ᴏɴɪᴋᴀ ᴍᴀʀᴀᴊ
I shifted in my sleep, slowly coming to, but something felt off.
As I blinked my eyes open, the unfamiliar surroundings sank in.
Where was I? The room was sleek, too nice, and definitely not mine. Turning my head toward the balcony, I caught a stunning view of Times Square in all its lit-up glory, buzzing with life even at this hour.
Okay...how did I end up here?
I sat up, instinctively reaching for my phone, but it was nowhere to be found. A strange feeling churned in my stomach, but I had to know where I was.
Quietly slipping off the bed, I tiptoed towards the faint voices echoing down the hallway, straining to hear.
As I got closer, I could make out Aubrey's voice—low, irritated, and intense. He was leaned against the counter, talking to a few friends. From the look on his face, something was definitely wrong. But what was I even doing here?
One of his friends, someone I hadn't seen before, noticed me lingering just out of sight. He nudged Aubrey, who turned his head, his expression shifting as soon as he saw me.
My heart skipped. I froze for a split second before quickly ducking behind the wall, heading back to the room as fast as I could.
I shut the door behind me, pressing my back against it, trying to steady my breath. My heart was pounding so hard I could barely hear myself think.
Then, a soft knock echoed through the door, making me jump.
"Onika, it's me," Aubrey's voice called from the other side.
I stood there frozen, unsure of what to do. Part of me wanted to ignore it, pretend I was still asleep and that none of this was actually happening.
But hearing his voice so close, so calm, only made my nerves spike more. I hesitated, then slowly turned the lock and cracked open the door, just enough to meet his gaze.
I stepped back, letting the door swing open enough for Aubrey to slip inside.
He didn't waste a second, quietly closing it behind him and leaning against it, his gaze intense and unreadable.
I crossed my arms, suddenly feeling vulnerable under his stare. "What's going on, Aubrey?"
He sighed, running a hand over his face before answering. "I know you probably have a million questions." His tone softened.
"Well, yeah. Waking up in an unfamiliar hotel room wasn't exactly part of my plan," I replied, trying to keep my cool.
"Chill, okay?" Aubrey's voice was calm, but as he stepped closer, I instinctively backed up, feeling a strange mix of irritation and anxiety.
"Oh my god," I blurted out, suddenly thinking of my son. "Where's Omari? Aubrey, where is my son?"
Aubrey held his hands up in a soothing gesture. "Onika, stop freaking out for me, okay? My brother Kashton took him to the pool with Ava. My bad for not asking you—I just didn't want to wake you up from your rest."
I relaxed, but only slightly, crossing my arms and looking away from him. "That still doesn't explain why you brought me here." My voice had a sharp edge to it, laced with confusion. "Did you... do something with me? I don't remember anything."
A flicker of sadness crossed his face, and he shook his head slowly. "No, Onika. I wouldn't do that to you," he said, his tone sincere. "I brought you here because... well, your friends told me what Kevin did to you." He hesitated, then added, "I didn't want you staying in that house, in the room where he did that to you."
