AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Come on, Ev. Let’s get you upstairs and warm,” Harris said, startling me. I sat up and looked around, realizing we were parked in a small underground lot.
“We’re here?” I asked, my voice hoarse from all of the tears and yelling.
“We’re here, darlin’. Go with Harris and I’ll help the others with the bags, okay?” Kailan said and I nodded and turned to shuffle across the seat to where Harris was standing beside the door waiting for me.
He helped me out then quickly wrapped his arm around me supportively when I wobbled a little, still feeling way too shaky.
We followed one of the security guys into an elevator, the others all right behind us and flanked by the other two security men. It climbed up to the thirtieth and top floor of the building, then opened in a wide, luxurious hallway.
“Access to the apartment is by fingerprint only. Mr. Lyle has authorized us to add your prints,” One of the men told us as we all started down the long hallway. The floor was tiled in the most beautiful, sparkling cream tiles and the walls were paneled in a dark wood that perfectly complimented the luxurious feel to the space. “No one but authorized security and the Lyle’s can access this floor. There will be security stationed outside the apartment and additional security in the lobby down stairs.”
“Thank you,” Harris replied with a nod.
We came to a shiny wood door at the end of the corridor and the main security guy scanned his fingerprint to open the door, which he held for us.
“Go with Kailan, sweetheart. I’ll just finish up out here,” Harris told me as he kissed the top of my head then handed me off into Kailan’s waiting arms.
I had a quick glance around as we entered the large apartment. It was open plan and the long wall opposite consisted entirely of floor to ceiling windows that looked down over the busy city. To my right was a very shiny and modern looking kitchen, and straight ahead was a living area with a huge leather sectional and an enormous television mounted on the wall before it. The place screamed luxury, everything in it obviously fancy and very expensive. It looked comfortable and was definitely spacious, but most important of all, it was safe.
“What do you want to do, Evie?” Kailan asked.
“Maybe take a shower,” I shrugged. I was exhausted but there was no way I would be daring to close my eyes and allow my nightmares access anytime soon.
“Let’s see if we can find a bathroom then, okay? I’ll find you some clean clothes from the bags while you shower,” Kailan suggested and I nodded tiredly.
“I’ll check out the food situation. No doubt Zack will be hungry when he wakes up,” Nick said as he smiled down at his son who was still fast asleep in the car seat.
“I want to check something on my computer, but I’ll be close if you need anything, kochanie. Just yell,” Aleks told me.
“Check what?” I asked as I looked to him. “You want to see where that disk came from, right?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Kyle said it was at the office. Some one had to have left it there. I want to hack their system and check surveillance footage, but I’m also concerned about the timing of the delivery.”
“Because Kyle was asking me about my nightmare yesterday?” I guessed. “You think Soloman somehow heard that conversation?”
“Yeah. It was just too convenient. I think he somehow has ears at your parents place,” Aleks confirmed. I gulped and pulled back the tears that wanted to break free. I needed to keep it together. My poor guys had seen me meltdown way too many times recently.
“Shower, please Kailan. I n-need to feel clean,” I whispered as I leant into his side for support. I was grateful when he just nodded as he wrapped his arm around me, and led me down the only hallway off of that room that we could see.
Thankfully the first door we came to was a huge bathroom, with a jacuzzi tub you could almost swim laps in and a sizeable shower stall.
“You want me to stay with you?” Kailan offered as I walked in and leant against the thick, pale gray, marble vanity.
“I’m good. Could you find my clothes for me?” I asked, keeping my voice as steady as I could.
“Sure thing, darlin’,” he agreed with a gentle smile. “I’ll be close, so just shout if you need anything, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I nodded as I crossed my arms over my chest to hide my hands which were trembling even more violently.
Kailan had barely left the room before I had the door shut and the shower running. As soon as the water started to hit the ground and mask any other sound, I crumbled.
I sank to the cold tile floor and collapsed onto my side, sobs pouring from me as I curled into myself and just let it all go. I didn’t even know which part was messing me up most. I was devastated Kyle had been sat watching me be tortured. I still couldn’t understand why he would want to watch that. Then there was the fact Soloman had to be the one who left the disk. That meant not only was he in the same city as me, but he also had to know I was there. He could have been listening to me the whole time I’d been at mom and dads. Maybe he’d even had cameras in there so he could watch me. Just the thought of him sat watching my every move made me shudder.
I just couldn’t see the end anymore. How would we stop Soloman and bring this all to an end when he always seemed to be one step ahead of us? What if it never ended? What if I had to live the rest of my life running and looking over my shoulder? I couldn’t do that! That was no way to live and I didn’t want it for myself, my guys, and definitely not for little Zack.
That same thought that had haunted me so often swam through my head again – maybe it would have been better for everyone, including me, if he’d just killed me the first time he had me. Yes I had wanted to live. I fought like hell to survive, but not like this – not with everyone I loved in danger and terrorized by this monster.
Desperate for something to clear the out of control thoughts spiraling in my head, I crawled across the floor and into the shower stall. I hoped the warm water would soothe my shaking body, but instead, as it hit me, I just felt numb. I curled up on my side under the spray, all of my clothes still on and getting soaked through, but I didn’t care. I didn’t even think about it. I was numb too, just so sick of being scared all of the time. I just needed it all to stop. I needed some peace, especially in my own mind. I didn’t want to think I would have been better off dead, and yet my mind would not stop taking me there. I didn’t want to hate Kyle, but I was so angry with him and my thoughts would only spiral deeper and deeper in that direction. It was like I had no control of any of my thoughts and feelings any more, and it was terrifying. I slammed my hands over my ears in a desperate bid to quiet my brain, but still the chaos reined on. There was no stopping it. Maybe this really was the point at which all I had been through finally broke me.
