slams it shut again. My insides scream when I eat, wanting more, needing more, but she only provides a small ration and a bottle of water. I need to get out of here, but there’s no way out, and now I don’t have the energy to fight her.
I think today has been a week since Lucy left me here. It has to be. I have counted six sunsets and slept more than my fair share of nights and days, but the trouble is it makes them all blend together, so I can’t be absolutely sure how long I have been here.
The door opens again, and I manage to sit as she walks in. I screamed so much the first day, it made my throat so dry I considered drinking the toilet water. Now, I know it will do no good because there is no one out there who can hear me. I cross my arms around my body as she stands at the door, shutting it behind her.
Looking up at who I think is Lucy, she looks the same. No. Maybe she’s a little different, but mostly she’s the same.
“Thea.”
I shiver.
She looks me over and shakes her head. “Oh, how the mighty have fallen.” I’m taken aback by her words, but I don’t respond. “You were on top of the world, you even managed to get my company,” Chloe says then she steps forward and slaps me across the face hard, making my cheek throb. “And you got my husband killed by that maniac of a boyfriend you have.”
“He isn’t my boyfriend,” I mutter.
“Sure. That’s why you were with him when Lucy shot him.” She rubs her hands together. “That sister of yours is a real treat. It was easy to convince her to get you. All it took was for me to say I wanted you, and she couldn’t have been happier to do my bidding. She is batshit crazy that one.”
Yes, she is.
Wrapping my arms around my legs, I stay on the floor as she towers over me.
“Then I heard about Atlas’s father wanting to kill you, and I couldn’t let that happen. No, I had to be the one to end your miserable existence. I had to make sure Atlas knew how it felt to lose someone precious to him. Because he doesn’t care for anyone…” she pauses, her eyes narrowing, “… except for you. He even put a security detail on you and everything.” She smiles. “Atlas Hyde has one weakness, it seems.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I tell her, my voice dry and hoarse. I have hardly used it, and one bottle of water a day only lasts so long.
I turn away from her. Chloe walks over, her fake nails grip my face, and she turns me back around to face her, her breath in my face as she speaks, “He will pay for what he did to me,” she snarls.
“But I did nothing. It’s not my fault you’re all so fucked-up and don’t know how to live a normal life,” I say back to her, raising my chin in defiance that I know is going to get me in trouble. She holds on to my face for a moment more before she steps back, letting it go. Then she slaps me. Hard. I see stars before she turns and walks out, locking the door behind her.
I stay in the same spot for ages, not trusting anything or wanting to move for the fear of what that will do to my energy reserves. I have to be careful and don’t want to piss her off so much she won’t feed me.
My stomach growls at the thought of food.
Trying to keep all thoughts of Lucy’s baby away from my mind, I bite down on my lip to taste blood.
That poor child has no one.
Maybe Sydney was right, maybe I’m not the right choice for Lucy’s baby.
That thought breaks my heart a little.
Rocking back and forth, my ass is cold on the tiled floor.
The door creaks open again, and Chloe strides in, but there’s no tray of food in her hand.
What does she want this time?
“Seems Lucy’s gone missing,” she says. “And Atlas has left the hospital.” She looks down, and I see she has my cell in her hand. She presses call, and I hear his voice, a shiver running through me.
“Theadora…” I hear his voice say my name.
“The baby, is the baby okay?” I ask.
Chloe pins me with a hateful stare and shakes