Page 170 of Tangled In Lies

Of course.

On a deep inhale, I grab his limp hand and situate his thumb over the screen. It takes me numerous tries, but the phone finallyunlocks.

“Come on, come on.” I push the green phone button, type in nine-one-one, and wait. But nothing happens. “No, please.”

I hold the phone away from my ear and stare at the corner of the screen. No service.

The jammer.

Shit.

I have no idea where it is. Shit, I don’t even know what it looks like.

No, no, no.

We didn’t get this far to fail now. It’s not over yet.

A sob racks my body. I move back to Phoenix and press my lips to his, but then I’m up. I hold the phone in a death grip and sprint out of the room, gasping at Ruby’s unmoving form.

Fuck.

I already forgot about my best friend again.

Tears fall to the floor as I crouch beside her, dropping the phone to search for her pulse. Hers is easier to find than Phoenix’s, stronger under my fingertips. Thank goodness.

A soft groan escapes her mouth, and I shush her. “Don’t move, Ruby. You’ll be okay. I’m getting help.”

Jumping up, I grab the phone once more and touch the screen to keep it unlocked. I race through the house until I reach the front door. It’s heavy in my hand, but I haul it open and run down the front steps. I race down the long driveway toward the street that lies beyond, my gaze constantly flicking to the phone to see if the service has returned.

I don’t know how far the reach of the signal jammer goes, so I keep pushing my tired legs. Ignoring the bite on the bottom of my bare feet slapping on the concrete and pebbles.The crisp fall air bites at my skin, goosebumps immediately spreading over my entire body.

Despite feeling like I’m about to collapse, I make it to the road and take a left turn on instinct. A strangled sound leaves my lips when two network bars appear on the screen. Oh my God. Finally, I crumble to the ground and repeat my earlier call.

“Nine-one-one, what’s your emergency?”

“Can you track the location of my phone?” My breathing is so loud I hope the woman on the other end of the line can make out the words.

“Give me one second.” She’s quiet for two beats. “Yes, I got you.”

“I was kidnapped. One person is dead, two injured.”

My eyes flare. My thoughts rearrange.

Mason. Fuck.

“Maybe three.”

“Ma’am, are you injured? Can you tell me more?—”

I hang up and dial the next number, this one longer than the first.

The call connects, but I’m greeted by silence. “Hold?”

“Princess? Fuck.”

My sobs are loud and ugly the moment I hear his voice.

He’s talking to me, but I can’t make out the words.

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