Page 88 of Erik's Redemption
Owen cursed, wrenching his hand away. She bucked her hips, and the second she had a bit of space, she rolled to the side, away from the edge of the steps. She attempted to get up, but fingers wrapped around her ankle in a punishing grip and pulled her back. When he lifted the knife, her heart jumped into her throat.
She kicked at his hand, sending the weapon flying to the floor. Then again—this time, the heel of her shoe connecting with his face, the momentum shoving Owen backward.
He cried out and tumbled down several steps before grabbing a baluster and stopping his descent. He grabbed his nose, blood pouring down his face.
Hannah was already on her feet. Getting to Erik wasn’t an option with Owen blocking the stairs. Instead, she turned right, running down the hall and passing half a dozen doors.
All the doors were open. She quickly and quietly pulled half of them closed as she moved, hoping Owen would have to stop and check each one.
At the end of the hall, she slipped through the last door leading to the attic, soundlessly shutting it behind her.
Her heart beat so hard against her ribs it was as if her fear was trying to break right out of her. Slow and silent, she sneaked up the stairs. At the top, she surveyed the cavernous space. It was filled with the owner’s possessions. There were boxes anddressers and chairs and a million other household items, all piled everywhere.
A bullet sounded from somewhere below, and she jumped. What was that? Had Owen shot at someone? It sounded like it had come from the first floor. Had Erik realized what was going on and attacked Owen?
God, please be the latter.
She lifted her Apple watch to message Erik, dismay filling her when she saw the cracked screen. Shit! It must have broken when Owen tackled her to the floor.
Her gaze shot up. There was a small window in the attic, but it was too high. There was no way she’d be able to reach it. Which meant, without her phone, she had no way of connecting with Erik or calling police.
A weapon…she had to find a weapon. And she had to do it quickly and quietly.
She’d taken a few steps when suddenly her vision narrowed and her knees trembled, threatening to give out on her. She grabbed a wall to steady herself. She was low…God, this was the worst timing.
Slow and steady, Hannah. You’ve got this.
With those whispered words in her head, she crept around the space, looking in open boxes, lightly moving things around. She opened drawers and looked under chairs. Long minutes passed, and she found nothing.
A sob tried to escape her throat, but she swallowed it. After looking under a table, she climbed to her feet—and the world spun around her. This time she couldn’t save herself. She fell to her knees.
She was just about to get up again when her gaze caught on something on the floor. A toolbox. Quickly, she crawled over to it and opened the lid. The hammer was the first thing she saw.It wasn’t as good as a gun, but it could be used as a weapon nonetheless.
She lifted it, her muscles trembling even from that slight weight. Once it was in her grasp, she moved to one side of the attic stairs, found a large box to hide behind, and waited.
CHAPTER 30
Fuck. The front door was locked.
He stepped back and fired, not caring about the noise the shot made. He needed to get to Hannah, and he needed to get to hernow.
One shot was all it took. He ran into the house, Glock aimed and ready.
Silence. It fucking surrounded him. There were no voices or footsteps. No rustling of movement.
Had Owen already attacked Hannah and Henry? The thought made bile crawl up his throat.
“Hannah?” He didn’t shout her name but said it loud enough so that anyone close by might hear.
Slowly, he moved into the living area, always keeping his back to the wall. He walked through quickly, checking every inch of the room. Then he went to the kitchen. That was empty too.
He returned to the stairs and tried the door to what he assumed was a den or study. He cursed at what he saw on the other side—Henry, on the floor, blood dripping from his skull. Someone had hit him.
Erik reached down to search for a pulse at his neck. It was there. Thank God.
But where was Hannah?
He scanned the room. Other than Henry, it was empty. The rage and fear inside him coiled, but he shut it all down. Those emotions weren’t useful right now. He needed to focus on finding her and ending Owen.
