Air whooshes out of my mouth, and my shoulders slump in relief. I jump up, springing into action, using the pantyhose I stole from Miss Dunbar to tie his hands and feet to the four posts of the bed.
It won’t hold him for long, but I had no rope, so I’m improvising. Besides, I don’t expect him to be conscious for at least three or four hours, which should give me enough of a head start.
I briefly consider ripping his boxers off and leaving him naked, but that’d be overkill. They will fire him for sure when he’s discovered like this, and I’ve humiliated him enough. A momentary pang of guilt jumps up and slaps me until I remember he was the one keeping me in a drug-induced haze the first couple of weeks I was here, and all sympathy vanishes.
Grabbing his cell, wallet, and security card from the inside of his jacket pocket, I cast one last glance at him over my shoulder before I creep out of my room.
I tiptoe quietly down the hallways, pleased to see no flashing red lights on the cameras, confirming Wyatt did a stellar job disabling the security system. It was sheer luck that their IT guy is out of town at a party tonight, and it will take him several hours to make it back here to fix it. That should give me enough time to get away undetected.
I check the time on Wyatt’s cell, and I have twenty minutes until the supply truck arrives. That should work. I push through the staff door, flying down the stairs, keeping my head down and focused as I descend four flights before reaching the basement level.
Pressing Wyatt’s security card against the keypad at the door, I wait with bated breath, relieved when a tiny click resonates and the door unlocks, granting me exit. I poke my head out quickly, conducting a sweep of the place.
It’s an underground parking lot, and it’s pretty deserted this time of night because all the daytime staff has gone home by now, and most residents don’t get visitors. Still, I flatten my back to the wall as I creep toward the exit ramp, my eyes darting in every direction as I watch for signs of life.
I’m almost home free when the sounds of approaching voices send blood thrumming in my ears. I duck down behind the nearest car, praying to every deity known to mankind that they are not heading this way. My pulse pounds in my neck and my heart is beating so fast I fear I’m on the verge of a coronary. The voices halt near me, and I hold my breath, swallowing back bile, as I make all kinds of promises to a God I no longer believe in.
The sound of retreating footsteps is music to my ears, and I slump to the ground, attempting to recalibrate my breathing. When the voices completely fade, I straighten up, scanning the space before I take off jogging toward the exit ramp.
I stop when I reach the top, looking left and right, wondering which way is the fastest route to the service side entrance, when a hand wraps around my mouth from behind, and I’m pulled back against a warm chest.
I lift my leg, ready to inflict some damage when his warm breath skates across my ear. “Don’t. It’s me, Abby.”
CHAPTER THREE
“Charlie?” He lets me go, and I spin around, flinging my arms around his neck and clinging to him. “Oh my God. It’s so good to see you!” I admit, momentarily forgetting he’s on my shit list, because itisso good to see someone familiar.
“Abby.” He circles his arms around my waist, hugging me close as he presses kisses to the top of my head. The smell of his cologne wraps around me, and the familiarity is comforting. “What the hell are you doing?” he asks, gripping my arms and scrutinizing my face with troubled eyes.
“What does it look like?” I shuck out of his hold. “Getting the fuck out of this nuthouse.”
“You can’t.” He shakes his head. “You need to go back to your room ASAP.”
I narrow my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. “In case you don’t know, I’m fucking pissed at you, and I’m done taking orders.”
“You’re pissed atme?” Shock splays across his face, his vibrant green eyes betraying his confusion, before realization dawns. “I’m sorry I haven’t visited before. Your asshole father wouldn’t let me until now.”
That’s not what I was referencing.Doesn’t he get that I’m mad at pretty much everyone?And, if Iamat Parkhurst, Iwillbe plenty pissed that neither he nor Drew came to check on me. And until I know why my father has negotiated a new deal with the Barrons, I can’t trust Charlie, as much as it saddens me to admit that. “Were you in on it?” I level him with a penetrating stare. “The night of our engagement, you seemed to know what would happen. How is that?”
He looks behind him briefly before reaching for my hand. I step back away from him. “I can explain but not here,” he says. “I’m with your father, and he thinks I came back to get my cell from the car. He didn’t spot you, but I did. But if I don’t show up soon, he’ll suspect something. You need to go back to your room and follow my lead.” He reaches for me again, and I take another step back.
A pained look washes over his face. “Please, just trust me, Abby. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you.”
I snort. The number of times the men in my life have said that to me is laughable. I don’t trust any of them. Except for Xavier, because he’s the only one who hasn’t betrayed me or let me down. “Trust you? You let them ambush me twice that night!” I shriek, letting some of my pent-up rage loose. “Once with the engagement and second with the kidnapping.”
“I tried to get you to safety!” he shouts. “Oscar was supposed to bring you to Xavier’s warehouse, and we would flee to Europe. I had it all set up.”
“What?” I splutter.
“Dad was helping. He wants to get you away from your father as much as I do, but everything turned to shit when Atticus Anderson and Wesley Marshall showed up, messing up our plans.”
“Why would you do that for me?”
He moves close, cupping my face. “Because we care about you, and we don’t want him hurting you any more than he already has.”
I blink fast—surprised, overwhelmed, and confused at the news. Then his words properly register, and I press my chest into his, looking up at him with panicked eyes. “Please tell me Oscar’s all right?!”
He glances nervously behind him. “I will fill you in on everyone, but you need to get back to your room now. Please, Abby. You’re going to ruin everything if you’re not there when we arrive.”
