“If Maddy is the heir to the world, then yeah, he’s for sure with them,” I say as I shift gears and drive toward the exit. “Because there’s no way my father will leave something that powerful alone.”
The engine roars as I peel out of the air hangar parking lot and steer onto the road.
“Do you think he’s already made Finn and Maddy get married?” Noah asks. “Because I’m worried he has, and I’m worried what he’s made her and Finn do.”
Again, my stomach tightens with knots that ache so badly it’s complicated to breathe evenly.
I want to believe my father wouldn’t follow through with forcing Maddy and Finn to get married and procreate, but I’m walking proof that he would. He forced me into a betrothed marriage. He also forced my mother to stay with him for years, and he forced Noah to pay him hush money for his own father.
Finn has also been suspicious that he’s been involved in human trafficking. I didn’t want to believe it, but now…
Well, I’m pretty sure my father will stop at nothing to get what he wants.
CHAPTER 15
MADDISON
Finnand I spend some time searching the room for hidden cameras and a way out. We discovered a few cameras, which we weren’t surprised by that, but we didn’t find a way out. Which, again, we weren’t surprised about.
The room is spacious and fully stocked with amenities to keep us comfortable. It also has a fridge that is stocked with drinks and food with long expiration dates, but it worries me that we’ll have to live off this type of food that isn’t healthy.
Then again, nothing about this situation is healthy.
Finn checks the window for the tenth time, checking to see if he can find a lock to open it. But we’ve looked enough that I’m convinced that the window isn’t open. Plus, we’re on the fourth floor. Finn is convinced, though, that if we can get it open, we can use the sheets to make a rope and climb out.
“You’ve seen too many action movies,” I tell him as I sit on the bed, drinking some juice and eating chips.
He presses his palms against the glass and tries to shove the window up with so much force that his face goes red. “It’ll work,” he grunts as he puts more force into it.
But then his hands slip, and he trips, falling on his back on the floor.
I bite down on my tongue, wrestling back a laugh. “Are you okay?”
He dramatically drapes his arm over his face. “No.”
Rolling my eyes, I get off the bed and offer him my hand. “Come on, drama queen. Come get something to eat and sit down with me.”
He lifts his arm and blasts me with an unimpressed look. “I’m not a drama queen.”
I elevated my brow. “Okay.”
He narrows his eyes at me, but then sighs. “All right, I am. But this is a dramatic event, so it’s justified right now.”
“I never said it was a bad thing that you were. I just stated a fact.” I wiggle my fingers at him, urging him to take my hand so I can pull him to his feet.
He does, but doesn’t let me pull him up, instead standing up on his own while holding my hand. He doesn’t let go as I lead him to the bed. I tug him with me as I sit down, then hand him the bag of chips.
He stuffs a handful into his mouth, chewing as he contemplates over what I’m certain is a way to get that window open.
“You know, we’d probably have better luck getting that door open.” I hitch my thumb over my shoulder, aware that Mr. Averson is eavesdropping on this conversation and might even be getting off on watching us struggle.
Finn tosses the bag of chips aside. “That door will only open from the other side. My father has the same door on his panic rooms.”
I grimace. “So there’s no way to get out of here then.”
“Not necessarily. That window?—”
“That window isn’t open,” I snap, then immediately regret it. “I’m sorry.”
