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14
The sound of the shower wakes me. I’m a little sore, but it’s the good sore that comes after a hard workout. And a hard—
My eyes fly open.
This is my last day.
And I’m alone in bed.
Ryker’s in the shower—I hear the psycho humming. Who hums happily the day they’re about to execute somebody? Hunter’s not here, so that means I have little time.
I’m still shackled at my ankle. No sense trying to break the cuff or the chain, it wouldn’t be anything but a waste of precious time. There’s got to be something around here I can use to get free. If not now, at some point during the day I have left.
The nightstand drawer is empty. I close it slowly, carefully, one eye on the half-open bathroom door. The water’s still running, and I hear splashing coming from in there. He isn’t just running the shower to throw me off-guard.
What else can I search? I feel under the pillows, even in the cases. Nothing. No key, no bits of metal I can use to work the lock.
My only other option is searching under the bed. Might as well. I won’t die without knowing I did everything in my power to be free. I roll onto my stomach and lean over, hands exploring under the bed frame while the shower runs and Ryker hums. It’s all so damn surreal.
Nothing on the right side. I search under the foot of the bed next, but no luck there, either. Dust bunnies won’t free me.
It’s not until I’m searching the left side, up by the headboard, that my fingers touch metal. I run them over the metal, holding my breath. It’s a small key, I’m sure of it, tucked inside the little lip running along the underside of the wooden bed frame.
The water stops. I leave the key and straighten myself out, forcing myself to breathe evenly as I curl back up like I was asleep all this time. I don’t want him coming in here and seeing me all out of breath and flushed.
Now, it’s a matter of finding the right moment. How many times have they left me on my own? I’m cuffed at the ankle, there’s no way for me to break loose. I can only pray that’s how they see the situation.
It’s not the bathroom door that opens first. It’s the bedroom door.
Hunter walks in—no, that’s not right. He staggers in a little, like he’s slightly drunk. I’m glad he has it in him to celebrate on the day he knows I’m going to die thanks to him.
I grit my teeth and sit up in bed. “Hi.”
“Goodie… good morning.” Yeah, he’s messed up on something. “How you feeling?”
“How do you think?” I move my leg, tugging the chain on the cuffs.
He looks away from it. Away from me. “Yeah, that’s tough. I can’t say I’m sorry since you were bound to try to get out. Obviously, we couldn’t let that happen.”
He’s already speaking in past tense, like the way they’ve treated me happened a long time ago. He stumbles to the dresser and rummages through the drawer, talking to himself under his breath.
What the hell is going on?
Ryker swings the bathroom door open and steam billows out into the bedroom. “What are you doing in here? We talked about this.” Before Hunter can give him an answer, Ryker yanks him into the bathroom and slams the door shut.
Should I try to get out now? While they’re in there? I consider it and even drape myself over the bed, ready to reach under to find the key again. I can hear them talking, loud and angry.
“I fucking told you!”
The sound of Ryker losing his cool and shouting at Hunter stops me. Hunter yells something back, but it’s sort of garbled, like he’s having a hard time putting words together. Still, there’s obvious anger, even fury in his voice. What’s happening between them?
Can I make it work to my advantage?
Glass breaks and I flinch remembering sitting in my bedroom, knees against my chest, hands over my ears as things broke elsewhere in the house. I’m not a kid anymore and covering my ears won’t make any difference, but that doesn’t mean I can help the rising panic in my chest. No way I’ll be able to get away now, not when I can’t make my hands stop shaking.
My stare remains glued to the door as it slowly opens, revealing a flushed Hunter. Ryker follows close behind, glaring at the back of Hunter’s head. Whatever happened has him ready to spit nails, that’s obvious. I wish I knew what they were fighting about.
“Are you okay?” Backed up against the headboard, I glance from one of them to the other, totally helpless. I hope they don’t decide to take their fight out on me somehow.
