Page 222 of On a Fault Line

I can’t help Penny if I can’t get inside.

With the rain beating down around me, I wipe at my brow. I have a rain jacket on but the droplets are still finding my face and impairing my vision.

Moving to the edge of the roof, I look down, seeing a steel service ladder attached onto the side along the back part of the building.

Grabbing ahold of the side, I make my descent.

When I get to the base, I try every door I encounter, until one finally gives.

“Hold on, Princess,” I whisper. “I’m coming for you.”

44

PENNY

Through determination and willpower, I force my eyes to open, but no matter where I look, I see my room through a blurry film. It’s like my eyes have been smeared with petroleum jelly.

The backup lights have kicked on from the emergency generator, casting a reddish glow onto the space from the illuminated EXIT lights around the building, I assume.

I blink.

And blink again.

But nothing seems to clear the cloudiness from my eyes.

Staying alert is a priority and yet I can’t quite get my brain to cooperate.

Rolling to my side, I?—

“Omph,” I huff, feeling a pain in my shoulder as I hit the ground.

Seeing the floor now at my eye level, I allow the coldness from the tiles to penetrate through the thin linen fabric of my garments. Maybe this will wake me up from this drowsy state.

Pulling myself along the floor, I army crawl toward the bathroom in the dim lighting. I need to get my legs working again. I feel boneless—made of jelly.

And I damn well need to get my ass out of this place.

It’s not safe.

My memory burns with the realization that Rex is a bad guy, and that everything I know about him is one big lie. Our random meeting outside of the coffee shop where he introduced me to the speed dating event was probably all part of one big master plan…

To what?

To make me trust him?

To make me feel unworthy of anyone liking me?

Someone tampered with my scorecard, and looking back, Rex would have had the access to do just that.

And for the last week, I’ve only blamed Luke.

No matter how many attempts he made at explaining himself after the initial confrontation, I just kept ignoring him.

Dammit.

Moving to my knees, I press my palms down and will myself to push forward.

One inch at a time…

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