“Wait. Don’t hang up,” I cry into the phone.
“Shh, it’s okay. I won’t hang up until I absolutely have to. I’m going to put you on speaker so I can text Callum.”
“You have his number?”
“I do. Out of everyone in that house, he’s the only one that can be trusted with your safety.”
“What’s going on out there?” I whisper.
“Pandemonium. I don’t know who is attacking, but I will keep you safe. If I find one scratch on you, I will murder them all,” he says grimly.
“You really would, wouldn’t you?”
“Fuck yes, I would. You’re mine. No one fucks with my woman.”
“Thank you, Kai. Thank you for coming for me.”
“Always. Callum’s going to knock on the wall. When he does, go with him. He will bring you out of the tunnels to me. I have to go now. I’ll be there. Waiting.”
I suck in a deep breath, steeling myself for the next steps. “Kai, be safe out there. I love you.”
The words tumble from my lips. As much as I wanted to say those words to his face so he could see how much I truly mean them, it felt right to say them now.
I needed him to know how I felt so that if anything happened to either one of us, he would know.
He chuckles lightly. “I love you too, princess. I’ll see you soon.”
Then the phone disconnects.
In the silence of the room, I cannot hear anything going outside the walls surrounding me. I know I’m safe enough. The box I’m in is reinforced with bulletproof metal. The only way I can get harmed in here is if they set the place on fire. Even then, I’d be safe enough for seventy-five minutes, especially with the oxygen tank in the corner.
Still, as the silence lingers on, my heart beats faster.
What if Callum never makes it? What if Kai gets hurt? What if this is all a trap?
My breaths come out heavier as I pull my knees to my chest. When the first tremor hits me, I lean my head against my knees, praying for safety. Not for just me, but for Callum and Kai too. The longer I sit there, the smaller the room feels. I jump when I think I hear a noise, but when it doesn’t repeat, I wonder if I imagined it. I try to take in a deep breath, but the air feels too warm. It feels stale, as if I can’t actually suck it in.
That only feeds my panic. I feel hot. Way too hot.
Did they set the house on fire? Is this how I die?
Reaching my shaking hands out, I pull the oxygen tank to me. My vision is becoming dizzy, making my hands shake even worse. I am barely able to pull the mask free before I spin the dial, sucking in the fresh oxygen flowing from the mask.
It takes several minutes of counting in my head, but finally, the panic subsides.
I blink my eyes open, grateful the black spots have subsided, and the dizziness seems to have gone with them.
A loud banging on the wall startles me.
Turning off the oxygen, I slowly push open the door.
“Cleo?” Callum’s voice floats in as soon as the door is cracked.
I rush out into his arms.
“It’s okay. Let’s get you out of here.”
He grabs my arm, a gun in his other hand as he leads me to my bedroom door. He glances out, looking both ways before pulling me down the hall into the closet. The back panel is already moved as he pushes me in ahead of him, closing it behind him.
