Chapter 24
twenty-four
Carolina
After last night, I had the sudden need to grab the baby books from my house. I wanted to surprise Leo. Plus, it would give me a chance to grab Luke’s extra EpiPen. I still had one at Leo’s parents’ house, but I liked to have a spare in case he needed a second dose.
I walked fast to my vehicle, my keys readily in my hand as I clicked the button and unlocked the doors. After I was inside the safety of the SUV, I pulled my phone out of my bag to call Leo.
The phone rang and rang and then his voicemail picked up.
“Hey this is Leo, you know what to do,” echoed in my ear before the tone sounded. The sound of his voice brought a smile to my lips.
“I’ll be a few minutes late today. Just wanted to let you know,” I said with a smile before I hung up the phone and checked my messages.
There was one from my mom, a photo attachment, and I clicked on the bubble and opened it.
A photo of Luke, Lillian, and my mom in Lillian’s kitchen cooking filled my screen.
I laughed at the sight of the three of them—flour dusted the front of their aprons, cooking hats on their heads.
I tossed my phone in the seat and couldn’t wait to get home to hear all about their day.
Once I arrived, I threw the car in park and shut off the engine.
I grabbed my keys and found my house key on the ring before I got out.
I ran across the manicured lawn. My heart raced, and my hands shook as I unlocked the door.
I shook my head and pushed down the ridiculous nerves.
Everything was fine. Once the door was open, I ran inside and kicked the door shut behind me.
I opened the closet door and stood on my toes to reach the box that sat on the top shelf. After I rummaged through the box, I found the photo albums that I was looking for and pulled them out quickly. Looking around the room, I checked to see if I needed anything else before I left.
Without seeing anything, I headed to the kitchen to grab Luke’s EpiPen.
I opened a couple of cabinets as I tried to remember which one I’d put it in, only to pause when I noticed my hands were still shaking.
Just as I became aware of the racing of my heart, I noticed the red case on the second shelf beside the first aid kit.
I should’ve remembered I’d stuck it there along with the medicines, but with everything going on, my mind was a jumbled mess of nerves.
After I retrieved it, I checked the case to make sure his medicine was inside.
The floor creaked behind me and I stilled, instantly on high alert. The need to flee to safety hit me as I turned around.
“Finally. You’re mine, beautiful,” Mitchell said from the other side of the kitchen, his hands behind his back. My already racing pulse became painful as I searched for a way to get around him and out the front door.
I didn’t say a word as I ran over every scenario in my mind. I needed to find a way to escape. With Luke’s medicine clutched in my hand, I moved backward and into the counter behind me. I put my hands behind me as I searched the counter for something to defend myself with.
“You’re not getting away from me this time. You ran almost clear across the country, but I knew I’d find you somehow,” he said as he walked toward me.
“You’re not getting anywhere near me,” I gritted out as my hand met the side of the empty flower vase behind me. I slowly gripped the vase and moved it behind my back, hoping that he didn’t see me.
He moved a little closer, and the urge to throw it at his head consumed me.
But I waited.
I needed to time this perfectly if I planned to get away.
“I told you, you were mine. I told you in so many ways. Why couldn’t you just listen to me?” he asked, moving closer to me with a deranged look in his eyes.
“Because I’m not yours,” I screamed as I lifted the vase and threw it at his head, but he dodged it and slammed into me as I tried to run.
“Let me go,” I screamed as his arms wrapped around me. I dropped down and used my hands to try to break his hold on me like I was taught in the self-defense classes, and my fingers clawed at his skin.
I managed to slip out of his hold and fell on my butt on the kitchen floor; pain radiated up my tailbone, but I ignored it as I scampered backward, cutting my hand on the glass.
“I’ll never let you go, beautiful. You’re mine after all,” he said as he headed toward me with a cloth in his hand.
I tried to fight him off, but it was useless as he backed me into the corner of the cabinet and covered my nose and mouth.
The second before everything went black my thoughts went to Luke and I hoped Leo could keep him safe and let him know how much I loved him.