But the only person I want to see right now is Grace.
Somehow, I manage to make it back to my apartment in one piece. I’m pretty sure I passed out from the pain and blood loss at least three times during the ten-minute drive, and right now, I’m not quite sure I’m still alive.
I park on the side of the building on the grass, leaving the car running as I stumble toward the entrance. A trail of blood follows me into the elevator, and my vision is so blurry that when I try to push the button for Grace’s floor, I end up selecting the one below.
A few failed tries later, I stumble out of the elevator, my vision doubling as I make my way to the white room door.Shoving it open, I stagger into the room, falling forward on my face when my legs decide to give out.
“Fuck me…” I pull my body across the ground, desperate to get to Grace’s cage.
She stares with wide eyes, her body trembling like she’s in shock—and honestly, I can’t blame her. I probably look more like a monster than a man at this point.
“Seven…” She scrambles forward, clutching the cage bars with a terrified expression. “Whathappened?”
“Knife.” I pull myself the last few feet to the base of Grace’s cage. “Many knife. Much stab.” I’m delirious and not making any sense—but I can’t seem to get my brain to focus.
I think I might be dying…
As my vision darkens, a horrible thought occurs to me. If I die here, Grace will be stuck in that cage. She won’t be able to get out, and she’ll starve to death, forced to watch my body rotting at the foot of her cage for her last days on earth.
I need to ensure that doesnothappen.
With trembling fingers, I reach into my pocket, pulling out the small gold key that unlocks her cage. I try to stretch my arm out to give it to her, but my body fails me, and my arm falls to the floor a few inches from the bars.
Oh God. Not now. Not before I get to show her how much she means to me. Not before I’m able to hold her one more time.
As the thought passes through my mind, my stomach hardens with cold realization. I will never get to hold, or touch, or kiss Grace ever again. I’m going to die here, bleeding out at her feet.
Though, I suppose in a way, it’s fitting.
Picking my head up, I stare deep into her eyes as I choke out, “There’s… cash… in the bedroom dresser… will take you… anywhere you want to go.” I take a shuddering breath, wishing I had more time. Wishing I could have been happy with her.
“Seven, don’t you dare…”
“You… you’re free…” I reach out, touching the bars with a tiny smile. “I’m… sorry… so sorry…”
The world goes dark.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
GRACE
He’s goingto fucking die.
I knew it as soon as he walked through the door, face pale as snow. It looked like all of his blood had poured from the nasty gash on his thigh, coating his clothing and staining the fabric a dark purple color. Now that he’s collapsed, a growing puddle of red spreads across the floor, a stark contrast to the pristine white tile.
I clutch the bars, trying to breathe through my panic. My eyes fall to the little key sitting in Seven’s outstretched hand, and I know what I have to do next.
Getting close to the ground, I slide my hand beneath the cage bars, wincing as the metal scrapes against my flesh. Determined not to die in this place, I push through the pain, grabbing the key ring with the tips of my fingers.
“Yes!” I draw my hand back slowly, making sure not to lose my grip on the key—I have no desire to repeat that painful experience.
It takes me thirty minutes, but somehow, I manage to fit the key into the little slot without dropping it. Another twenty, and I’m able to turn it fully, and the cage door swings wide.
Choking back a cry of relief, I crawl out on all fours, careful to avoid the sticky red pooling around Seven’s lifeless body.
Knowing from experience I probably won’t be able to walk, I continue crawling toward the exit, my skin prickling with anxiety the closer I get to freedom. Once I’m at the door, I freeze, unable to make my body move any farther.
I look back over my shoulder, taking in Seven’s overly still body, the blood still pouring from the wounds covering his skin. If I leave now, Seven will die, and I don’t know if I could forgive myself.
