Page 57 of Can't Be Love

Trevor came in with Kent. “Sorry, Miss Westin, there will be no coffee after the rather unfortunate incident they just explained to you.”

That certainly confirmed they were listening to and not just watching us.

“Coke? Chocolate? Anything with even the slightest bit of caffeine?” I was practically begging.

He sighed. “I’ll see what I can do. Despite what you must think, our intentions are not to make your lives miserable.”

I snorted. “So, these are just your best accommodations?”

He smirked at me. “Touché.”

Awkwardly he turned and left. I tried to reposition myself, wondering just how long it would take for this cavalry to arrive and break me out of this prison cell. I didn’t really talk to the others much. It seemed too risky, knowing they were listening in. My imagination got carried away with all sorts of secret spy stuff and various escape scenarios. I knew I couldn’t just break myself out. No, I’d have to save the others, too.

I felt around in my pockets. Nothing. I found a bobby pin still stuck in my hair. I was convinced I could pick all the locks and ninja fight my way out of there before they could stop me. I took a deep breath, bracing for the exact moment I would enact my plan.

Just then, an alarm went off. It was a loud siren, like a fire alarm. I knew that was my chance. The others would have to be distracted by the noise. I quickly took my bobby pin and squeezed my arms through the cage bars. They rubbed tightly against my skin, feeling like they were burning it off. I bit back a scream and got to work, awkwardly maneuvering the hair pin into the lock and twisting it all around. Nothing. They made this look so easy in the movies. Determined, I still tried to pick the lock, my arms now stuck as far as they’d go through the bars. I never even stopped to think how I’d get them out of there once the lock was popped. I just kept working.

Soon the door burst open and I knew I was busted. They were going to take my bobby pin away and frisk me for more. I hadn’t asked what they’d done to Lyle and Samson as punishment for their great escape plan, aside from the coffee ban. Maybe I should have, so I’d know what was coming next.

“What the bloody hell are you doing?” an all-too-familiar voice asked.

“Patrick?” I practically yelled, trying to look up and see him, but with my arms wedged so tightly through the cage bars, my face was pressed up against them and I was unable to move. Tears pricked my eyes at knowing he was there. I was safe. A strange tingling sensation shot up my spine like electrical current. I took in a deep breath from the shock of it. That’s when I smelled him. “Thomas?” I whispered. “Patrick, is Thomas with you?”

“Of course. You think he was gonna let us rescue his girl without him? He practically had a path marked to your doorstep. If the snow hadn’t come in so quickly last night, he’d have had you home long before we arrived,” Patrick told me.

“Thomas?” I yelled. “I’m in here.”

“Lily,” I heard as footsteps ran towards me. I saw his feet stop just below me. He bent down and looked up at me. “What are you doing?”

Samson let out that full belly laugh of his.

“Not helping, Samson. Are you going to get me out of here or not?”

“Seriously, Lil, what the feck are you doing?” Patrick asked as I heard him unlock the cages above me.

“Since we’re stopping to make fun of me, I’m assuming you have the threat under control?” I said, getting a little annoyed.

“Toss me the keys,” Thomas finally said. “Your captors are in custody. You’re all safe now. Let’s see about getting you out of here.”

Thomas removed the bobby pin from my hand. He held it up and I could tell he was grinning in amusement without even seeing his face. He unlocked and then removed the lock, but when he went to open the door, I came flying out with it.

“Whoa, there,” Patrick said as Thomas grabbed my legs that didn’t quite reach the floor below. His contact calmed my wolf for the first time since the whole nightmare began, but my arms were tightly wedged between the bars and they weren’t budging.

“Get a chair for her to stand on,” Thomas ordered. “What did you do?”

“I was trying to escape. I heard the siren go off and thought this was our chance.”

“And what? You were just going to pick the lock with a hair pin?” Thomas asked.

I could hear humor in his voice, but I also felt his underlying nerves. He was keeping it light so as not to freak me out–or anyone else.

“I saw it in a movie Chase made me watch once. They made it look simple.” The room exploded in laughter. I groaned. “Laugh it up, but get me out of here.”

“Can you pull your arms back through?” Patrick asked.

“Don’t you think I’ve tried that?”

“We may need to soap them up.” Yutu offered. At least he was trying to help.

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