Page 114 of Push My Buttons
I shake my head."It's fine,"I sign, then switch to my voice with effort."I can cope without it. We can't ask anyone to do a supply run this late."
Maya stares at me, then bursts into laughter. "Are you serious right now? Do you have any idea what building you're in?"
I frown, confused by her reaction.
"Wren, honey, Theo is rich. Like, rich rich." She gestures around the apartment. "This building is home to tech billionaires and trust fund babies. If he doesn’t own this place outright, then the mortgage payments must be astronomical. There's a concierge downstairs whose entire job is to fulfill ridiculous requests at all hours."
A shudder runs through me at her words. Trust fund babies. Just like Levi, with his family's old money and the entitlement that came with it. The memory of his smug smile, his absolute certainty that he could do whatever he wanted without consequences, flashes through my mind.
Maya notices my discomfort and squeezes my hand. "Hey, I didn't mean to upset you. I just meant that whatever we need, the concierge will be happy to arrange it for us. That's literally their job."
I take a deep breath, pushing away the memory. "You're sure it's not an imposition?"
"Positive," she assures me. "Let's make a list and plan it out. The sooner we get started, the better our results will be tomorrow."
I nod, focusing on her enthusiasm rather than my own lingering unease. "Okay. Let's do it."
We spend the next half hour finalizing our list, Maya explaining each item's purpose with growing excitement. When we're done, she calls down to the concierge, who doesn't bat an eye at our unusual requests or the late hour. He simply promises that everything will be delivered within the hour.
"See?" Maya says triumphantly after hanging up. "Easy peasy."
I shake my head, amazed at how the other half lives. "Now what?"I sign.
"Now you show me what you're wearing tomorrow," she says, her eyes sparkling with renewed energy. "I need to make sure our plan complements your outfit."
I grin, standing up from the couch. "That's the other thing I need your help with," I say, my voice still growing stronger with practice. I cross to where my bags sit by the door and retrieve the dress Theo and I picked out, along with another parcel I brought from home.
Maya's eyebrows shoot up when I hold them both up. A slow, devious grin spreads across her face as she takes in what I'm showing her.
"Oh, my God," she breathes, standing to get a better look. "That's... that's evil. And absolutely perfect."
She reaches out to touch the dress, her fingers tracing the shimmery fabric. "Those two aren't going to know what hit them."
"That's the idea," I say, my own grin matching hers.
"Let's get to work," Maya declares, already clearing space on the coffee table for our supplies. "We've got a lot to do if we're going to pull this off."
For the next few hours, we plan every detail of tomorrow night. The concierge delivers our supplies exactly as promised,and Maya sets everything up on Theo's dining table like a general preparing for battle.
"You're sure about this?" she asks as we go over the final details. "It's a bold move."
I nod, more certain than I've been about anything in a long time. "I'm done hiding. Done being afraid. If Levi wants to find me, he will—whether I'm at home or at this event. At least this way, I get to be myself. I get to live my life."
Maya studies me for a long moment, then nods. "I'm proud of you, you know that? After everything you've been through... most people would crumble. But here you are, planning to knock the socks off your two hot boyfriends at a major industry event."
We work late into the night, perfecting our plan for tomorrow. By the time we finally collapse into bed—me in Theo's massive king-sized bed, Maya in the guest room—I feel a strange sense of calm.
Yes, there's a killer out there who's obsessed with me. Yes, he's escalating, becoming more violent, more public in his displays. But I refuse to let that define me anymore. Tomorrow night, I'll step into the spotlight on my own terms. I'll claim my voice, my body, my life as my own.
And if Levi is watching? Let him see exactly what he couldn't destroy.
Tomorrow night will be a statement—to Levi, to Jace and Theo, but most importantly, to myself. A declaration that I am more than what was done to me. More than a victim, more than a survivor.
I am Wren Maddox. And I am done being afraid.
Chapter 42
Wren
