Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 81279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81279 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Up till now, he showed me several ways of getting out of handcuffs, including instructions on dislocating my thumb if I deem it necessary, but I didn’t have the stomach to actually go through with it.
He opens the door for me, like a gallant man from yesteryear, and I give him a little bow as I step into the corridor with shops lining walkways with a view of the floor below. There’s a railing, of course, but I’ve hated heights since the night Miles Brown shoved me down the stairs. I survived, somehow, but parts of my mind refuse to heal.
I shiver as the dead silence of the massive building dawns on me. I’ve been here many times, yet in the dark, with the blueish light coming from the skylights, there’s something spooky about this place. The massive sled hanging above like a gray demon about to come alive in reds and greens amps up the creepy atmosphere, even though I know it brings smiles to children’s faces during the day.
The soft click of the lock behind me makes me flinch, but that’s just Saint making sure we leave as little trace of our presence as possible.
Having his hand in mine is instant reassurance, and as we face the quiet mall, knowing I have this amazing guy at my side while Brown is hiding somewhere, on his own, makes my blood fizz with anticipation. Tonight, the man who’s plagued my nightmares for years will be gone, and I won’t ever have to fear him again. Tonight, he’s the rabbit, and I’m the wolf.
I might not have taken matters into my own hands if it wasn’t for Saint’s push, but as grateful as I am for his presence, I feel strong enough to stand on my own two feet. This time, I won’t flinch and give away my kill.
Unable to resist the urge to move, I let go of him and lead the way to the escalators. They’re the only kind of stairs I can handle, so nothing will stand in the way between me and Brown’s death. I’ve spent so much extra time whetting my knife that I can’t wait to make Brown feel the sharpness of my rage.
My mouth waters as I approach the stairs and tap the button meant to turn them on, but… nothing happens. I swallow and push the button several times more, getting frantic, because Saint is right behind me, and I can’t stand him seeing me fail. How can I possibly be a partner for him if I’m anxious about something as mundane as stairs?
But the escalator won’t budge. Of course. I’ve never been here at night, and it just makes sense for the electricity to be cut when there are no customers around. I should have seen this coming.
My heart drops as I stare into the pit of darkness below.
Chapter 23
Rowan
I can see the first half of the steps, but they descend into a dark chasm, and as I squeeze the handrail, my head spins so rapidly I lean back, worried I’m going to fall. I might not be as lucky as I was last time.
Saint’s hand lands on the small of my back in a reassuring gesture, but I still flinch as if he were about to push me.
I curl my fingers into fists in anger so intense that my eyes sting. “I don’t want you to see me like this,” I choke out through clenched teeth.
A sigh, and then, in the dark quiet of the mall, Saint places his hands on my shoulders. They’re so warm, comforting like the fire in our cabin, and yet all I can feel is shame. He might be here for me, but I feel like a disappointment. What use will he have of me in the long run if I can’t overcome my fears?
Am I shivering?
Goddamn it. Yes, I am.
“I’m sorry,” he says in a voice so soft I shudder, because I don’t want to be coddled. Not anymore.
I rub my eyes, feeling so ridiculous in my Santa ski mask. “I just… It’s because of him that I have this irrational fear, and now I can’t even get to him!” My breathing quickens as I stare down the stupid fucking stairs, but they’re not like the two or three porch steps in our Airbnb. They’re steep, made of grooved metal, and go on forever. My imagination shows me all the ways in which they can break me, and I turn away from them, unable to face the void below any longer.
The glow of the moon and the stars coming in through the glass ceiling reveals Saint’s eyes. They focus on me, soft and beautiful, and all I want is to lean into his embrace, ask him to do this for me after all, but how can I live on like this, never quite having the guts to reach for the things I want?