I heard the heavy doors of the stable close. More than one set. The stable had something like seven entrances, and I heard them all shut one after another. This was really happening. Oh my God, this was happening.
Fighting against the ropes was useless, but I still tried. They were so tight, they would leave bruises. If I survived. No way to move or slip out from under them.
All this was a mistake. The risk that I took didn’t pay off. I should have just told Grant the truth, no matter the consequences.
Now, I was here, and I had to wallow in the fact that I broke his heart before I died. They weren’t here, and if they weren’t now, the chances—
I cut off the thought.
No.
Instead, I focused on Grant. I should have told him that I loved him, so that he knew. Maybe he would have been here with me. Maybe we would both be about to die.
I shook my head, trying to keep the panic at bay.
The scent of smoke in the barn made that completely impossible. I saw it at the far end of the stable, the horses already murmuring in response to the smell. I only had so much time before the smoke made me pass out. And I wasn’t going to give up. I wasn’t going to just let myself die.
So I screamed for help. Maybe there was nobody here, and they’d given everyone the day off, but stranger things had happened. I needed a miracle, and I would wait for it until the last second.
I kept on screaming, making my throat raw as the first flames licked up the walls. It was too fast. Too soon. Now the horses were screaming too.
The guys had to know. Jane had to have sent the email. They were on their way. Grant was on his way. I had to believe that.
The sound of burning swallowed up my screams.