“Don’t go anywhere.”
“I won’t.” She stretches. “I think a nap is exactly what I need.”
She closes her eyes and I walk away. I linger at the door before slipping out, shutting it behind me.
The security guys just look at me, bored expressions on their faces.
I walk on. I’m running out of time. I doubt my mother’s going to give us more than another day, maybe two at most. If her father is asking around our little circle of rich and elite people, that means my timeline is shrinking rapidly.
So I need to figure it out and fast.19AmberI wake up from my nap and the sun’s starting to set. I check the clock and groan. I slept for a few hours, way longer than I thought I would. And I’m not even a nap person.
Brent’s not in the room. I get up and shower off. When I get out, Brent’s still gone. I poke my head out of the door and look around.
The security guys are gone, too.
I frown a little bit and duck back inside. I put some shoes on and limp out into the hall again. I look around and start to walk. I want to find Brent and talk about this plan he’s coming up with.
The idea of contacting my dad freaks me out but I know he’s right. We have to find some way to negotiate with him. I just don’t know how we can possibly do that. The only thing he wants is that land, and Dave isn’t going to sell without a marriage in place.
I limp down the quiet halls until I get to some stairs. They’re steep, dark, and winding. I can’t see what’s beyond the turn just a few feet down. I look at them for a second before slowly stepping down. I have to take it one step at a time, but I can do it if I’m careful. It doesn’t hurt too bad, actually, which surprises me. A week ago, this would have been really painful, but it’s actually not that bad at all.
Which means I’m getting better. A little bit at a time, but still, getting better.
I smile to myself as I keep going. I’m about halfway down when I hear someone on the steps above me.
“Hello?” I call out. “I’m sorry, I’m pretty slow, but you can go around me.”
Silence. I wait a long beat. “Hello?” I ask again.
I hear the steps creak.
“Uh, hi, sorry. I know this is weird. I’m just a little slow.”
Another creak. My heart starts to beat faster.
I move. I take another step, another. I limp down and the steps curve away. I start to panic a little as I hear another creak above me, getting closer and closer.
Hands grab my arms. I scream and whip my head around. I catch a glimpse of a face before something black is shoved over my head from behind me. The hood is rough and I scream, struggling, as the hands grab me tighter.
This isn’t like the first time. These hands are strong and intense. I feel myself lifted, thrown over a shoulder. I fight and kick but it’s like hitting a brick wall.
I’m carried downstairs. I hear whispering. I think one of the voices is female, but I can’t be sure. I’m carried down a hall until I’m thrown into a room. I land on a couch and start to thrash before groaning as my leg bangs into something hard.
“Get her off the floor,” the female voice says. “She’s pathetic.”
I groan as I’m dragged up onto the couch again. I feel the hands grab my wrists and wrap something around them, nice and tight.
“Well now. That’s better.” The female sounds like she’s smiling. “Take off that hood. Let’s chat.”
The hood is ripped off my head. I blink for a second and stare at Collin and Hannah.
She smiles at me. “Hello, darling.”
“What… what are you doing?” I look down at the rope tying my wrists. “What are you doing? Untie me, what the fuck?”
“Calm down,” Collin says. “It’s okay. Just calm down.”
“No, I can’t, untie me.” I start to thrash and Collin holds me down, looking back at Hannah for support. I kick and try to slam my head against him, but he just ignores me.
“Stop that,” Hannah snaps at me. “Have some dignity, for Christ’s sake. It’s pathetic, you flopping like a fish.”
I slow and stop, breathing hard. I glare at her, eyes wild, fear ripping through me. “What are you doing?”
“That’s better.” Collin lets me go. “Really, you’re okay. Just calm down.”
I just ignore him. Clearly, he’s not the brains here.
That’s Hannah. She stares at me, her eyes clear and level. There’s a little smile on her lips again.
“What do you want?” I ask.
“Here’s the thing, dear. My brother and me, we, ah, we don’t exactly get along with mommy and daddy anymore. Do we, brother?”