Chapter 47
ELLIE
Numbness set in as a single tear slipped from my eye and fell to the concrete beneath my cheek. With the knife still clutched in my hand, I tried to hold on, to remember that I had a means to escape now.
But with my attacker still in the basement, shoving his cock in his pants as if everything was completely normal, it was hard to imagine anything but drifting off into some corner of my mind and pretending none of that had happened.
Bending over, the man pressed a kiss to my cheek. I squeezed my eyes closed, desperate for him to leave so I could break in peace.
“Stay there, sweetheart. I’ll be back for more later.”
Nostrils flaring, the tears spilled unchecked down my cheeks as his boots clomped up the stairs. As soon as the door closed, I curled in on myself and tried to push the memories from my mind.
Nothing would ever be the same. My life would never go back to the carefree existence I had once known, nor would I ever be able to look at myself in the mirror without feeling absolute disgust.
I sniffled back the tears, curling my fist tighter around the knife, thinking about how easy it would be to just flick the blade open and slide it over my skin. When the man came back, I would already be dead on the ground, and he wouldn’t get another piece of me.
He would probably dump my body somewhere, burying it deep in the ground beneath leaves and rot. My parents would never know what happened to me. Ryder—
I buried my face in my arms as I thought about what Ryder was going through right now. He was probably worried sick about me, and if I took my own life, if I ended this right now, he would always wonder what happened to me.
He would never know that it was his face I imagined as that man violated me, that he got me through the worst experience of my life. He didn’t deserve to spend years wondering what happened, or to search for me, never to find my body.
What would that do to him? Would he ever be happy again?
“Selfish,” I muttered to myself, pushing my body up into a sitting position.
My fingers trembled as I opened my hand and stared at the knife in my palm. The urge to end everything was strong, nearly suffocating. I flicked the blade open and stared at it, thinking how quickly this could all end. I would be free of this place, free of the memories and the terror.
But I couldn’t do it.
Pressing the blade against the rope, I sawed as quickly as I could, sniffling back tears and fighting off the urge to throw up every time I thought about that man coming back down here.
A loud bang startled me. I stayed completely still as I tried to figure out what the sound was. Then I heard footsteps walking along the side of the house.
He was outside. This was my chance.
Blood from my earlier escape attempt slipped over my hands, making it impossible to hold the knife. But I kept going, adjusting my grip with renewed determination until finally, the rope snapped, releasing me from the pole.
A shattered cry left my lips as I wrapped my still-tied hands around the pole and hauled myself to my feet for the first time in days. Standing on wobbly legs, I took a moment to steady myself, then slowly made my way to the stairs.
I was almost free, so close to escaping. I considered taking the time to saw the ropes off, but every second I stayed, it was more likely he would return. I had to take my chance now while I still could.
The first step was the hardest. I didn’t exactly understand it, why it was so difficult to move toward escape. But terror wrapped around me, making it nearly impossible to move.
But I did.
The second step was easier, and by the time I was halfway up the stairs, I was practically running.
Pressing my ear to the door, I slowly turned the knob when I heard nothing.
I held my breath as I stepped into the dim hall.
Everything was silent as I looked around, terrified he was going to pop out at any second and drag me back down the stairs.
Tiptoeing down the hall, I was just about to the back door when his voice shattered the silence.
“Going somewhere?”
My heart galloped in my chest as I spun, eyes wide, hands shaking…It was now or never. I grabbed the handle and yanked, but the door didn’t budge. It was locked.
A horrified scream left my lips as he rushed me from behind, slamming into me. “No!” I cried out.
Twisting in his arms, I slammed the pocket knife into his body, then pulled it out and stabbed him again and again. He stumbled back in surprise, giving me just enough time to twist the lock and break free from the house, running out into the fading sun.
I stumbled over my feet, falling to the ground. A heavy body fell over me, pinning me to the ground. Screaming, I twisted and turned, desperate to get him off me, but then his weight was gone, and I was free.
I climbed to my feet, my whole body shaking with tremors as I stumbled over branches and leaves, desperate to get away.
“Ellie!”
That voice.
“Ellie!”
I glanced to the left, my eyes welling with tears as Ryder raced through the trees to me. A heavy cry left my lips as I started running, desperate to get to the safety of his arms. Throwing my tied wrists over his head, I clung to him as he held me close, whispering it was going to be okay.
I was safe. Ryder was here, and that man—
I shifted, my eyes catching on someone standing over his body with a hatchet.
“Don’t look,” Ryder whispered, turning us away. “It’s over, okay? You’re going to be okay. I have you now.”
I cried thick tears, barely able to catch my breath.
And the whole time, Ryder held me, never letting me go.