Chapter 2 #2
While I wait for Maya’s reply, I walk into the living room and flick on the light switch. As light floods the room, I quickly scan the expansive room, hoping I’ll find Lily’s toy right away.
And there. Over on the floor, beside one of the couches, a stuffed foot clad in a sparkly pink ballet shoe sticks out.
“Yes,” I whisper, pumping my fist in victory. “Found it.”
As I cross the room, Maya texts again.
No, she’s fine. Elle is reading The Mitten to her now. Don’t worry.
Snatching up the errant unicorn, I tuck her under my arm. Then I quickly message Maya back.
Found it! Be back in a minute. Thanks!
As I leave the room, I shut the light off behind me. Then I head back towards the stairs, feeling much lighter than I did just before. Maybe it’s finding the missing toy or conquering my sudden spurt of nerves. Or more likely, it’s hearing from Leo after missing him all day.
It’s funny, I thought it would get easier over time—missing Leo when he’s away on a job. But it still stings when he leaves, whether it’s for a day or a week. And everything always feels better when he comes home.
While I make my way back to the stairs, I glance out the window as I pass by. A tree flexes and dips with the increasing wind. The glass rattles slightly when a gust hits it. Tiny flakes of white flutter by; not a full-blown snow, but a precursor to it.
If we get six inches, like Elle predicted, I think, maybe we can take Lily out to play once Leo gets home. Last year, she was too young to really appreciate the snow. But now, I think she’ll really enjoy it.
Maybe we’ll get even more than that, and we can make a little hill to sled on. Cole did that for Clara last year, and she absolutely loved it, and I bet Lily would, too.
A sweet picture comes to mind of Lily and Clara sledding down a miniature hill—just high enough to get a little speed going, but not enough to be dangerous—while Finn and Hanna’s dogs race alongside them.
Then we can come inside to enjoy some hot cocoa and cookies before settling in to watch another Christmas movie.
And later, once Lily’s down for bed, Leo and I can enjoy some private time together.
Maybe this time we’ll even make a little brother or sister for Lily.
My ovaries twang at the thought of another baby. Though I’d love either sex, deep down, I’d really love a little boy. A boy who’ll grow up to be just like his dad, smart and serious and unexpectedly sensitive, and who’d do anything to protect the people he loves.
With my thoughts full of winter wonderlands and sweet newborns, I find myself smiling as I near the stairs. There’s a happy skip to my step. An eagerness to bring Lily home so we can get to bed; all the sooner until Leo’s home tomorrow.
But.
Just as I’m reaching for the door that opens to the stairwell, all the lights go out.
It’s abrupt.
Startling.
Unnerving.
It’s nothing, I reassure myself. It’s windy, and the power went out. That happens sometimes. It’s no big deal. And anyway, we have a generator for times like these. So it should kick on any second now.
Except.
It doesn’t.
Normally, the generator should take over within fifteen seconds or so. But as I stand at the base of the stairs, waiting, the lights remain off.
Weird.
Fumbling in my pocket, I pull out my phone so I can use the flashlight. But when I flip it over to look at the screen, it’s completely dark.
My forehead creases as I press the side buttons, expecting the phone to wake up. Instead, I’m met with nothing. No familiar lock screen. No little logo blinking on, announcing it’s restarting. Just… nothing.
I turn the phone over in my hands, as though that’s somehow going to fix it.
Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t.
I cast a longing look back in the direction I came, hoping to spot a light clicking on.
Nothing.
It’s just a long sweep of dark, broken only by the faint moonlight trickling through the window I just passed.
My heart beats a little faster.
A prickling sensation creeps up my neck.
Leo’s words of years ago come back to me again. “Nine times out of ten, the op was about to go sideways. We just didn’t know it yet.”
But this isn’t an op. And I’m not in the Middle East, where Leo was most often sent. I’m home in Sleepy Hollow, tucked safely behind towering fences and reinforced doors and bulletproof windows. So there shouldn’t be a reason for anything to go sideways.
Besides, it’s just the power going out. And the generator…
What? Just randomly stopped working? Along with my phone?
No. It’s fine.
Setting my shoulders and lifting my chin, I sternly remind myself that I’m a thirty-six-year-old woman who knows better than to be scared of the dark.
Then I think of Lily upstairs, frightened by the unexpected power outage. Wondering where her mom is, asking for me, possibly crying…
A primal sort of urgency surges through me; a mother’s instinctive need to protect her child. To comfort her, reassure her that the scary monsters under the bed can’t get her. That as long as Mom is around, nothing bad can happen.
Though I really don’t want to climb the stairs in the dark, it doesn’t look like I have a choice. My phone is still dead, no matter how many buttons I press. And the lights in the hallway aren’t coming back on.
Leo’s going to be pissed, I think as I open the stairwell door. He’s not technically in charge of all the building maintenance—all the team members share in the responsibility—but as the security expert, Leo’s going to blame himself.
Ahead of me, the stairs disappear into darkness.
As I take a step forward, one hand outstretched and reaching for the handrail, my foot falters.
Fear clutches at me as a flashback threatens.
Where I stand, I’m still at Blade and Arrow. Safe. Unharmed.
But ahead, in the black, my attacker awaits. I can see his acne-pitted face. His malicious gaze. The glint of his knife. His sneer as he drags the blade down my cheek, chuckling darkly. “You have to pay for your sins, Georgia. It’s the only way.”
Tears sting my eyes.
A phantom pain slashes across my face.
The fear blossoms into a full-blown panic.
Instinct screams at me to run.
I want Leo, a small, scared voice in my head pleads. Leo will protect me. He won’t let anyone hurt me.
Stop it, a louder, more logical voice persists.
Calm down. Take the stairs, one step at a time.
Go back to Maya’s apartment, where she’s probably got candles and flashlights going.
Most likely, she’s already called someone to come fix the generator.
Now stop being a coward and get up there to be with your daughter.
Yes. Stop being a coward over a little power outage. That would be a good idea.
So I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then I move into the stairwell again.
My foot hits the first step sooner than I expected, pitching me forward. As I scrabble for the railing, I drop my phone, and it lands on the floor with a thud.
“Crap,” I hiss, bending over to search for it. I need the phone to call Leo, whenever I can get it working again. Maybe Maya has one of those backup chargers, since it’s obvious my battery was lower than I thought it was.
Just as my fingers close around the smooth plastic of the phone case, I catch a flicker of light out of the corner of my eye. Jerking back up, I turn in its direction. Relief floods through me as soon as I recognize the bouncing beam of a flashlight approaching.
It must be Maya or Elle, come looking for me. Or maybe they called Rylan, and he came down to get me. Whoever it is, I’m glad to see them. And I’m definitely glad for the respite from the dark.
“What’s going on with the generator?” I ask as the flashlight moves closer. “Shouldn’t it have kicked on by now?”
The only response is a sharp gasp. And a moment later, a deep, muttered curse.
My pulse stutters.
It’s not Elle or Maya. Or Charlie or Hanna. It’s a man. But his voice doesn’t sound right. It’s… oilier than Rylan’s. And if it was Ry, he’d call out to greet me. He wouldn’t just curse.
But who else could it be?
“Hello?” I ask shakily. “Ry?”
The flashlight turns towards me, its beam filling my vision with bright spots of white. “What the fuck—” a man hisses.
My heart leaps to my throat.
That’s not Rylan.
I know Rylan. I’ve been friends with him—lived in the same building as him—for years. I know what he sounds like. And that is not him.
Turning, I take a stumbling step up the stairs. I clutch the railing, using it for balance as I try to haul myself up. The beckoning dark is frightening, but less so than what’s behind me.
Go! the logical voice in my head shouts. Go! Get upstairs! Get behind a locked door and call for help!
But I only make it another step before a hand clamps down on my shoulder and drags me back. Then I’m spun around and shoved against the wall of the hallway. The flashlight shines in my face.
“Who are you?” the man snaps. “Why are you here?”
“I… I…” My throat narrows. It’s hard to get anything out.
“Who are you?” he demands. “Tell me.” Something small and cylindrical presses into my belly. It jabs into my skin, bruisingly hard. “Tell me.”
“Georgia,” I whisper, unable to speak louder. “Why—”
“Why are you here?” His breath is hot on my face. “Don’t lie.”
“I… I live here,” I stammer. “Please. Let me—”
“Who else is here?”
No. I can’t tell him. Not with Lily upstairs. The other babies. My best friends.
“Who. Else. Is. Here?”
“No one. It’s just me.”
“Liar!” His hand comes to my throat and squeezes. “Tell me!”
Hot tears trickle down my cheeks. “No one,” I gasp. “No one.”
The flashlight moves, partially illuminating his features. His eyes are dark, framed by heavy brows. His nose is long and narrow. Days-old stubble shadows his face.
Panic erupts into terror.
I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him before. But somehow, this man is inside Blade and Arrow. Armed. And he wants to know who else is here.
I’ll die rather than tell him, I decide. I won’t—can’t—risk my daughter.
On the heels of that decision, pain spears through my chest.
Lily. Leo. Will I ever see them again? Or will Leo come home to find out—
“Georgia?” Rylan’s voice comes from the other end of the hallway. “Are you okay? Maya called and said you might be stuck down here. I’m not sure what’s going on with the generator. But let’s get you back upstairs.”
The hand tightens around my throat until it’s hard to breathe. Still, I do my best to warn Rylan, getting as far as gasping, “Ry, no—”
Then everything happens at once.
The beam of Rylan’s flashlight hits me and my captor, casting us both in light.
The gun pressed to my stomach moves. Shifts. Rises. Until it’s aimed at Rylan, who’s standing stock-still, fifteen feet down the hallway.
Rylan’s expression is a mix of shock and anger. With his free hand, he reaches for his pocket, where I’d bet anything his trusty switchblade is.
Hope kindles inside me. Rylan’s a trained sniper and his aim is incredible, not just with guns, but knives, as well. If he could get a throw off—
“Don’t move!” my captor barks.
“Let her go.” Rylan demands. His voice is more dangerous than I’ve ever heard it. “Now.”
“No!” the man holding me retorts. “I won’t!”
Then.
He fires.
I’m so close, I can feel the heat from the muzzle.
The sound of the gun going off is slightly muffled, but it’s loud enough to hurt my ears.
A second later, Rylan jerks back and clutches his arm.
Then I’m yanked in front of my captor, and he shoves the gun against my head.
“Drop your weapons!” he orders. “Now! Or I’ll kill her.”
Rylan stares at the man for a long moment. His expression is sheer torment.
I can understand why.
He’s a protector. It’s in his blood to do it. He would never leave me alone with this man.
But upstairs, Charlie and Sam are waiting. And he’s desperate to protect them, too.
The man—who is he? Why is he here?—cocks the trigger.
I squeeze my eyes shut as my life flashes before me. As all the things I wished for—a long, happy life with Leo, watching my precious Lily grow up, having another baby—teeter on the precipice, a breath from disappearing.
“Get over here,” my captor orders Rylan. “Now. Or I will kill her. Then I’ll kill you. And anyone else I find in here.”
Rylan flinches.
His shoulders sag.
Then, on a heavy sigh, he tosses his switchblade to the ground. “Fine.”