Page 50 of Choose Me

She took her and my baby.

I pressed my hands to my face, allowing the tears to soak through my palms. I wanted to believe Brock's words of reassurance that we would find her, but the sadness and fear that I felt for not protecting her were too heavy for me to bear. My breath caught in my throat as sorrow engulfed me. I didn't try to fight the tears streaming down my face. I could no longer hold back the agony that seeped from every pore of my body. My breath shook violently in my throat as the despair overtook me, and I allowed the devastating sobs to rip from me like nuclear missiles raining down around me.

I had lost her.

This was all my fault.

27

TWENTY-SEVEN

AVA

"Ava..." Everett's voice was a soft whisper in my ear as he shook me awake.

My eyes snapped open. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize I fell asleep," I mumbled.

He touched my arm lightly, his voice urgent and quiet."It's okay, baby girl. The van has stopped. Whatever happens, stay behind me."

His words left me anxious and scared as we waited in the eerie stillness of the vehicle. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, both waiting for something to happen. Suddenly, there was a loud clang, and the van door opened, light peeking through the stark darkness, and Everett tensed beside me. As the door opened, Margaret's cold voice cut through the air.

"Out of the van," she commanded. "Don't think about running. I will kill the both of you." Her words were sharp, threatening, and full of poison--clear and unrelenting.

Everett stood up first, his broad shoulders filling the small space. His grip on my hand was firm and reassuring as he carefully guided me to the back of the van. I felt him jump down first, and then his hands gently wrapped around me, setting me down on the ground. The air was thick with the stench of sulfur, and the ground beneath my feet was rough and uneven.

My hood was ripped off my head, the harsh light making me squint. We were in some abandoned factory, the walls crumbling and peeling, and rusted machines scattered throughout the massive room. I looked over at Everett, whose hood was already off, and he was scanning our surroundings.

Margaret pushed us forward, her grip on the gun tightening. Sweat dripped down my spine, and I could feel Everett's tense muscles as we were led towards a door on the far side of the room. Our footsteps echoed through the empty space, and the only sounds of life were the rasps of our breathing.

"Where are we?" I asked her, trying to keep my voice level and calm.

"Stop talking and hurry up. The longer you take, the worse it will be for you," she ordered, her eyes glinting with malice.

"Don't," Everett cautioned me to hold my tongue.

We were pushed through the doorway and into a dimly lit hallway. The walls were a decaying wood, and the floors were dark concrete. Doors were lining the hallway on either side. Everett led the way; the gun pressing against my back motivated him to stay calm.

"You, in that room." Margaret pointed to Everett. He stared at her for a second with silent contemplation. "Now!" She growled, shoving the end of the pistol further into my back, causing me to cry out in pain.

"Don't fucking touch her!" Everett growled.

"Or what?" Margaret taunted.

"If you hurt her, I'll fucking kill you," he threatened, his jaw clenching.

"I don't think you're in the position to make threats right now. Get in the fucking room, or I will cut this baby out of her and let you watch her bleed to death. Your choice."

Everett stilled, his back becoming ramrod straight. He gave me a pained look, waiting for my approval to follow her instructions, but he already had it. I nodded slightly, and I saw the way his shoulders slumped as he went into the room. She kept the gun on me as she locked the door behind him.

She opened the door next to his, and when the room opened, the light was dim, and the air was heavy with the stench of mold. In the corner was a mattress on the floor and various baby items--a crib, a baby swing, a plastic tub with three drawers, and several baby blankets stacked neatly on top. I looked around in horror, realizing what she had planned for me. It hit me like a hurricane, destroying my resolve and my strength. I pressed my hands to my mouth to stifle the sob escaping my lips, my body trembling.

"Do you like what I've done to the place?" Margaret said behind me, her voice mocking and cruel. She motioned for me to go into the room. "Go in," she ordered, gripping my arm tightly.

She pushed me into the room, shoving me towards the mattress. I stumbled, landing roughly on the cold ground. My heart began to race as I backed away, my eyes wide and my lips trembling as I stared at the baby things in the room and the thick chains drilled into the concrete wall.

"On the mattress now."

"No, please don't," I sobbed, shaking with adrenaline and terror.

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