Chapter 64
Imogen
Every day this week, I’ve waited with bated breath for the moment Lincoln realizes the extra key to his SUV is missing, yet
he doesn’t seem to notice. He even went to town to get supplies yesterday and I was sure I was done for, but he bought me
some Milky Ways and fucked me like a demon when he got back, so I guess he didn’t.
Today is the day he leaves for his trip to New York, and I’ve figured that’s how I get out of here—with him.
It’s late when he’s leaving and I feign a headache, kiss him goodbye and tell him I’m going to bed. “I think maybe it’s my
period coming, or I’m getting a cold. But, I feel really tired too.” I wrinkle my nose and create a sad face.
Lincoln’s eyes narrow in concern and he rests his cool palm on my forehead, like he’s checking my temperature “Do you want
me to postpone my trip, baby?”
I plaster on a smile. “There’s no need. I’m sure I’ll be fine after a good night’s sleep.”
He nods, although he doesn’t look entirely convinced. So I push up onto my tiptoes and kiss him. “I’ll miss you.”
That makes him grin. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“I know.”
He wraps me in a hug and then insists on bringing me to bed and tucking me in. With a final kiss on my forehead and a promise of love, he leaves.
As soon as his footsteps have faded, I climb out of bed and quickly get dressed in a pair of leggings and a sweatshirt before
grabbing the spare car key from the pocket of my jeans where I stashed it last week. If he doesn’t close the door behind him
manually, which he has no reason to, I have thirty seconds to get inside the garage. It’s going to be close, and he could
catch me, but if he does, I’ll tell him I needed one more hug goodbye.
I have no idea how the hell I’m going to get myself into the car, ideally the trunk, without him seeing, but I have to think
of something. And if I can’t, I’ll simply slip out the doors after he’s driven out. Not that I relish finding my way out of
these woods, but I have options and that’s what matters.
My heart is racing so hard I’m worried both Pierre and Lincoln will hear it as I tiptoe down the staircase. I hold on to the
spare key tightly. My lifeline. I hear the muffled voices of the two men as they chat in his study and I quietly make my way
to the other side of the house. The garage door is already open. Is this a trick? No. he’s definitely done that before. He’s
left the garage open while he’s gone to grab his bag or speak to Pierre. You’re spiraling, Imogen. There’s no way he’d risk you escaping, now get it together!
The lights in the garage are on. The SUV already unlocked.
I open the trunk, wincing at the clicking sound, which reverberates around the otherwise empty garage. It seems so loud. Almost
as loud as my heartbeat ringing in my ears. But this feels far too easy. My escape can’t be this easy, can it? Yes, it can, Imogen. Because he trusts you. He believes you’re in love with him, because you were.
Maybe I still am.
I pull the trunk closed and get into a comfortable position. And now every scenario where this could go tragically wrong starts playing through my head. What if he doesn’t put his bag on the back seat as normal? What if he goes back upstairs to check on me? What if he hears me breathing?
The car door opens. I hold my breath. Something, I assume his bag, is tossed onto the back seat. And then he climbs into the
car and starts the engine. I breathe again now that there’s some ambient background noise. He puts some music on. Sleep Token,
if I’m not mistaken. Unsurprising. We’ve never really discussed our taste in music, but this is the kind I thought he’d enjoy.
Imagine if he was a secret Swiftie. I could tease him about that relentlessly.
Except there will be no more teasing. No more Lincoln—or Killian, or whoever the hell he is. If my plan works like it’s supposed
to, I’ll be free and clear in a matter of hours. It doesn’t matter that I have no idea where I’ll go or what I’ll do for money
or food, but I won’t be in prison. Freedom is so close—I can almost taste it.
I close my eyes and mentally sing along to the songs that I know. It’s calming and gives me something to focus on.
And I wait.