Ben
Another scream reaches me, and my heart rockets into my throat.
“Jolie,” I rasp this time because fear is squeezing my vocal cords into thin, useless threads. My pulse is pounding behind my eyeballs, my breaths punchy as I race to the doors and try to wrestle them open.
Everything is locked up tight, and I’m losing my fucking mind as I worry about what that sick fuck is doing to her up there.
“Help!” I shout, rattling the doors and looking around me.
The rain is pelting down, and I’m soaked through. I ran the whole way from Offside, and it ended up taking only five minutes. I was sprinting like Jolie’s life depended on it.
And maybe it does.
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
“Help me!” I rattle the doors again, blinded by fear and rage.
He’s hurting her.
I know he’s hurting her.
She screamed. I heard it.
Fuck, what’s he doing to her?
I’ve got to get in there.
“Hey, stop that!” A woman with an umbrella storms toward me. “What are you doing?”
“I’ve got to get in there,” I snap at her. “My girlfriend’s in trouble. Let me in.”
“I don’t know you. I can’t give you access to this building just because—”
“Ben!” Caroline and Casey sprint toward us. “What’s going on?” She reaches me, soaking wet and also out of breath. Her boyfriend rests his hand on her back as he quickly recovers from the run.
Brushing the wet locks off his face, he scowls at me. “You scared the shit out of her, and she made me run through the rain. What the fuck, man?”
“It’s Jolie,” I pant. “She’s in there, and she’s in trouble. Now let me in!” I shout at the woman with the umbrella, who gives me a death glare before Caroline nudges her arm.
“It’s okay. He’s good. Hi, I’m Caroline. My cousin works for the Nolan U Star and she’s up there, and we need to get to her.”
The woman frowns, reluctantly pulling out her key card.
“Please,” I beg. “Hurry. I heard her screaming.”
“What?” Caroline gapes at me. “What the hell is going on?”
“I’ll explain it later. Just let me get in there.”
The woman swipes us in, and I bolt through the door, ignoring the elevator and taking the stairs as fast as I can.
I burst onto the second-floor landing and hear another scream.