


"That…" Marcus drawled. "Was a mistake. My heart got ahead of my head—if you
know what I mean."


"I don't!"


"No. No…I wouldn't expect you to because you don't the whole picture."


"If it's not about me then why are you here?"


Why are you talking to me?


"Because…I still want you. It's just that this part of the game isn't about
you." He stepped closer. "I will have you back, Maya. Make no mistake in
understanding me. I aim to have you again, to feel you beneath me, but…for
now—you're needed…with him." He bit out the last two words and cringed.


I waited and watched.


Marcus battled for control.


He wanted me with Jace. And he hated that. His mind needed me with Jace, but
his heart screamed against it.


What was going on?


"Why am I a pawn?" I asked and stood straight. I walked forward. I would not
remain in that corner.


Marcus smiled softly and reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.
I yanked away and his hand stopped mid-air. He retracted it to his side and
murmured, saddened, "I knew you'd come alone. This place—what it means to
you—you'd need to come alone. I know that about you, Maya. Does he? Does he know
you how I know?"


"What does it matter?" I gritted out. He had yet to reach for the Master or
anything.


"You've got your blade, no doubt." Marcus smiled. "I miss you. I really
do."


"Where's my nephew?!" I demanded, haughtily.


"He's safe." Marcus promised. "He's not going anywhere. He's there…he's
somewhere safe until my business is done."


"I want my nephew and I want Munsinger."


Marcus shifted away at the name. He was silent and then he said, quietly,
"I'm sorry, Maya. He died."


I already knew. I felt him still, but I was still blinded from the knife that
stabbed inside of me. My tears burst forth, like whiplash.


I hated him. I really truly ultimately hated him and I almost reached for my
blade to imbed him with.


Jace always wanted a fighter from me, but I was fighting tooth and nail to
keep her from raging out.


"I'm sorry, Maya. He gave his life for his son's. It was his decision."


"And who are you to give him that decision?!" I screamed.


I needed Marcus. I needed him to find Gray. If I killed him—there'd be no
hope. I needed him. I silently chanted the same mantra in my head, over and over
again.


Marcus watched and blew out a deep breath. "I can't explain it to you right
now, Maya. You wouldn't be able to understand it."


"Tell me!"


"I can't, but I will—someday. I promise."


"You are sick, perverted—"


"And you've fucked me how many times?" Marcus shot back.


I fell silent.


"I know you, Maya." He continued, almost to himself. He paced. The door was
left open for my escape, but I had to hear what he needed to say. I needed to
know everything he would tell me.


I stayed.


"I know you so well, Maya. And you don't even care. This room—this place—I
get what you never can admit. You're scared. You are scared that you will go
back to that little girl again. It won't happen. You are so strong. You won't
allow that to ever happen. You won't be that little girl again." He reached for
my face.


I blocked him and slapped his hand down.


"You should be nicer. It's because of me that you've even gotten any of the
books. I've told you where they all are. I've allowed you to get close to
them."


"You think you're God?" I whipped out. "You think that you control every
goddamn move we make? You control nothing!"


"I have controlled this entire thing—"


"Jace's orders are to kill you. He can get to you if he wants to. He hasn't,
not yet. You can't control that, can you?"


My words halted him. For a moment, I saw him swallow and reel. He looked
scared, but for a moment.


"I knew you were going to him." Marcus said softly, painfully. "I just never
realized…how tight the bond would be formed. I know now."


I frowned. But then again—I was a pawn. One of many, according to him…and
according to Jace. Someone had sent me to him. Someone told me how to find
him…it didn't make sense, not all of it—not yet.


"Maya." Marcus breathed out. "I don't want you to get hurt. Not anymore than
you already have been…I just…I don't want you hurt. Not more than you need to
be, but…I'm sorry. I truly am."


"For what? The hell that you've bestowed on my life?!" I clipped out.


"There are more powerful forces at play right now, more powerful than you and
me…and I'm sorry that you've been placed in the middle because you are. You were
put in the middle of this field and you got hurt. I truly apologize for
that."


I held still. It was all I could do.


"You just want to be loved. I get that." Marcus whispered, almost forlornly.
"You were loved by one person all your life and he let you down."


I couldn't stop the tears this time. They rolled, one by one.


"Your brother…he didn't deserve your loyalty or your love. He didn't help
you, not when you were the most vulnerable. I get that. It's why you were drawn
to Lily, because she had what you wanted so badly. It's why you came to me. I
loved you, Maya. I still love you—so much. But you need to let go of this
irrational hope."


"What hope?" I choked out, brokenly. I tore my shoulder away from him as he
reached for me. I stood with my back turned.


"This hope for a better life. It's…you can have a better life. You can have
one with me. I can give you anything you want. What can Lanser give you? He's
known nothing, but the shadows. That's all he is and that's all he'll become.
It's where he thrives. That's no place for you. You deserve the sunlight…"


Jace had the same sentiment—about Taryn.


She deserved the spotlight.


"…because Taryn is supposed to be in the spotlight. I live in the
shadows. I won't ever live in the spotlight. Minute I do, is the minute I die."



Those had been Jace's words.


"You don't let yourself be a person, Maya." Marcus continued. "You need to do
that. Let go. Find out your favorite color. Find out…if you like beetles or
bees. Or if you hate them both and like sea urchins. Find…find what you believe
in and—"


I whirled on him and exclaimed, "I believe that there is hope! That's what I
believe in!"


Marcus just smiled, sadly.


"I believe that there has to be some goddamn better life for everyone. I
believe that we can…" I trailed off. I didn't believe it. Not all the time, but
I wanted to believe it. I wanted to believe it so badly.


"This is our world." Marcus noted. "This is how it's going to be. We're not
going to be—"


His words ended. I had whirled and stabbed my blade deep into his stomach. I
kept it in there and twisted upwards. And then, as he chortled from the gaping
pain, I wrenched it out.


He fell at my feet.


I didn't want to hear what else he had to say.


"This is an ugly world, but there has to be hope. There has to be!" I spat
out and then stepped over him.


Two of his men waited outside.


I threw open the door and let them see Marcus.


They rushed inside.


I ducked, whirled, and stabbed one more of them before I sprinted past them
and up the stairs.


They held back. Their boss needed them. I was expendable, but I heard them on
their phones. They called to alert the rest.


I knew they were waiting for me to leave from the front door.


I didn't. I rounded the front desk and past the hallway to circle around to
the back exits.


I slipped threw one of the doors and when I heard their shouts, I quickly ran
to where the two girls lived. I moved the garbage bin and hid inside. They were
there, but they were quiet.


They knew what was happening. They knew I had to hide. And they knew their
best chance for survival was keeping quiet. When unsure, that's the automatic
rule everyone obeyed.


Another rule of my world.


Marcus' men sprinted past us and then back. They hadn't found me. They ran to
the other alley. They continued their search while I slipped out and circled the
corner to disappear.


I could've. I could've merged with the lingering crowd of tourists and New
Yorkers, but instead—I circled back.


I didn't have far to go.


Marcus' limousine was parked in front of Glory's Basket.


I knew, without a doubt, that Chance had been shoved in there.


I couldn't allow him to stay in there. I couldn't allow him to talk and I
really didn't want Marcus to have another victory.


So I sprinted, full force, to the drivers' side.


As plans went, I was limited with time and resources. I did what I could and
I aimed to take control of the limousine at the most vulnerable juncture—the
driver's seat.


I did. He was already starting to get out when I arrived, but I merely
grabbed his elbow and yanked him out to take his place. I slammed the door,
locked it, and started to speed away.


Started to—but the divider window was shattered and three guns pointed
themselves at my head.


I stayed in place, my hands up in surrender.


I stared behind me, but I couldn't see the entire back.


I saw Chance. That was enough. Relief flashed in his eyes, but it was gone.
He pleaded with me. I saw that, but I couldn't do anything.


If I moved—I died. That was the choice I held.


I didn't move.


And then all hell broke loose.


Police sirens ran. Shouts, screams, gunfire exploded on the steps before
Glory's Basket.


She watched it all unravel before her, at her feet.


When the men were distracted, I yanked the wheel and slammed on my breaks.
The men were jolted ahead, their guns clambered from their hands, and Chance
slammed into the rest.


When he kicked the back door open, I threw myself out my own and we were both
off, sprinting down another alley.


Two of Marcus' men were on our heels.


Behind us, I barely caught what was happening, but I saw Marcus fall to the
ground as two policemen slapped handcuffs on him.


Two men chased us, but I slowed and turned. I don't know what it was…what
prompted me, but I had to—I couldn't not look…but it wasn't Marcus that I
watched for. I knew that much.


"Maya!" Chance barked. He grabbed my arm and yanked me behind him.


I couldn't—I shoved him away.


The two men closed the distance. One met Chance with a closed fist, while the
other reached for me—and then Jace was there.


He shoved the guy away, flipped him in the air, and slammed him on the
ground.


The second guy saw the odds weren't in his favor and ran for his life.


I watched.


I couldn't comprehend that Jace was there.


His hand was on my arm. He held me back, but he talked to Chance.


I strained against his hold.


Marcus was handcuffed. He was being led to the back of a police car and
then…


I gasped.


The back of the limousine opened and out stood—my brother!


Krein was free and he talked to the policemen. He showed them something, some
papers, and they reluctantly let Marcus go free.


Marcus grimaced, still holding his stomach where I had stabbed him, and
looked to where we stood.


Jace and Chance stopped their talk. They both looked up and saw Marcus
watching us.


It was a stand-off.


Each team stood in their corners.


My eyes pierced Krein's.


He trailed his gaze from me to Jace and back again.


The police wandered between, looking for another man that fit the description
of their anonymous tip.


Marcus bled on the street and after a grimace, he ducked inside the
limousine.


Krein stayed out and held the door. He just stared.


I stared back. I lifted my chin and moved towards him.


Jace yanked me back.


"No, Maya. We go." He ordered crisply.


I turned, dazed, and saw that Chance had already left.


I didn't care.


I stumbled.


My brother was behind me. He worked for Marcus—no doubt that Marcus knew
full-well who Krein was before he took him into his employment. No doubt that
was why Krein stepped up, took control of the situation, and the police allowed
Marcus to go free.


Krein was now Marcus' right hand man.


Because he was my brother and because he once worked for Galverson.


I'd promote him for those reasons—if I was Marcus.


"Maya." Jace said. He tugged at my wrist. Our fingers had become entwined.
"Let's go."


"I can't—my brother—"


"Is not within our reach right now." Jace said firmly. He tugged again.
"It'll come. We'll get our answers, but…not now. We need to put some space and
we need more men. Let's go."


"But—"


"Now!" And Jace dragged me behind him.


I followed, half-heartedly.


Krein watched and then ducked inside the limousine.


They pulled away and Jace led me the opposite way.


I stumbled a few too many times. I fell once. I got up and I continued to run
behind him.


Jace led me to where we needed to go.


I found myself in the back of another car. This one wasn't a limousine, but
we had our own driver. Jace sat beside me while the car peeled out into traffic.
He leaned over the barrier and talked with the driver—he must've been one of his
million undercover agents.


I couldn't keep it all right now.


Jace had Panthers. He had undercover agents. And I had me. I wondered,
faintly, who else he had up his sleeve?


I was wrong.


Marcus didn't play at God.


Jace did. And Jace won, for the most of it.


Jace controlled everyone's moves.


It wasn't Marcus' game where I was the pawn. It was Jace's.


I just wished I knew how he fit in with the battle that Marcus was playing. I
wish I knew how I had been placed in the middle and I really wanted to know what
Jace kept from me, because I knew he had more he had yet to share.


And none of it boded well with me.


Jace glanced at me, concerned and silently asked if I was alright.


I stared back at him and dared him to ask again.