When he turned to me again, he went on as if nothing happened. “There is one more thing I need, Ava. From his vault. Would you get it for me, while I help Hunter?”
My brows furrowed, but I nodded, not able to make a sound, my skin still prickling.
“He has an oval cut diamond ring in there. I need it.”
I nodded and turned towards the still open vault. I stepped inside just as Grayson pressed his thumb into Charles’s wounds, causing another scream and curses.
I tried to block it from my mind, while rummaging through the vault’s content. This one was much more disorganised than the one in Paris. There were a few ring boxes, but none with an oval cut diamond, so I kept looking, determined to find it.
A suddenclickhad me shooting to my feet, from where I crouched.
The vault door had locked.
And I was still inside.
I ran to it, pushing at it, but it was no use. I banged against the door. “Grayson!” I screamed. Could he even hear me through the thick steel?
I took a step back. Panicking wasn’t going to help me. I needed to slow my breathing and focus.
I suddenly remembered the small earpiece in a secret pocket on the inside of my jacket. In case of an emergency.
Ripping my jacket off, I laid it on the ground. My fingers located the pocket and retrieved the earpiece. I prayed that it would work through thethick steel of the vault as I pushed it into my ear. There was static as it came on in my ear.
“Grayson?”
Nothing.
“Grayson? Are you there?” I asked a bit panicked.
Static was the only answer.
“Grayson, please answer me.Please.”
A few seconds passed like hours, then, “Princess.” His voice was distorted and soft from the interference. But he was calm. There was no panic, so I calmed too.
“Thank the gods,” I said, my breath coming out in a whoosh. “I’m trapped in the vault. The door’s locked.”
There was nothing but static. I chewed at my cheeks, waiting for his reply. Did he hear me?
“I’m sorry,” came his voice so soft.
“What?” I asked, not understanding, not sure if I heard correctly.
“I’m sorry, Ava. I’m so sorry, baby,” came his voice again. Was it panic, I heard?
What was going on? Couldn’t he get me out? “Grayson?”
The static cut off. Then silence hummed in my ear. I stood frozen. I wasn’t breathing. My heart wasn’t beating.
“Grayson?” I whispered again, but I already knew he couldn’t hear me, as the nothing in my ear continued to hum.
No.
No.
My feet stumbled forward, my fists beating frantically against the door, screaming at the top of my lungs. For help. For Grayson. For Hunter. For anyone.
But no one heard. No one answered.
