Page 23 of Sleepless Pact

“Wait, let me—” She hangs up the phone, and I look over to see the digital feed of Audrey disappear.“Fuck!”I shout and hit the steering wheel with my fist.

“It’s all right, we’re here,” David says when I see the flash of light up ahead.“That’s the signal.”

“How are we going to get in?”I ask him, and he nods to the stone wall.

“We’re in luck.”When he grins, I’m not sure why because I’m feeling pretty fucking hopeless.“We’ve got someone on the inside.”

By the time we exit the car and I see my guys waiting at the fence, I notice the shape of someone moving toward us from the house.He’s a big guy, and he’s careful to watch his back while coming to the gate.

When he’s close enough that I can see his face, he nods at me and unlocks the bolt keeping the gate closed.“You’re Phillip?”he asks, and I nod.

“I’m Gary, come with me.”

ChapterSeventeen

AUDREY

No matter how hard I pull at the ties, I can’t get my hands free.Red marks are forming around my wrists, and it’s making them ache.It’s pointless either way because nothing is going to change if I get them off.I’m still locked inside this room and never getting out again.

My mother has become more unhinged than before, which is beyond scary.Will I turn out to be the same as her over time?Will being locked away in this place forever drive me into darkness like it has her?

I lie back on the bed, hating the heavy helplessness I feel.When I close my eyes, Phillip lights up my mind.The ring clasped in my hand ties me to him in some small way.

What does he think of me?Is he even looking for me?Is he happy now that I’m gone?My heart aches as I wonder what terrible things my mother might be telling him.

When I bring my knees up, there’s a dull ache between my thighs from our lovemaking, and I cling to it.I want to remember every second of it because soon the feeling will fade.Then all I’ll have are the memories of our time together.They’ll be branded inside of me until I take my last breath, and maybe one day I’ll figure out if it’s a blessing or a curse.

I let myself sink deeper into my bed, getting lost in what could have been.Most of all, I still wonder why he played along with our little game.He pretended to be my husband when we both knew he wasn’t.

A sound at my bedroom door has me quickly sitting up as my pulse races.What could my mom want now?I pray the doctor isn’t with her because that never ends well.He usually injects me with something that makes my mind fuzzy, and time becomes a blur.

When the door swings open, I scramble backward toward the headboard.Gary appears, and my heart sinks.He looks more disheveled than normal, and I whimper.If they’re going to lock me away, why can’t they just leave me alone?

“What the fuck?”

Every part of my body lights up at the sound of that voice, and I wonder if I’m imagining it.Had I fallen asleep?Then he’s there.My Phillip.

He grabs Gary by the back of the neck and tosses him like a rag doll.I watch in stunned silence as Gary hits the wall, but before he can fall to the floor, Phillip is on him again.His hand wraps around his throat, and he holds him up so his feet dangle off the ground.

“She’s terrified of you,” Phillip snarls as he gets within an inch of Gary’s face.

“Hey.”David comes in and grabs Phillip’s shoulder.“He got us in here.”

That doesn’t stop Phillip because his fingers only tighten.Gary’s face turns redder and then a shade of blue.

“Audrey!”David calls to me as he tries in vain to pull Phillip off Gary.“Get him before he kills him.He can’t help you from jail.”That has me snapping back to reality.

“Phillip!”I shout, making him raise his head toward me.When our eyes lock, I hold out my tethered hands to him.“Come here.”

When he sees the rope, he gets angrier and his hand squeezes Gary tighter.David lets out a string of curses, and I try again.

“Phillip,” I beg.“Help me.”

The plea must penetrate his fog of anger because he instantly lets go of Gary and rushes to my side.His hands cup my cheeks, and I burst into tears.“Baby girl, are you okay?”I never thought I’d hear those words again.“Look at me.Focus,” he demands, and I do what he says.“Are you okay?”

“I...ah...”I stutter over my words.“I think?”I reach out to grab him, wanting to make sure he’s real.It feels like I’ve dreamed him into existence.

“You’re okay now.I’ve got you,” Phillip reassures me as he removes the bindings from my wrists.

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