Page 196 of I Never Stopped Loving You

I can’t even find the strength to lift my hand and look at the phone. I just hope it’s Jeremy saying he’s coming and bringing something to kill this fucker.

Tears fill my eyes. It’s over. It’s fucking over. Fifteen years I’ve searched for her, only to have her back in my arms for a moment. I think back over the days I’ve spent with her, and more tears spill down the side of my face.

Every fucking second was worth it, just being able to be with her. Holding her in my arms, being able to kiss her, and to make love to her. She knows how much I love her. I just hope she makes it out of here so she can live her life without fear. Without having to keep looking over her shoulder.

I told Jeremy when I was in the hospital that if something were to ever happen to me, he needs to be there for Willow. He needs to protect her. He knows where all my money is. I want her set up for life. I have it set that no matter what happens to me, my little rabbit will always be taken care of.

“I love you, Willow. Please…live.”

CHAPTER 84

WILLOW

With one last glance at Noah, I force my body up and sprint out the path to the left. My heart breaks as I take off running deeper into the darkness. I can hear James talking to Noah, but his voice gets quieter the further into the maze I go. What the fuck is this place?

“No!”

Noah’s scream shatters the silence around me, then falls quiet again. There’s a tight grip around my chest causing me to feel like I’m choking. I’m going to die down here if I can’t find the door.

“Run, Little Rabbit.”

James’s voice seems to follow me deeper into the maze no matter which way I turn. The sounds of his steps are echoing through the damp tunnels. The smell of disease, blood, and rotting flesh surround me. Each inhale causes it to seep deeper into my lungs making me gag.

“Run…Run…Run…”

His sinister singing follows me with each turn. Left, right, left, left, right.

“Come here, Little Rabbit. Where are you?”

I stop and lean against the brick wall in the darkness. My fingertips are raw from running along the walls trying to map out this hellhole. I can feel the blood crusting around my cracked nails as they bend with each drag against the brick wall.

*Crack*

Another footstep.

I hold my breath and shrink to the floor. I can’t narrow down which way he is. The sounds are echoing off the walls making it feel like he’s everywhere at once. Like a fucking house of mirrors at the carnival.

“Willow?” he sings my name calling for me from the darkness.

His voice is closer now.

“Come out, Willow. It’ll all be over soon.”

Lies. All lies. It’ll never be over.

Even if I do make it out of here, what can I do? Where would I even go? If I don’t kill him now, I’ll always be looking over my shoulder even worse than before. The paranoia will destroy me.

I feel like I’ve been running through this maze forever. It can’t have been more than ten minutes, but each second ticks by slower and slower when you’re running for your life.

*Tink*

*Tink*

*Tink*

The sound of steel against brick can be heard somewhere off to my left. He still has the knife, that much I know. I can hear the scraping as he runs it along the brick walls trying to terrify me. Well, it’s fucking working.

I’ve feared this man for as long as I can remember. Even before my adopted grandparents told me the truth, he was always the monster in my nightmares. And now I’m trapped down here with him unless I can find my way out. Why the hell did I have to come down here?