CHAPTER 109: STAY AWAY FROM THE GLASS CIRCLE

It had been an hour since June and Marcus left the hospital.

They’d already done enough for me today....stayed with me through the worst, made me laugh when I thought I’d never laugh again. But they had class tomorrow. I had to let them go.

Me? I was just... here. Staring at the empty room.

I’d tried sending Dominic a message, even called twice, but nothing went through. When I called, it went straight to voicemail every time. That was unlike him.

"Hey, it’s Dominic. Drop a message. I’ll call you back if I feel like it."

The line beeped.

I hung up without saying anything, just staring at the screen.

Why wasn’t he picking up?

Alia was still in the pediatric ward, laughing with the nurses and playing with some puzzle. She was good at that... making everyone feel like old friends.

I was staring out the hospital window, watching the rain streak down the glass, when my phone lit up on the table beside me.

I didn’t even look at it at first. I just grabbed it, expecting to see Dominic’s name. But it wasn’t him.

UnknownNumber.

Not No Caller ID, not Private Number. Just "Unknown."

For a second, my brain stupidly thought Dominic. But no... he would’ve texted, not... whatever this was.

It started ringing again.

I didn’t pick up.

My stomach dropped.

What if it’s the anonymous person threatening me?

Can’t I get a single day without this crap?

This time, it wasn’t the usual creepy text... it was a call.

I let it ring out for a while. My hands clenched around the phone. I didn’t want to give whoever it was the satisfaction of hearing my voice.

It rang again.

And again.

By the fourth time, my hands were already moving...sliding the phone toward me. I hit record on the voice memo app before I swiped to answer.

I pressed it to my ear. "...Hello?"

The voice that came through wasn’t human. Or maybe it was, but it was buried under a glitchy, robotic voice.

"Hello, Ash Rivera. Tick, tock. Time’s running out."

I forced out a sigh, trying to sound bored. "What exactly do you want from me?"

No answer.

"You’re the one who stabbed Liam, right? Let him fall off the roof. Let me take the fall. And now you’re sending me threatening messages, coming for my family..."

A pause. Just silence. Then...

"You’re wrong." The voice said.

"No," I snapped, standing upright. "You know what? Fuck off. I’m done playing your little horror movie crap. You tried to kidnap my sister. You told me to stay out of Liam’s case, and I did. What the hell do you want now?"

Another pause.

"To help you. To save you from them. But if you keep ignoring me..." The voice glitched. "...you’ll wish you’d listened."

I laughed, those humorless bitter laugh. "Save me from what?"

"From them. You’ve left me no choice. They will come for you. Stay away from Blackwell’s Glass Circle boys. They’ve done... bad things in the past. They’re coming for them. Help me expose them. If you don’t, they’ll come for you too."

My heart raced.

"Who the hell is ’they’?" I scoffed, raising my voice a little. "The people with the serpent tattoo? Is that who you’re talking about?"

Silence.

"Who are you?"

Nothing.

"Hey!"

The call cut out. Not ended....just muted.

"Hello?" I said into the dead line. My voice sounded too loud in the room.

No answer.

I was about to hang up when..

A hand landed on my shoulder.

I flinched so hard I nearly dropped my phone.

"Oh my God... Mrs. Jennings, you scared me."

"Sorry dear." She looked concerned. "I didn’t mean to scare you."

I pressed a palm to my chest. "Yeah. It’s fine ma’am."

"You okay? You looked like you were... somewhere else," she said gently. "Also yelling at yourself."

I forced a nod. "Yeah. Just... thinking about stuff."

She tilted her head. "Is it your mom?"

"She’s recovering," I said quickly. "Thanks for asking."

Mrs. Jennings held out a bag. "I brought dumplings. This one is for you and little Alia. It’s still warm, very delicious too. It’s Henry’s favorite."

I thanked her, bowing my head. But my mind wasn’t on the food. It was on that voice. The warning.

And that one question still clawed at me...

If they’re coming for me... who the hell are they?

Mrs. Jennings had barely left when my phone buzzed again on the table.

My heart raced instantly... anonymous number?

I glanced down.

Dominic.

I was so relieved that I had to exhale before answering. "Hey."

"Hey, babe."

I could hear the smile in his voice. My chest was still heaving from the last call.

"Where have you been?" I nodded. "You weren’t picking up. You didn’t reply to any of my texts."

"Turn around."

I froze. Then, slowly, I spun towards the door.

At first, all I saw was a dark silhouette against the hallway light. Tall. Hunky. Familiar. My brain took half a second to catch up... then the shape shifted into a smirk I knew like the back of my hand.

"Dom?" My voice cracked on his name.

He stepped forward, and that was it.... I was already running into him, wrapping my arms tight around his neck.

"You scared the hell out of me," I squinted at him. "You weren’t picking up. I thought.."

"I’m sorry, blondie." His hand stroked my head. "I slept off for a bit. Then I had to go pick up something. Left my phone in the car."

I pulled back just enough to glance at the bag in his hand. "What’s that?"

He stepped past me toward the bed. "Where’s June and Marcus?"

"They left a while ago."

"Good." His mouth quirked into a small laugh as he set the bag down. "Then I don’t have to pretend or hide from them."

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t hide my smile. "You don’t have to hide from them. June likes you, she gave her blessings."

"Ohh. I got you something," he said. "I’m glad your mom’s recovering."

I blinked. "Dom... you already helped with the money for the surgery, and now you’re giving me something else?"

"Check it out."

I pulled the bag nervously, opened it and froze.

My breath caught. Inside were my dad’s medals, the old watch, all the stuffs I’d pawned at Shawn’s shop.

"You... you got them back?" My voice cracked.

"Yeah."

"Why?" My eyes were burning before I could stop it.

He stepped closer, staring into my eyes. "Because they’re your dad’s achievements. They’re a part of you. If they matter to you, they matter to me too."

Something in me just... gave. I stepped into him again, burying my face in his shoulder. "Thank you. For everything. I don’t know how to thank you."

"You don’t have to thank me." His palm stroked the back of my hair.

"I told you," he murmured. "I’ll never let anything hurt you."

Those words... they should’ve made me feel safe. And part of me did feel safe.

But another part...the part still shaking from that anonymous call felt something else.

I could still hear that distorted voice in my head. They’ll come for you. Stay away from the Glass Circle boys.

I should tell Dominic. I want to tell him. But what if he already knows? Will he protect me or choose to protect his friends? What’s that secret that caused everything from the beginning?

Because the truth is... I’m not going to help the caller expose them.

But I’m dying to know what they’re hiding. What Liam is in coma for. I’m too curious. I remember when the killer wanted to spill the secret that night on the roof.

What if whatever’s buried in their past comes for Dominic too?

What exactly did he and his friends do?

My chest tightened. I looked up at him, his face was so calm. He didn’t look like someone that could hurt anyone.

Should I ask him?

Or should I keep my mouth shut and pretend I don’t know the walls are closing in?

Because if I trust him and I’m wrong...

God, why am I so scared?