Hold on Madi, we’re coming.
Nathan’s hand landed on my shoulder. “We’ll find her.”
"Hooyah."
Chapter 37
Madi
“Ibet you think your stupid boyfriend will come save you, don’t you?” Pamela spat out her words. “But he can’t. You know who can? Paul. He’s the real hero.”
I couldn’t argue. All firefighters were heroes in my book.
And Matt would come save me, and he wouldn’t be alone. Dad and my brothers would call everyone, and they’d use every tool at their disposal to find me.
But will they find me in time?
When my phone vibrated in my pocket, hope bloomed. It was too late for a friendly chat, so Jamie had to be checking on me.
It’s only a matter of time.
More texts came through, but I ignored the vibrating sensation so Pamela wouldn’t realize I had my phone and smash it.
Could they trace the phone if I wasn’t on a call? Despite having a family full of former cops, I didn’t actually know fact from fiction. Just because they did it on TV didn’t mean it could happen in real life.
Please God, let them trace my locat—
Pain seared through my left arm, cutting off my prayer.
When I cried out, Pamela giggled.
Maybe if I could get her talking about her brother, she’d stop slashing me. “Is Paul working tonight?”
“Yup.”
“Maybe he’ll be my hero after all.”
How would Paul react to finding out his sister kidnapped and tortured me?
“Don’t be stupid. He doesn’t work here,” she sneered at me.
True. The only way he’d respond to the 9-1-1 call was if the local paramedics were unavailable.
Bur first, someone had to call or no one would respond.
I couldn’t. Pamela wouldn’t.
No one else knows I’m here.
I clenched my teeth and stiffened my spine as she lifted the knife. This time, she stabbed it into my left thigh. Despite my best effort, a muffled scream escaped.
When she yanked the knife out, blood soaked my legging and pooled on the floor.
“I read somewhere that screaming makes pain more bearable. Maybe you should try it.” She slashed across my stomach.
I whimpered as blood flowed from the long cut.I'm not as tough as I pretend to me.
I bet my brothers wouldn't have screamed or whimpered. Steeling my nerves, I grit my teeth and braced for Pamela's next attack.
