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“Damian!” Julian’s voice pierces through the room and Damian peeks over his shoulder before growling.

“I’ll be back for you.”

He spins on his heel and stalks out of the room, fuming. As soon as the door closes, my body goes lax and it strains my shoulders more, excruciating pain shooting down into my ribs. I try to go to a happier place, in bed with Chance as he holds me close and whispers in my ear that he’s got me. If I close my eyes, I can almost hear those words and feel his breath caressing my ear.

“I love you, Chance,” I whisper into the darkness, hoping that he already knows the words I’ll never get to say to him again. And that, whatever he does, he stays the hell away from here. I have no doubt in my mind Damian will do everything he promised if Chance ever tries to save me and the thought robs me of breath. I’ll remain here in this hell as long as the people I love are safe.

“Carly?” a soft, melodic voice whispers through the dark and my head jerks up, my heart racing as I scan the room.

“Ivy?”

Rosie tentatively steps out of a little nook in the wall and I sigh, dropping my head back down. She races over to me and reaches into the pocket of her apron, pulling out a small utility knife.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know where your sister is.”

I glance up. “What are you doing down here?”

“Freeing you,” she states, looking down at the knife in her hand like it should be obvious. Maybe it should be, but my mind isn’t performing at one hundred percent right now.

“How long have I been here?”

Her gaze flicks to the watch on her wrist. “Thirteen hours, give or take.”

Thirteen hours…

Chance must be frantic.

“If they catch you down here…” My voice trails off and I shake my head. I don’t need to tell her what they’ll do because she probably knows better than I do.

“Don’t worry about me. You have to get out of here, Carly. Now.”

“They took Ivy somewhere. I need to find her.”

Shaking her head, she reaches up and cuts the rope. My arms drop like they’re filled with lead, taking me down with them as pain floods my body and I scream.

“Shh,” she whispers, kneeling next to me as I whimper and sob on the cold concrete floor. She cuts my wrists free before slipping the knife back into her pocket. “We have to go.”

I nod, pushing up off the floor as my body shakes uncontrollably and I wonder if I’ll even make it to the door. Rosie wraps her arm around my waist and helps keep me up as I stumble across the room. When we reach the door, she cracks it open and peeks out for a moment before opening it all the way. We pause again, silence greeting us and after a moment, we ascend the stairs with my heart pounding in my ears.

“Where would he take Ivy?” I ask when we reach the hallway at the top of the stairs and she shakes her head, her gaze darting from one side of the hall to the other.

“I don’t know but you don’t have time to look for her. Julian’s father stopped by and it’s the only reason they’re not down in that pit with you right now.” She drags me down the hall and I’m not strong enough to fight her no matter how badly I want to turn around and search for my sister.

“I can’t leave without my sister.”

“You have to,” she hisses, pulling me along with her as she marches to the front door and I struggle but it doesn’t slow her down. “I’ll look for Ivy, I promise.”

“No. I’m not leaving without her,” I snap, my voice getting louder and her eyes widen as she presses her hand to my lips. Damian’s voice drifts into the hallway and my heart stops.

“It was nice seeing you, too, Mr. Henshaw. We’ll have to grab a drink next time.”

“There’s no time,” Rosie gasps as we reach the front door and she pulls it open.

“Ivy. I need to get Ivy.”

Rosie’s face crumples as she shoves me out onto the porch. “I’ll find her, I promise. Now please go before you get us all killed.”

She shuts the door in my face and pain pierces my chest, radiating out to the rest of my body as a lump forms in my throat and I sink to my knees. Looking back up at the house, I clutch my throat and cry, unable to move.

I can’t leave her.