Images flash through my mind, disjointed and terrifying. My father’s hands around my throat, squeezing, choking. The boy from my dreams suffocating. Blood. So much blood. And a rock. My mother’s screams.
Hide. You need to hide.
I can’t breathe. The elevator walls close in around me, suffocating. I need air. Now.
The doors open, and I stumble out, gasping, hyperventilating. I don’t know where I’m going. I need to get away. Far away.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Tears blur my vision, and I push through the revolving doors out into the night. The cool air hits my face, but it doesn’t help. Nothing helps.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I keep walking faster, my heels catching on the pavement. I drop, my knees hitting the hard stone. But all I hear is that insistent pounding.
“Lil!”
A horn blares, loud and angry. Tires screech. I turn my head, and everything is red. Blinding, searing red.
The red room. It’s a nightmare.
We’re going to play our little game, okay?
Mom?
Chapter 47
Sebastian
Fuck. I set to run after her, but my father stops me with his hand on my chest.
“Don’t you think you should give her room?”
“No, she needs me.” I glare at him.
He lowers his hand. “I’m sorry.”
“Apologize to her.” Ignoring my father, I rush out of my office.
The elevator closes right before me. I hammer on the button. Come on, come on! But it doesn’t come back.
Stairs. I burst through the door and hurry them down like a madman.
I have to find her. Now.
I yank the door to the lobby open and spot the receptionist.
He motions to the street. “She went outside.”
I rush out. And then I see her in the middle of the street, covering her ears.
“Lil!”
She turns as I’m gaining on her, but before I can reach her, a car appears.
A horn blares. Tires screech.
And a sickening thud.
