Around eleven, exhausted and impatient, I climb into bed.
Just because I can’t see any cameras doesn’t mean they aren’t watching me. I have to get them to believe I’m going to sleep so they let their guard down, forgetting about me until morning.
My eyes are heavy while I stare at the ceiling and wait for the right moment.
***
I’m guessing it must be after one in the morning. I haven’t heard anyone walk past my bedroom door in about two hours.
Tossing the blankets off myself, I quietly climb out of bed. I slip the sneakers on and slide the hairpin out of my pocket as I walk towards the door.
My heart is racing as I kneel in front of it and push the hairpin into the lock.
Holding my breath, I turn it and twist it and listen for the clicks.
One.
Two.
Three.
The lock pops open, and I take a quick, sharp breath in. I did it.
Slowly, I pull the handle down and pull the door inward, peeking out into the hallway as I do so.
No one is there. The coast is clear.
The door clicks closed behind me. I don’t want someone walking past and seeing I’ve escaped. I need all the time I can get before an alarm is raised.
It’s easy to sneak downstairs. But once I’m there, I realize how many guards there are. They aren’t patrolling the mansion; they are positioned at every single exit point.
The front door has two guys standing near it. The back door in the kitchen is blocked by a guard. The patio door that leads out to the pool area is guarded; the upstairs balcony with stairs leading down to the garden is also guarded; the door to the garage is guarded.
Dammit.
Andrei is clearly not taking any chances.
I’ve checked every exit I can find, and I’m trapped.
Chewing at my lip, I stand at the bottom of the staircase and fume quietly. What am I supposed to do now? I’m not going to lock myself back in my room. I honestly thought it would be easier than this.
Should I go and hide again, pretend I didn’t get out? At least then I keep it a secret that I can unlock the door…
Fuck that.
No, I think I should rather explore every inch of this mansion and familiarize myself with it. Maybe I can find Andrei and give him a rude awakening—let him know I’m not one for keeping in cages.
I had enough of that with Boris.
There is no reason for me to make my kidnapper’s life easier by being obedient and quiet.
After twenty minutes of roaming around, memorizing hallways and rooms, I hear voices. Rounding a corner, there is a glow coming from one of the far rooms. Big glass doors let light pour through them into the hallway. It looks inviting.
I sneak closer, recognizing Andrei’s voice.
He’s talking to a woman.
Late night meetings in the far corners of the mansion±—I guess Andrei has some kind of romantic affair going on.
