Page 41 of Do Not Open

When my phone screen lights up, I throw the tube back inside my purse and tap the screen.

I want to call Kassara so badly, to hear a familiar voice, to let her know I’m still here, but I have to be smart.Police first.

I open the keypad and dial 911.

A woman’s voice answers in an instant. “9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”

I can hardly answer through my sudden sobs. “Um, I’ve been kidnapped. I’m being held hostage. I need help.”

“What’s your name, ma’am?”

“I’m…Mari. Er, Marietta Morgan.”

“Okay, Mari.” She speaks in a calm, certain voice. “And you said you’ve been kidnapped? Can you tell me where you are right now? Are you in danger? Is the kidnapper with you at this moment?”

“I’m… No. He’s gone. I snuck out and found my phone to call, but I don’t know where I am. I’m in a man’s house. A man named O—”

CRASH.

I jolt and drop the phone.

“Mari? Are you there?” I can hear her calling me from where the phone rests on the floor, but my only focus is on the sound in the kitchen.

He’s back.

CHAPTERTWENTY-THREE

Iend the call and try to think as I hear his footsteps moving through the house. I messed up. I really, really messed up. I should’ve left. Should’ve run for my life the second I had the chance. I forgot about the camera, forgot that he’d probably be watching it and wondering why I was gone for so long. I’m trapped. I should’ve stayed on the phone with 911. I consider calling them back, but I don’t want him to hear me talking and figure out where I am. There has to be another option. There’s a way to send my location via text. I know Liam told me about it before, but I can’t remember how to do it. I don’t have time to look up the steps.

Deciding on my last resort, I open Kassara’s name in my messages and begin to type.

Chris

The bedroom door flings open, and I’m caught. I press send without looking down, the only thing I can do. Then, I drop my phone to the ground, hands up in surrender, and await my fate.

He crosses the room, eyes wide with horror as he glances toward my phone and then back up at me. “What did you do?”

“Nothing,” I say, shaking my head. On the floor, the phone screen lights up with Kassara’s name. She’s calling me. My heart aches to answer, my fingers twitching with the understanding of how easily I could bend down, pick up, and speak to her again. Maybe for the last time.

There’s a pain deep in my chest when I realize I’ve likely spoken to her for the last time already, and I had no idea when it was happening. I didn’t soak it up like I should’ve, didn’t tell her how much I love and appreciate her.

“What did you do?”he demands again, grabbing the phone from the floor. His face is the color of a deep-purple bruise. He ignores the call and swipes down on the screen to press a button. He’s turned off my location. Checking my call log, he looks up at me, fury in his eyes. His lips wrinkle together, tight with rage. He bends down and snatches my purse with a growl, then grabs my hand and jerks me forward.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Away.”

“Where?”Not back to the room?

“We have to leave.Now.”

“I didn’t tell them anything.” Kassara is calling again, and he presses the button to ignore it once more. “I didn’t have time.”

“Yeah, well, you’ve lost your chance for me to trust or believe you. I can’t take the risk. Unfortunately for you, I turned off your location, so there’s no way anyone’s tracking you now. As soon as I figure out exactly what you did, I’ll throw your phone out the window on the highway.” He jerks me forward and leads me to the back door, then to the driveway, where he presses a button on his key fob and pops open the trunk. He leads me toward it.

“What are you doing?”

“We have to go somewhere they won’t find us. Get in.”

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