Page 91 of Cruel Vows

“I’m fine.” I move to the bars and reach for him again, holding so tight to his fingers that I’m sure they’re going to break if I hold him any longer. “My ribs hurt, and I’m sure I bit my cheek, but things are going to be fine.”

“They’re not fine. He just beat you.”

“He barely touched me.” I drift my thumb over his knuckles. “And it doesn’t matter, because he forgot to lock the door.”

Sean stiffens. “He did?”

“Yeah. I’m going to make a run for it. We might be in the middle of nowhere, but there are other warehouses around here. Noah might be staffing all of them and I only need one with a phone.”

“I don’t like it, Ellie. You’re going to go out there and you’ll get yourself hurt. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“Right now is the best chance that we’re going to get. It might be the only chance we get and I need to go before someone realizes that the door isn’t locked.” I hold his hand tight before letting it go. “You need to be okay with this because it’s happening.”

He groans. “Fine. Start running, Ellie, and do what you can to get help.”

“I’m going to get us out of this.”

I hope.

I get up and move to the door, looking up and down the hallway to make sure there isn’t a soul out there.

The coast is clear, and my heart is racing in my chest like a runaway train.

I don’t know how the hell I’m going to pull this off, but I have to try.

Easing the door open, I step out into the hallway. The hinges creak, but other than that, there isn’t a sound as I creep to the stairs. I move slow, looking for cameras, but there aren’t any I can see.

Even if there are, I doubt they’re watching them right now. They think we’re locked up.

Noah is too cocky to waste his time watching us when he could be working on his plans to take Aiden down.

I take the stairs two at a time, stopping every few steps to listen for someone approaching the door at the top.

When no sound comes, I grab the handle, twisting it slowly and holding my breath.

All I can do is hope that this door doesn’t squeak like the others.

And that there aren’t men waiting on the other side.

I let out the breath before pushing the door open inch by inch, peeking around it to check for any guards.

My heart leaps into my throat when I don’t find any.

This is it. I’m going to get out of here and I’m going to get help.

When I get outside, I’m going to try to steal a car.

It’s only a short run from the stairwell doors to the door they brought us in through. I take a deep breath, forcing one foot in front of the other.

I can’t do anything for Sean unless I can get someone else here to help.

My hands shake as I run, legs feeling numb, and mind focused only on the end goal. I’m going to get out of here. I’m going to get help. There’s no other choice.

I have to do this for Sean.

Just as I’m about to reach the door, an arm shoots out across my chest, knocking the air from my lungs and sending me sprawling onto the ground.

“And where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

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