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I let out a roar, charging forward like a fucking rabid dog. I was practically foaming at the mouth, my anger and frustration potent.

I didn’t trust easily. Hell, I could name on one hand the number of people I trusted. I didn’t know if I was more angry at myself or her. My brain had warned me against trusting her, but my damn heart had only been thinking of Addie.

I tried the knob half-heartedly, despite already knowing it’d be locked. I could ram it down, but what were the chances someone would hear me? Would they allow me to live?

Holding my breath, I pressed my forehead against the wood. It was cold beneath my skin, the chill seeping into my very core.

My mind automatically focused on Addie. My light. My salvation. My love. She had saved my life more times than I could count when I was a prisoner. Whenever I wanted to give up, give in, sink into the inevitable abyss of oblivion, I heard her voice. Calling to me. Comforting me. Assuring me of her love.

“Callie, hang on.”

“Seriously, Big Guy, quit being a pussy and fight back.”

Her words helped me, saved me, wove together the jagged, tattered remains of my wounded soul. Through it all, she was beside me. Every torture session. Every flirt by the evil, conniving bitch. Every moment when my own thoughts became my worst enemy.

I knew, without a doubt, she would help me get through this now. I just had to hang in there, plan an escape, and then I’d hold her in my arms for all of eternity.

Easy.

Voices reached me from the other side of the door, coming closer with each heartbeat. I glanced in both directions quickly, debating whether or not I should slide under the bed before deciding on the closet.

Such a fucking cliché.

Hiding in the closet from an evil governmental group who tortured me and wanted to kill my girlfriend. Honestly, you couldn’t make up this shit.

I had just shut the closet door when the bedroom door was pushed open, and voices reached me.

No, not voices.

One voice.

It was music, pure music, and it caused my already erratic heartbeat to pick up speed. I felt simultaneously ecstatic and terrified as her sweet voice filtered to me in my hiding place. Tears burned my eyes, and I didn’t stop them from cascading down my cheeks. The salty taste hit my tongue. I covered my mouth to silence my sobs.

Was I dreaming?

Hallucinating?

Were my days of pain and torture and sleep deprivation and hunger finally catching up to me?

Was I going mad...again?

But no, it was her sweet voice permeating the air. Slamming into me. Killing me ever so sweetly.

I closed my eyes briefly as she sarcastically wished her captors a good night and then threatened to skin their penises.

Addie.