𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

47

"Stop," I say in a whisper, my eyes starting to burn. "Please stop."

"Eric is the enemy. If you don't believe me, there's a black box in his house somewhere. That should be more than enough evidence for you."

Turning onto my side, I stare at the drawer next to his bed, where I know the black box is. "I don't believe you."

"Just...look inside it, Danielle."

"What's inside?" I ask, annoyed that I'm even entertaining this stupid accusation.

"A lot."

I huff. "You're so fucking twisted Robbie. Orla is fine, there'd be an alarm if she wasn't. Eric loves me, and I love him. Why would he fake it all?"

"I need you to believe me here," he begs. "Tell him to raise the alarm that Orla is gone, and I bet you he doesn't."

Staring at the door, I walk towards it, sliding it open slowly so it doesn't creak. I can hear Eric's voice and three others I don't recognise. Quickly backing into the room, I shake my head. "How come Mark can't see me now?"

"Because it's my rotation. When he's busy, he either has me or Bruce on. I... I usually turn off the screens because I can't watch you with him."

"How noble of you." I snarl. "Do you know Mark's plans for me? About the messages?" Liquid rage is coursing in my veins. "About how he wants to..." I stop, my hand flying to my mouth to muffle a choked sob. "If you think Eric is bad, then you're working with Satan."

For a few moments, he's silent. "What are you talking about? What messages?"

I shake my head. "Nothing. I'm going to tell Eric everything you said and then I'm going to check on Orla myself. You need to mind your own business Robbie, and let me live the rest of my life without you, which, because of your little group of friends, is a lot shorter now."

"They aren't my friends, and I'm not doing any of this to get back with you. Eric made it very clear while we were still together how loyal you were to me."

"Meaning?"

Groaning, he pushes back on a chair, I assume. "You cheated on me with him, way before we were in here. He was very detailed about it, too."

I close my eyes, trying to not fall into his mindfuck of a trap. "You're lying again."

"You kissed him, then tried to get him to touch you while you laid in his bed naked. Or was that a different time?" He sighs. "Look, none of that matters now. I just need to protect you and get Orla away from them. They're sick, Danielle. Really sick."

"I'm hanging up now."

Before he can say anything, I cut the call, my head drops to my hands while I breathe. I shift to the bed's edge, my knee hitting the drawer. Curiosity wins, and I slide it open, pulling out the black box with the key already in place.

My heart is racing to an unhealthy speed. This is a complete violation of Eric's privacy, but for some reason, I can't shake Robbie's words. I need proof that he's lying to me.

I take a deep breath, my trembling fingers turning the key and lifting the lid.

My blood runs cold as ice.

My stomach is doing backflips as I reach for the mask that sits on top. The same mask that those people wore who were hiding in my bedroom months ago. It's identical. I drop it on the mattress beside me, my ears ringing with pressure, my lungs desperate for air.

To torture myself more, I keep looking.

A piece of paper is next, with instructions on how to realign the plumbing in my shower, to alter the pressure. There is even a circle next to the writing with a time, stating approximately twenty-three minutes. That's around about how long I was stuck inside there, when I was drowning to death.