Whispered Promises
Sir was patient, petting her hair for several hours, but that feeling of uneasiness had only increased over time and was starting to frighten her.
Sitting up, she faced him. She knew Sir was holding back his questions and decided to tell him everything in the hopes that talking about it would release the growing apprehension she felt.
“I need to talk.”
Sir nodded. “I’m listening.”
Brie decided not to hold anything back. If the roles were reversed, she would want him to do the same because not knowing every detail would be torture for her.
Letting out an anxious sigh, Brie started from the very beginning, starting with what happened as soon as she arrived at the Egyptian.
Sir caressed her cheek, looking grief-stricken when he told her, “I remember feeling a check in my spirit. It was like ice running through my veins. When I tried to call you and you didn’t answer, I completely lost it.” He stared at Brie as if he was seeing a ghost—as if he couldn’t believe she was really there beside him.
Brie could feel his tension mounting when he shared, “I cannot express the level of fear that gripped me at that moment. Knowing that you needed me, but not knowing where you were was terrifying.”
Brie looked into his troubled eyes, wishing she could wash away the terror he’d felt. Shaking her head, she admitted, “I can’t tell you how much I regretted not texting the name of the theatre, but by some miracle you still found us.” She looked at him in wonder. “Holloway broke my phone as soon as he kidnapped me. How were you able to track it?”
“He’s an old fool. I only needed its last known location. The moment I saw you were at The Egyptian I knew with certainty that Holloway was involved. I immediately called the police and got in my car, driving like a bat out of hell to save you.”
Sir looked bereft when he confessed, “I don’t know how the hell Holloway was able to escape when our response was so quick…”
His voice trailed off as he shook his head in painful disbelief. “It was as if I was living Rytsar’s nightmare with Tatianna. I know exactly how he felt when I found out we’d missed you by mere minutes…”
Brie could feel the weight of his suffering and placed her hand over his heart. “But I heard the sirens. It gave me strength to know help was coming.”
He pulled her into his embrace. “It tears me apart that I didn’t save you when we were so close…”
Brie clung to Sir, wanting him to know the difference he made. “The moment Holloway heard the sirens, he was forced to abandon the punishment he planned.”
“What punishment?” Sir growled.
Brie pulled back, unable to look him in the eye. “He brought three men with him to punish me.”
“What did they do to you?” Sir asked, rage boiling under his breath.
“Nothing,” she assured him. “Because the minute they heard the sirens, they ran.”
“At least I spared you from that…” Sir said gruffly, then his eyes darkened. “But I failed to save you from Holloway.”
Brie closed her eyes, remembering the terror she’d felt when she was captured.
“There was blood at the theatre,” Sir stated. “We found Holloway’s blood, linking him to the scene.”
Brie opened her eyes, nodding. “I bit his hand trying to get away. It only enraged him more, but I’m thankful it helped.”
“How the hell did he avoid the police?” Sir asked her.
Brie explained how the two of them escaped through the tunnels between the theatres.
Sir shook his head in disbelief. “Why didn’t you run?”
“Holloway threatened to kill Mary if I escaped.” Although Brie had suffered greatly for that decision, she did not regret it. “He would have, Sir.”
“Yes,” he agreed somberly.
Brie met Sir’s gaze but couldn’t stop her bottom lip from trembling. “I began to lose hope once we arrived at the compound and I realized how isolated we were.” Looking at him questioningly, she asked, “How did you find us, Sir?”
He let out a ragged sigh. “The tip came from such an unlikely source that I questioned its validity. To be honest, I was certain it was a trap, but with nothing else to go on, I had no other choice but to take it at face value.”