Page 32 of Perilous

I still don’t reach for it.

Peri curls his lip and not only breaks the seal, he takes the cap off and helps himself to a gulp of the water. I grab for the water, sit up in bed and start to chug it.

My mouth is bone dry. My body feels the same.

“You can take it with you,” he says as he stands up.

My lipspopoff the bottle and I turn my head. Peri walks to the door and opens it. He looks at me, then nods.

“Are you serious?”

“Go for it, Annika. You want out? Get out.”

I slowly climb from the bed. I scream at myself in my head that this is just a joke. An evil joke. A cruel lie. He’s going to slam the door shut at the last second. He’s going to lock the door. He’s going to grab my throat and drive me back to the bed.

My inner thighs tremble. I take a few steps.

“Please don’t close the door,” I say. “Just… please…”

“I’m not closing the fucking door,” Peri says. “Leave. You’re free to go.”

“Just like that? Why didn’t you let me leave after I sucked your cock?”

“Doesn’t matter now. Get the fuck out. That’s what you want. Right?”

“Yes,” I say.

I keep getting closer to him. To the open door. Another thought comes to me.

He’s going to leave the door open. And as soon as I step out, he’ll grab my hair and pull me back in. Or there will be others.

Those other ones!

Oh, fuck, I forgot about the other masked guys. My chin quivers and my eyes are full of tears again.

“Move,” he snaps.

I walk up to him, then by him. My feet exit the room. I’m… free…

I can’t believe it, I look back at Peri and I can’t believe that smirk on him. As though he’s doing me a fucking favor right now? He’s the one who attacked me. Drugged me. Kidnapped me. I should punch him in the face or kick him in the balls.

Or just fucking run!

I don’t run. I just walk. The thing is, I have no idea where I am. I assume that at some point I will find a way out of this place.

I know I’m on campus.SA. I’m at the top part where the old buildings are. I’ll get out and I’ll be-

“Stay safe, doll,” Peri says.

I freeze and look back.

“What?”

“Your father wants you back,” Peri says. “He wants you returned to him. Safely. He told me that. Personally.”

My jaw quivers. “My father…”

“But what he doesn’t know. And nobody else knows except me… and one other person… and now I guess you…hewants you dead.”

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