“Electrocuted me, tortured me. It was awful. I couldn’t stop screaming from the pain.”
“God, Gigi, I’m so sorry.” My heart squeezed.
She winced and shook her head. I thought she was going to tell me that she wanted nothing to do with me, and I would have understood. It was perfectly understandable for her to want that.
She could be dead right now.
“If we get out of this, I will personally vet every single friend you have, and for fuck’s sake, I think you need to either work in a different department or choose another career.” She actually laughed.
I couldn’t believe she was laughing. But that was Gigi. It was what she did when she knew a situation looked bad. Granted, this had never happened to us before, but she was being herself.
“I’m so sorry this happened to you. I’m so sorry, and I understand if you hate me.” I thought I should be the one to say it.
“No. No, Amelia, don’t you dare say that to me. Don’t you dare. I know this isn’t you. It’s these guys.”
“I’m going to get you out of here,” I promised.
“How?” Through her bruises, I could see the look of confusion on her face.
“My fingers are loose. I think I may be able to do something.” I didn’t want to say any more just in case I could be heard, and I certainly wouldn’t talk about the key.
“God, Amelia, try. I can’t from here. Rope’s too tight, and even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to break free. I’m too weak.”
“Don’t worry. I’m trying.”
It was all about trying to relax and focus. Visualize the movements just like I would if I were dancing. Seeing the move before it happened. Seeing it all before it happened and working with that.
In my mind’s eye I saw the knot and moved my finger. Slowly and up, and up. Then across to where the bulk of the knot was and where it twisted.
Oh God, my finger moved in and shifted it out.
Oh God…
I can do this. I think I did it.
I did. The hold actually loosened, and the tackle it had on the other knots loosened too.
“Gigi, I need you to stay calm and work with me. Is there a camera behind me?” I needed to know before I shook the ropes off. If there was a camera—and I suspected there was—then I’d probably only have a matter of minutes to get the key, free Gigi, and get out of here. Exactly in that order.
I didn’t know where Victor and the men were stationed. It didn’t seem like they’d come from far.
“There’s a camera, Amelia. It’s just above your head.”
“Okay. I need you to focus on running when the time comes. Just that. Just use whatever strength you have left and focus on running. When we get outside, I don’t want you to think of me or anything else. I need you to think of you.”
“Amelia.” She winced, and her eyes were full of worry. “I can’t do that.”
“Gigi, please, this is life or death. It literally is. The fact of the matter is, you’re probably being kept alive for some purpose.”
She gasped on hearing that.
“You think so?”
“Yes,” I replied with certainty.
I was certain the purpose would be more than just to be used as some damn toy. They would use her in some way. Just like they’d used her to lure Luc and the others away. The strongest men had left, which had opened the doors for Tag to take me. It wasn’t even that hard. Everyone had prepped for battle, but all it took was Millicent.
Put someone I trusted completely in front of my face, and my guard dropped.
