Page 64 of Lust

The minute we reach the slightly open door, I know something isn’t right. I look at Blake behind me and signal to him.

“Robert?” I call as I push the door open further. Stepping inside, I draw my gun, and peer down the dingy hall. There are stairs to the left of me and single door on the right. “Robert,” I call again as I signal to Blake to check the room on the right. I hold a hand out behind me, seeking Sydney, and she grips my fingers for a moment before letting go. “Stay close,” I whisper.

“Empty,” comes Blake’s voice behind me, and I keep moving down the hall.

All the doors are open except the end one, which I’m guessing is the kitchen after checking each of the others I pass.

I call out again, and this time a muffled groan comes back. I listen at the door for a moment, long enough for Sydney to get impatient.

“What are you waiting for? He’s in there, Roman.”

“Yes, but I don’t know what the fuck is on the other side of this door,” I grit out between clenched teeth.

Blake pulls her back. “It could be a trap. Just give him a minute.”

With only muffled cries coming from inside, I slowly lower the handle. Opening the door a crack, I stop and wait again for any sound. Pushing it a little further open, I peer through the gap, but the angle only allows me to see a back door and not much else.

The cries coming from inside grow louder, and it sounds like he’s fighting against something. Another couple of inches and the corner of a table comes into view. Stepping back, I rest my toes against the bottom of the door, then I silently count to three before pushing my foot down and swinging the door open all the way.

In the time it takes for me to realise what I’m looking at, a clock chimes, drawing my attention. Lifting my eyes, I find a timer on the wall behind the table as it begins to count down five minutes.

A gasp comes from behind me as Sydney steps forward. “Oh my god!” she exclaims, attempting to push past me. “You have to free him. Roman, Blake, do something.”

I wish I could, but there is no way to stop what’s coming. All we can do is try to get as much information from him as possible before the timer runs down.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

SYDNEY

Itug on Roman’s arm. “Did you hear me? Do something.” He just looks at me, then he walks toward the man strapped to the kitchen table.

Robert’s legs hang over the end of the table, each ankle tied to a table leg, and his torso is held down with straps, ones you usually see on lorry. None of that is why I’m struggling not to empty my stomach. No, it’s the contraption over him—the guillotine waiting to fall once the timer on the wall reaches zero.

I hold my breath as Roman reaches over and carefully removes the gag from Robert’s mouth.

“Please help me. You need to stop it. I don’t want to die,” Robert begs, tilting his head back to try and look at us.

“Robert, right?” Roman asks as he shifts to the side, bending to look under the table.

“Yes, but please just get me off here.”

“I need you to keep calm, Robert. Can you do that?” Roman asks.

“How the fuck am I supposed to keep calm when I’m about to lose my head, literally. Just get me off here!”

I step forward, but Blake stops me going too far. “Robert, hey. I’m Syd?—”

“Sydney! Thank god. You can help me.”

I watch as Roman creeps around the table and decide it would be best to keep Robert talking while we try to figure out a way to rescue him.

“We’re going to try, but…do you know who did this?”

“Course I fucking do. Only JC would be sick enough to set this shit up.” He stretches, straining to see me, but his head drops back to the table with a thud.

“Where’s Pa? Do you know?” I ask, and I’m thankful Blake as his arm wrapped around me.

“Ro,” Blake says suddenly.

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