I pulled that off first and she gasped for air, her shoulders heaving.
“Tristian. Tristian!” she cried out my name as I pulled a knife out to cut all the chords.
“I’ve got you,” I groaned as I snapped them. She continued saying my name over and over again like she’d repeated it for hours. When I finally got all the rope off, I pulled her up but I felt her lack of energy in her muscles and bones.
Hadn’t they even fed her? Was she thirsty?
“Elsie, hey, look at me, I’ve got you,” I said, pulling her into my arms and she collapsed right then. Within moments, she was dead weight in my arms.
Fuck.
I checked her pulse. She was still alive but her pulse was weak. I knew I had to get her out of there before things became seriously worse.
I lifted her up and threw her over my shoulder, carrying her up the stairs. I was so close to getting her out of this alive, I wasn’t about to give up on her yet.
Twenty-Seven
Elsie
The last thing I remembered was the sound of guns being shot outside the building. Despite the lack of windows in the room, and the walls were probably very thick—the sound I’d heard was unmistakable.
It was ironic because up until a few months ago, I’d never heard a gun being fired in real life. And then, just like that, I knew exactly what guns sounded like.
Only this time, instead of being filled with fear and disgust, I was hopeful when I heard the shots. Especially because I saw the fear in Aldo’s eyes when I turned to look at him.
I’d never seen him look like that before. I almost wanted to giggle with joy, but before I said anything—he stuffed my mouth with the gag again.
He pulled his gun out and pointed it at my head. I glared at him, expecting him to shoot.
He wasn’t going to let me live. If he thought his own end was near, he’d end me first. But before he pulled the trigger, there was a loud sound like an explosion. And it sounded like it went off just outside the door.
The sound startled Aldo and he stumbled backwards.
I laughed behind the gag because of how hilariously scared he looked.
At that point, I wasn’t afraid of anything. Even if it wasn’t the Dohertys who were here to save me. It was possible that the gunfire outside wasn’t good news for me at all.
But I didn’t care.
I simply enjoyed Aldo shuddering like a delicate flower with fear.
Then, he forgot about me and ran up the steps. I was sure he hadn’t even locked the door behind him. If I wasn’t tied up to the chair, it would’ve been my opportunity to escape, but I couldn’t.
I tried to scream but my voice was muffled by the gags. The sounds grew louder. It almost sounded like fireworks going off in the sky. I wished there was a window so I could look outside and see.
Was it the Dohertys? Had Tristian come for me? Was I being foolishly hopeful?
I cried and screamed, trying to wriggle free from the ropes and the gag but nothing budged. My heart thudded in my chest. I struggled with the last threads of energy I had in my body. I was exhausted. Hungry. Thirsty. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to make it. My mind kept sparking off. One moment I’d be awake, and then everything would go blank.
The sounds outside were deafening and I had no idea how long I was alone in the room.
Then the door burst open again and I saw Tristian, or at least I thought it was him. I couldn’t be sure.
I must’ve passed out at some point, because I didn’t remember being moved from the room I was being held in. I didn’t even remember being in a car or arriving in the room I was now in.
When I woke up I was surrounded by a group of people. Some I recognized, some I didn’t. I could make out the face of a young girl and it took me a few moments to realize it was Isabelle. She leaned over me and when my eyelids fluttered open, she smiled.
Beside her was another girl I recognized as Davey’s mother. Then there was a man I’d never seen before, but he had a stethoscope around his neck and was in formal clothing. I assumed he was a doctor. But it didn’t seem like I was in a hospital.
“Where? What is happening?” I mumbled.
My mouth felt dry. I was parched and I barely got any words out.
“You’ll be fine, Elsie. You just need to rest. You’ve suffered from serious dehydration,” Isabelle said.
She reached for my hand and held it tightly, but I tried to sit up.
“Tristian…” I whispered his name. I still wasn’t sure if it was him I saw in the room. Did he rescue me? Did he actually come for me?
“Now, Miss, please don’t try and get up. You need to keep lying down and conserve your energy,” the doctor added.
“Tristian…” I mumbled his name again.
“Elsie, please lie down, we’ll get you some water,” Davey’s mother said.
“I want…Tristian…” I managed to say, but I wasn’t sure if they heard me.
Or were they just avoiding my queries? Had Tristian left me? Maybe he didn’t want to have anything to do with me. I felt my eyes filling with tears again. I just wanted to see him. I just wanted proof that he came for me.
“You’ll be okay, Elsie, but you need to rest now,” Isabelle insisted, trying to force me back down on the bed.
I tried to push her away but I was unsuccessful. I was too weak. I’d never felt this helpless before.
“Elsie!”
