Too Far

28: Her

They'd put me in some sort of basement. Before they let me out of the car, they'd shoved opaque sunglasses on and I couldn't see a thing. They draped the usual jacket over my cuffs and then led me in. Since I couldn't see, all I knew about my surroundings were the stairs they'd shoved me down. Then, they'd tied an intricate knot to keep me bound tightly to the chair.

Exhausted, I slumped for a nap. It was hard, considering I was tied at such an odd angle, but for someone as tired as me it was easy to fall asleep. My nap was short-lived, though; a door slamming shut caught my attention. My eyes opened, but I didn't move. When I registered that Robbie was in front of me and couldn't see my hands, my fingers began working. I felt through the knot, trying to figure out which part to pull.

As I worked it, Robbie was telling me how worthless I was and how much trouble I'd caused. I would have bitten back a retort, but I was too concentrated on my knot. Finally I got it untied, but quickly held on so it didn't fall to the ground and catch someone's attention. I hadn't registered through my concentration that he'd grown annoyed at my lack of response.

"Listen to me!" he hollered, landing his fist on my cheek. I cried out, jerking to the side and valiantly holding onto the rope so I didn't fall off the chair and give myself away. "You cost me everything!" he continued at a shout, turning around in an obvious effort to calm himself down. I didn't know why; he could kill me at any time he wanted.

As if on cue, his other goons walked in and I kept my eyes trained on my lap. Wait for the right time this time. I wasn't about to screw things up for myself like I usually did. They each took out either a knife or a gun, making me tense. I'd been shot before, as all of them knew. It wasn't pleasant then, and it would be just as terrible now. Maybe it would even be worse considering I was already in such horrible shape.

I couldn't begin to count the cuts and gashes and I still had a hole in my leg. I couldn't run if I tried, but I still had one good leg and I planned on using it thoroughly. My heart sped up at the thought of what was about to happen. Taking its cue, adrenaline flooded through my veins but I continued to refrain. I was practically shaking, my nerves readying themselves for all the pain and strength and my mind trying to talk me out of doing anything at all.

Would Emmett be waiting for me? Was he at his house, letting the police do their job? That didn't sound like him. Katherine would know what to do.

I hoped she did, anyway.

When a knife flicked across my cheek, breaking me from my thoughts of my plan, I screamed with a mixture of surprise and pain. I needed to pay attention so they'd stop catching me off guard like this. Maybe I was just too tired. Maybe I could take a nap and escape later.

No! Get on it, Louise!

"Now you're paying attention," Robbie snorted, rolling his eyes. "What has you so distracted today?"

"Just thinking about how I'll miss your company when I'm dead." He pretended like I didn't reply like he often did, and I just watched them all carefully now. I tried to look nonchalant, but I was very much on guard after that knife cut my cheek. It just stung, more of a warning than anything, but it was enough to set my teeth on edge.

"You aren't getting out that easily," Robbie scoffed. "You caused me a lot of trouble. I ought to make you suffer."

"Knock yourself out," I offered, tapping my foot in anticipation for my chance to come up.

Obviously annoyed, he moved in front of me and planted his fist in my gut. I sputtered, but quickly recovered. I needed to prepare myself and Robbie was making that very difficult. Why couldn't captors these days give their victims a chance to escape?