Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72421 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 241(@300wpm)
I should probably be terrified, but being in the pitch-black in the hole had taught me a bit about myself. I’m much stronger than I thought.
Which means I need to find a way out. I really start to take everything in. I’m alone and on a bed that has blankets and pillows.
I wiggle to sit up. The whole room is nice but bare. The walls are covered in a yellow flower wallpaper design. There is a dresser and side table, but that’s about it. They stripped the room of anything I could really get my hands on to use.
Even the TV is gone, with only the mount still on the wall. There are, however, curtains, which I’m guessing cover a window. I wiggle my toes, realizing my boots are gone. I close my eyes and try to push back the thoughts of being out cold while two men manhandled me.
I feel okay except for the small throb in my back. I thought they actually shot me, but whatever it was, knocked me out. The rest of me seems okay. I try to push to my feet, but my knees only let me get my ass a few inches off the bed before they give out.
Come on, I order myself. Eros is counting on me. I bet he’s beyond pissed. I have never seen him totally lose it. He punched his brother that one time, but I think Eros could explode. I sense that about him. His quiet demeanor matched with that dark, intent stare he has.
My heart aches just thinking about him. It’s crazy how fast a person can become your whole world, but that’s what Eros is. I should have told him about the messages. He might be bossy, but he would have helped me find a way to meet with my father if I’d simply asked. The man doesn’t tell me no often, if ever, really.
I pull at my hands, trying to test the tape. It would be helpful to walk if I had my hands or at least got them in front of me. I try to lift my ass a little to slide my hands under me.
My shoulders burn from the strain, but I get them underneath me. I grit my teeth to keep from making a sound as I let myself fall back onto the bed, lifting my legs at the same time. The movement helps me through the action of pulling my knees to my chest.
For a second, I think I’m going to rip a muscle or pop something out of place, but I get it. A whoosh of air leaves me. I let myself have a few seconds to recover before forcing myself to sit up again. At least my hands are in front of me now. That makes a world of difference.
I stare at the curtains and test my knees again, able to lean forward slightly this time to help with my balance, and I get to my feet. I hurry over to the curtain and pull it back to see that it is covered with drywall that was nailed on there quickly. There is a small gap at the very top, with no light coming in from it. I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy. These people are obviously professionals.
It’s still night, and we have to be somewhere they’re worried I’ll be seen. Otherwise, you’d simply nail the window shut. Well, that’s the logical thing, but who actually knows? I think I’m telling myself that so I have this sliver of hope that if I can get the drywall off, help will be right on the other side.
The window may not have worked in my favor, but I find a small bit of comfort knowing that Eros and the Marino family have my back. A few weeks ago, I didn’t have that. I’m sure my father already knows I’m missing, and he’s going to be out for blood. I probably shouldn’t find solace in that, but whoever took me brought this upon themselves.
Now what do I do? Think, Bonte. I bring my taped wrists to my mouth to see if I can chew them off. My heart sinks when I hear a noise and the muffled words of two people talking. I creep toward the door to see if I can hear them.
I swear I recognized one of the men who’d gotten out of the car, but it was so dark, and their hoods and masks covered them.
“How long do you think we’re going to be holed up here until he pops his head out?” one of the men asks the other.
“He’s unpredictable. But she’s the only reason he would.”
I know they are talking about my father. “We don’t have much of a choice. It’s him or us, or we have to disappear, and we both know we can’t do that right now.” Mac told me it’s almost impossible for anyone to disappear anymore.