Page 30 of Light Me Up

Santi gives me a grim look before turning to Char. “Remember what I told you.”

Char nods and we slam our doors shut, meeting at the trunk. Locking eyes, we share a nod of solidarity before sprinting toward the metal door. I fumble with my keys, but Santi yanks them from me, unlocking the building entrance.

We race up the stairs, and I waste no time in kicking down every door in the place. But with each empty room we encounter, hope slips through my fingers like sand. The walls of this desolate warehouse seem to close in on me as I desperately clutch at the fleeting possibility of finding Kate.

“FUCK!”

Chapter Thirteen

April 30th - Kate

“Itwasalwaysyou,princess.” His voice is all silk, tickling my skin. My heart is a bird, it’s so light and free. I don’t bother replying, simply smiling at him with closed lips. He takes one step closer, and my heart takes flight.

He continues to move closer, one step at a time. My eyes flutter shut in preparation for the kiss I just know he’s going to plant on my lips. I want his sinful lips to corrupt mine. He leans in, and just as he’s about to give me what I need, my eyes fly open.

It’s much too dark as I blink three times to try and unblur my vision. It takes me a moment to realize my head is hanging and there’s drool dripping out of my mouth.

What happened?

My brain is mush, taking far too long for my memory to kick in.

Marco’s office.

The hotel.

The prick on my arm.

The hand over my mouth.

I want to scream but I can’t even lift a finger, let alone my head. My lungs won’t cooperate when I try to take in a desperate breath. Everything feels like it requires too much energy. Energy I don’t have. My body feels like a burden, heavy and lifeless.

My thoughts are like molasses trying to flow uphill. I keep forcing my eyes to stay open. I’m not sure how long I sit here, fighting myself to stay conscious, before my thoughts start to filter through the haze.

I’m seated in a chair, still dressed in my work attire of slacks and a blouse.

The dream I was having rushes back to me, and I let out a weak breath as my heart quickens.

Lorenzo.

He’s behind this, I know it. He’s the only person I know, along with Santi, who could be involved in something like this. Unless…

Could Brad have found out about the report?

Maybe he found out what Lorenzo and Santi did. Maybe that accident was never an accident. But Brad doesn’t strike me as the type to kidnap me. He’d probably call me and ask for an explanation. He’d actually listen to my response, too.

No… Lorenzo makes more sense. That’s why I was having that dream. My brain was trying to tell me. But how would he know I was in the hotel?

“Kate, don’t they have cameras in there?”

It’s the only explanation. One of them must have seen me and come after me. I pushed it too far. I went straight into the fire without an air pack, not bothering to consider the effects of smoke inhalation.

Was Lorenzo the one who injected me?

I want to cry but it’s like my brain can’t signal my eyes to cooperate. I can’t take a deep breath because my chest is too tight. Summoning what little energy I have, I try to move my arm, but it’s immediately restricted by something around my bicep.

My head lolls as I strain to discern the restraints binding me. Through my blurred vision, I manage to make out a tight coil of rope wrapped around my body six times.

I close my eyes because it’s the only thing that takes no effort. My brain begs and pleads for me to stay alert, but sleep sounds so much more appealing.

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