Chapter 2 - The Poisoner's FootstepsBefore I could process the sheer, terrifying scale of his confession, three sharp, heavy knocks rattled the brass deadbolt of the bathroom door.
"Maxwell?"
A smooth, cultured voice carried through the thick oak paneling.
Julien Rourke.
My breath caught in my throat. My heart hammered wildly against my ribs, and I pressed my back hard against the damp tile wall, terrified that even my breathing would betray me.
Maxwell’s face changed instantly. The raw fear that had filled his dark gray eyes vanished, replaced by a dull, vacant, and lifeless mask. His broad shoulders slouched forward, his arms limp against the edge of the tub, his legs completely motionless beneath the cloudy water.
"Maxwell! Open the door!" Julien’s voice grew sharper, accompanied by the metallic rattle of a master key slipping into the lock.
"He's... he's in the tub, Mr. Rourke!" I forced out, my voice cracking with a high, desperate panic as I rushed toward the door, standing directly in front of the lock.
The key turned. The door swung open six inches before my shoulder caught the edge, blocking Julien from stepping fully inside.
Julien Rourke stood in the dim hallway, dressed in an immaculate charcoal suit, a thin, aristocratic smile resting on his sharp face. Behind him stood his chief security officer—a heavy-set, scarred man named Vance whose hand rested casually beneath his suit jacket.
"Martha," Julien purred, his dark eyes sweeping over my damp uniform and trembling hands. "What is the meaning of this? Why was my brother's door locked?"
"I... I was helping Mr. Rourke with his therapeutic bath, sir," I stammered, gripping the doorframe with white knuckles, trying desperately to mask the terror in my voice. "The steam was making the hallway carpet damp, so I locked it to keep the draft out. He... he almost slipped while I was transferring him."
Julien’s sharp eyes narrowed, sliding past my shoulder toward the tub.
Maxwell sat slouched in the water, his chin resting near his chest, his gray eyes staring blankly at the far wall as if he hadn't heard a single word. He looked fragile, helpless, and completely broken—a masterclass in deception that made my skin prickle with heat.
"Is his evening injection prepared?" Julien asked softly, his gaze locking onto my face.
"Yes, sir," I lied, my throat bone dry. "Miss Delaney left it on the nightstand. I was about to administer it as soon as I dried him off."
Julien took a slow step closer, his presence suffocating. He reached out and gently touched my damp wrist—the exact spot where the scalding bathwater had burned my skin minutes earlier.
"You're a good girl, Martha," Julien whispered, his voice dripping with artificial warmth. "A ruined career in Boston makes a woman very loyal, doesn't it? Make sure he gets the full dose. We wouldn't want my dear brother suffering from any unwanted... muscle spasms."
"Of course, Mr. Rourke," I whispered.
Julien offered a thin, cold smile, turned on his heel, and walked down the dimly lit corridor, Vance trailing two paces behind him like a silent executioner.
I closed the door, locked the brass deadbolt, and collapsed against the wooden panels, my chest heaving as tears of pure, unadulterated terror spilled over my eyelashes.
From the tub, Maxwell sat up straight. His slouched posture vanished, his slate-gray eyes piercing through the white steam, fixed on me with a dark, breathtaking intensity.
"You lied for me," Maxwell murmured, his gravelly voice echoing in the quiet room.
"I didn't lie for you," I rasped out, dabbing my eyes with my apron. "I lied because I don't want to end up in the Providence River!"
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Maxwell pulled himself out of the tub with fluid, terrifying grace, wrapping a thick towel around his waist as his bare feet touched the cold marble floor. He didn't use a hoist. He didn't use a wheelchair. He stood six-foot-three, towering over me, a sovereign ruler standing in the shadows of his own house.
"You're in the game now, Martha," Maxwell said softly, taking three slow, deliberate steps toward me. "And if we're going to survive my brother... you're going to help me destroy him."
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