There’s movement on the first screen and my gaze shoots back toward it to find mom dashing across the formal living room. “What the hell is she doing?” I panic, watching as she rushes around, her phone in her hand, desperately searching. Then it hits me, she’s looking for me.
“No, no, no, no, no,” I chant, leaning into Colton’s side, needing the comfort his closeness always seems to bring as he stares motionless at the screens, watching it all play out like some kind of horror movie.
Mom’s head whips around, clearly hearing something and dives behind one of the large statues, crouching down low and doing her best to keep herself hidden. “Why can’t I hear anything?” I rush out, searching around the computers for a volume button.
“There’s no sound. Only visual.”
“What?” I demand. “You’re a fucking billionaire. Why is there no sound?”
“It’s not my system,” he tells me. “Trust me, if this was on me, I’d have sound in every fucking room.”
My heart stops as a man walks through the formal living room and mom begins silently praying that she will get out of this. Her gaze falls back to her phone and she holds it to her ear. Whoever she’s trying to call doesn’t respond and she tries again and again.
I pat around my pockets and realize that she’s probably calling me. My phone is back in the pool house and she has absolutely no idea if I’m safe. The man walks out of the room and like lightning, mom flies in the opposite direction, continuing her search.
“I have to let her know that I’m okay,” I tell him. “Do you have your phone?”
He shakes his head. “It’s back in my room.”
“FUCK! She’s going to get herself killed.”
“Check the drawers,” Colton says, indicating to the row of drawers that span the length of the room. I practically dive on them, tearing each one of them open and madly searching. There are all sorts of things in there and I realize that each drawer was filled specifically with the intent to keep them alive in here for weeks on end.
I get to the fourth drawer and as I tear it open, I find an old phone attached to a charger and I rip it out faster than Colton dragged my ass in here
I rush back over to the computers and keep my eye on mom as I madly start hashing out a text.
Unknown - Mom. I’m in the panic room. Stop moving around. I’m okay. Go and hide.
Unknown - Where are Maryne and Harrison?
I watch as her head snaps down to her phone and she quickly reads over the text. Relief visibly pours through her and she sags against the wall, needing a moment to catch up with everything that’s happening.
I’ve never wanted to scream so bad in my life but she quickly gets moving and I watch as she dives into the coat closet just outside of the entryway foyer.
She’ll be alright in there.
The phone in my hand buzzes and I quickly scan over the text.
Unknown - Thank God. I was so worried. Don’t you dare come out of there until they're gone. Do you understand me?
Unknown - Maryne and Harrison are in the wine cellar under the Carrington’s private kitchen. They’re going to be alright down there.
I let out a shaky breath and step back into Colton’s side. “They’re in the wine cellar.”
“Which one?” he rushes out in a strange tone. “Dad’s personal one or under the kitchen?”
“Kitchen.”
Colton presses a few keys and within seconds, he brings up the camera for the wine cellar but instead of finding them hiding in there, we find Maryne being dragged out by her hair while a gun remains trained on Harrison’s chest.
“Fuck,” Colton grunts, flying out of his chair. He instantly begins pacing in front of the screen in an absolute panic, not once taking his eyes off the people who have done more for him than his own parents.
The need to break out of here pulses through me and I wonder just how stupid it would be to race down to the pool house and find Nic’s gun in the back of my underwear drawer. I stand no chance against these guys but at least I’d be doing something instead of just standing here and watching as it all plays out.
Maryne is dragged up the six steps leading down to the wine cellar and she scrambles to get free, clawing at the guy's hand in her hair.