Page 67 of Rescued Faith

“You know the plan. They need to stay alive. For now.”

Penny couldn’t have them taking Libby and the kids anywhere. “Take me and leave my sister here. Leave the kids. I’ll go wherever?—”

“No! I have no doubt you’ll find a way out of the pantry eventually, but by then we’ll be long gone and our plan will be in place. Meanwhile, you get Emma released for Alonzo, and we’ll keep our little insurance policies nice and close.”

“I have no authority to release Emma.”

“Then you’ll have to get creative. And anything that happens to her will be done to your sister and the kids, so you better make sure she’s not harmed.”

The new guy grabbed Penny by the arm. She yanked it back, ready for a fight. A shot sounded. Libby screamed.

“That was the only warning you’ll get.” Gomez speared her with a look. The hole was in the ceiling, thank God. Not her sister. Not Bryce.

This time Penny walked downstairs, the cold metal of a gun in her back. Another man showed up and picked Bryce up fireman style. They marched to the pantry, Penny’s pulse speeding up with each step. She couldn’t fall apart. Libby. The kids. Bryce. They all needed her to be strong right now. The man dropped Bryce on the floor. Bryce groaned, started to move. Penny was shoved down next to him. As Ross started to close the door, Penny yelled at the one in charge.

“How am I supposed to get ahold of you? If I get Emma.”

“Don’t worry about that. We’ll be keeping an eye on things. We’ll find you.”

The last thing she saw was Libby being dragged away before the door shut, her cries reverberating straight to Penny’s soul. Everything that had been holding her together up until that point drained away.

She sank to the tile floor, ice seeping through her jeans. So much like the basement. Her vision blurred.

No. Please, not now.

Flashes of the corpse, a spider crawling over the wrinkly skin—it all rushed back, consuming her. Screaming from her own voice echoed off the wall.

Something near her moved. Bryce?

But she was trapped.

It was just a nightmare. Not real. She couldn’t get enough air. Nausea rolled through her. Penny curled up tight, head tucked into her knees. Covered her head with her arms, embracing the blackness. Anything to get that image out of her head.

A warmth cut through the ice that had frozen her lungs shut.

“Penny.” The voice was weak, sounded far away. But it called to her, beckoned her out of the dark. Bryce? Was he okay?

“Penny. Breathe, baby. Breathe with me.” He was a little closer now, the warmth moving from her shoulder to her elbow to her tingling hands.

The voice helped. Her heartbeat quieted as she listened and breathed the slow rhythm.

“That’s right.”

Penny lifted her head. She swayed as dizziness overtook her, but eventually Bryce’s face came into focus. “Keep breathing. With me.”

She followed his breathing sequence. In for a three count. Out for a three count.

“There you are. Good. Tell me three things you see now.”

See? “I see your eyes.” Eyes that locked in on her, held her safe. The pitching sensation faded.

“Great. What else? Two more things.”

“I see…blood.” Dark-red blood from a cut on his temple. She snapped out of the fog. “You’re hurt.” She reached out toward his wound. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve got a killer headache where someone clocked me from behind. Knocked me out cold.” He took her hands. “But I’m more worried about you at the moment. How are we doing?”

She took in a longer breath, her lungs thawing. Expanding. “Better.”

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