Page 36 of Maar's Girl

Maar, agreeing to kill for me. To protect me. The man I've been angry at for so long, still willing to sacrifice everything.

"Who is it?" I hear Maar ask.

"Odex down at Club Cirrus," Sneed says. "Goes by the name of Gracchus."

"I'll come down with you now," Maar says. "Alyssa is asleep. Let me just post some security outside our door."

I stay still as the two men talk and then hear the door to our condo close after a while.

It's still.

Maar gave up his life of crime and killing for me.

Because he loved me.

And because of that love, he's willing to sacrifice everything.

I pace the living room, my nerves frayed and my mind racing. The call to the club was easy enough - a raspy voice, a fake cough, and I'm off the hook for tonight's performance. But waiting? That's the real torture.

Hours crawl by. I try to distract myself - reorganizing drawers, scrubbing imaginary stains from the counters, anything to keep my hands busy. But my thoughts always circle back to Maar.

The sun dips below the horizon, casting long shadows across our dingy apartment. I perch on the edge of the couch, every muscle tense. The clock on the wall ticks relentlessly.

Finally, just as I'm about to scream from the tension, I hear the soft beep of the door lock. My breath catches in my throat.

Maar steps inside, his movements slow and careful. He freezes when he sees me, his eyes widening in surprise.

"Alyssa," he breathes. "You're... awake."

I stand, taking in the sight of him. His clothes are rumpled, and there's a dark stain spreading across his chest. Blood. So much blood.

"Looks like you had a rough night at the tables," I say, my voice steadier than I feel.

Maar's jaw tightens. "It's not what you think-"

"Really?" I interrupt, taking a step closer. "What blood is that?"

He pauses.

I watch Maar's face, the tension in his jaw, the flicker of something raw in his eyes. He takes a deep breath, shoulders sagging.

"It's Odex blood," he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. "I did a job... to protect you."

My breath catches in my throat. He didn't lie to me. He told me the truth. No matter how terrible, he wants me to trust him. I should be horrified, disgusted even. But all I feel is a strange, twisted sense of understanding.

"You don't have to explain," I say softly. "I... I heard you talking to Sneed earlier."

Maar's eyes widen. "Alyssa, I-"

I hold up a hand, silencing him. "No, let me finish. I've been angry for so long, Maar. Furious at you for lying, for dragging me into this life. But tonight... hearing you agree to go back to that world, just to keep me safe?" I shake my head, a sad smile tugging at my lips. "I finally understand how much you love me."

He looks stunned, like he can't quite believe what he's hearing. I gently take his hand, feeling the roughness of his skin, the slight tremor in his fingers.

"Come on," I murmur, leading him towards the bathroom. "Let's get you cleaned up."

In the harsh fluorescent light, the blood looks even more stark against his skin. I start to unbutton his shirt, my fingers working methodically.

"You don't have to do this," Maar says, his voice hoarse.

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