Page 31 of Stiletto's Savior

I take a deep breath, brace myself, and push with every ounce of strength I have.

The metal bites into the wood.

With a final grunt, I drive the crowbar downward.

There’s a splintering crack and the deadbolt shatters.

I swing the door open, and the darkness yawns before me.

I pull out my phone, flicking on the flashlight.

I shove the door open, breathless, praying I’m not too late.

“Please, please be here,” I murmur, stepping into the darkness beyond.

I fumble for my phone, turning on the flashlight.

The beam cuts through the shadows, but the first thing I see is a stairwell.

My heart races as I begin to descend the stairs.

Gunshots ring out, sharp and jarring.

I duck instinctively, adrenaline flooding my veins as I rush down.

“Song, can you hear me?”

Silence swallows my words.

I swallow hard, determination hardening in my chest.

Cold air rushes up to greet me as I reach the bottom, each step echoing in the stillness.

I sweep the light across the walls.

Old pipes drip somewhere in the shadows.

Dust hangs in the air, thick as fog.

My hands shake slightly, but I push it down.

“Please, please.”

I scan the corners, searching for any sign of life.

A rat scuttles by, and I jump, pulse racing.

“Don’t do that to me, little bastard,” I mutter under my breath.

My light dances over old crates, broken furniture, and shadows that seem to breathe. Where the hell could she be?

I strain to hear anything—a whisper, a cry. God, I can’t lose her.

Then, there. A flicker of movement in the corner.

My heart practically comes to a complete stop.

“Song?”

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