Page 146 of Almost Rotten

Heart suddenly thundering, I rush to the storage shed in the corner.

“Out! Let me fuckingout!”

Tytus.

He’s in there. He’s inside this tiny enclosure, and the door is latched shut.

Just like before.

Just like his nightmares.

My knees buckle, but I refuse to go down.

Without turning to face either Mercer or Noah, I demand, “Tytus is in there?”

My voice is shrill yet steady.

“You locked him in a fucking shed?”

“Sawyer,” he cries, his voice hoarse.

This time, I do lose my footing.

Stumbling against the door, I cry out. “I’m here. It’s okay. You’re okay, Ty. Just hang on.”

Rather than settle, his shouts get louder and he pounds harder. The vibrations against the metal door send tremors through my limbs. I reach for the latch, but I can’t grasp it. My hands are too shaky.

“Hold on,” I plead.

I tug at the latch, but my grip slips again.

“Help me,” I seethe over my shoulder.

As if my words flip a switch, both men leap into action and rush over.

“Sawyer…”

Ty’s sob is broken, ricocheting off the deepest corners and darkest places of my heart.

“Hurry,” I sob, angrily swiping at the tears blurring my vision.

Crying won’t get him out any faster.

Cursing, Mercer fumbles with the latch, but he gets nowhere.

Rage bubbles inside me with each passing second.

“Get himout.”

“I’m trying,” he snaps. “The latch is bent. Yourhusbandmust have damaged it while he slammed into it over and over again like a caged animal.”

A sharp pain lances my chest, stealing my breath. I crane back as if I’ve been physically struck.

He did this.

Mercer did this on purpose.

Tytus is locked in his own personal hellscape, probably injuring himself further, because of Mercer.