Page 67 of His Toy

“I’ll ask,” I said. “I’ll get you out of here as soon as I can.”

“You better,” she said. And we clutched each other tightly, because for once, we realized we didn’t know if we’d see each other ever again.

***

As I pulled into the driveway, a dark figure stood in the window at the top of the stairs, looking down at me. Zaid. I had hoped he would be at work, to give me a moment to search for answers before I spoke to him. A moment to pretend like the world was fine. Nothing was wrong. Like we were fine.

Once I was in the doors, he immediately pulled me into his arms, swallowing me in a hug. I flinched in surprise; affection like this was unlike him. After a few seconds, I grasped him too, craving the kindness.

“You’re here,” he said. “Home.”

My heart melted, hearing those words, and with everything in my heart, I wanted it to be true.Home.My home.Ourhome. I wanted so badly to have a place I could call my own, and I finally felt like I had found that here with him. But I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep, not until I did Hazel’s only request. I had driven through the night to investigate, to find answers.

Ask him.It was simple enough.

Did it only feel good to hold him, to have his arms wrapped around me, because he had treated me poorly? Disciplined me for being wrong, for not being good enough. So that when this small gesture of kindness came, I was surprised? That he made me grateful for even this small gesture?

Zaid pulled apart, but kept his arms around my back.

“I’m late for a meeting with an old friend,” he said.

So he did have work. I lifted an eyebrow. It was still dark outside. “Before the crack of dawn?”

“Dr. Evans and I have had an early morning tradition,” he said. “He’s a neutral party. A friend of mine, and Eric’s.”

I furrowed my brows. “He’s not a threat?”

“He wants Eric gone as much as I do. But he understands the benefit of knowing Eric.”

Then it dawned on me. Zaid was late. He hadn’t left yet.

“You waited for me,” I said.

“I couldn’t leave without knowing that you were here. That you were safe.”

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to think that he was telling the truth. But Hazel’s voice kept ringing in my ears, words she had said, and words I could imagine her saying.

He’s a psychopath. He’s doing this to fuck with you. None of this is real.

Zaid kissed my forehead, then turned to leave, and when I didn’t let go of his hand, he stopped.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Hazel said you have a prison full of people.” I gestured around. “Is that true? Do you have a prison in the house?” I bit my lip. “Or anywhere on your property, I guess?”

He stared at me for what felt like an eternity, then he said slowly, with emphasis on each word, “There is no prison in this house.”

In this house.

Why did that sound strange?

Zaid wouldn’t lie to me. I told myself that he was telling the truth.

I watched as he left the property, down the driveway, disappearing into the first rays of early morning sunlight. He was gone, at least for now. The energy from racing here was pulsing in my veins. I couldn’t rest, not until I had checked. Zaid was gone, but I knew he would eventually see the security footage. And if he watched, or if Grant found me, then so be it. But Ihadto do it. I had to prove that Hazel was wrong.

With every fiber in my being, I wanted her to be wrong.

The door in the woods was locked, with no keypad in sight. The only physical key I remembered seeing was in the surveillance room, the key to my collar. It was a starting place. Zaid had probably hidden the key from me in a secret compartment somewhere I would never find, but I had to try.