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She waves her gun to motion for me to go first. I want to sprint downstairs to find Eve and rescue her, but I also don’t want a bullet in the back of my head.
There’s no door at the end of the staircase, so I walk through the doorframe and into the unfinished basement. Gray concrete floor and exposed framing andinsulation gives the impression it’s a construction site rather than the basement of an upper-middle-class house.
Unsure of where to go, I stop and scan my surroundings.
The left side of the basement is like an open area, whereas the right side has several unfinished rooms sectioned off, hiding them from my view.
Silence surrounds me, no matter how hard I strain my ears.
Where the fuck is Eve?
I’m about to ask Ruby when someone shouts, “All the way to the end and on the right.”
Ruby makes a noise behind me, but I ignore her and do what the person said.
That voice.
Why does it sound familiar?
I try to stay calm and keep my footsteps at a normal pace when all I want to do is charge. But I need to get Eve out of here, and I can’t do that if I’m dead before I ever get to her.
Trepidation fills every step I take toward the mentioned room. But I make it and get my first look inside the framed room. The fine hairs on the nape of my neck stand on end, followed by bile rising up my throat. I freeze, and Ruby bumps into me before peeking around me to see why I stopped.
I don’t see her response, nor do I give a fuck.
All I can focus on is Eve curled up on a large metal bed in the middle of the room. And she isn’t alone.
“Eve.” Her name is laced with icy panic, the same one that’s creeping up my hands and into my chest. “What the fuck did you do to her? I swear to God, if you hurt her . . .”
My body is tense. Trembling. I take in the scene in front of me, not wanting to miss anything. The bed is a king, if not bigger, the headboard made out of metal slats that are attached to poles on either side. The mattress is bare, but from here, it appears clean. At least something.
Eve doesn’t seem to have any apparent injuries, but I can’t be sure she’s okay until I check.
Shehasto be okay.
If anyone deserves a fucking break from life, it’s this woman. She’s gone through so much already, and I will get her out of here, even if it’s the last thing I do.
A bead of sweat rolls down my nape as I step forward, a low noise erupting from the back of my throat when the person sitting on the bed beside Eve puts a finger against his lips.
“Shh. We don’t want to wake her up.”
He’s wearing a hoodie, and I can’t see his face since he’s watching Eve. He reaches for her cheek, caressing it in such a loving gesture that I see red.
I move before I realize what I’m doing, and he shoots up. I barrel forward until he aims a gun straight at my face andtsks.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
Warning bells go off, and I stop.
I don’t dare move while I take him in. He’s around my height, maybe an inch or two shorter, and not only is he wearing a hoodie but also a mask.
“Who are you?” My heart is beating like a drum. “And what the fuck is going on?”
He shrugs. “Just catching up with some old friends, that’s all. We’ll all have a great time together, won’t we?”
That voice. Damn it. Where have I heard it before?
Eve lets out a little groan like she doesn’t feel good, and my gaze flickers to her in a panic.