I’m almost home free when the sounds of approaching voices send blood thrumming in my ears. I duck down behind the nearest car, praying to every deity known to mankind that they are not heading this way. My pulse pounds in my neck and my heart is beating so fast I fear I’m on the verge of a coronary. The voices halt near me, and I hold my breath, swallowing back bile, as I make all kinds of promises to a God I no longer believe in.
The sound of retreating footsteps is music to my ears, and I slump to the ground, attempting to recalibrate my breathing. When the voices completely fade, I straighten up, scanning the space before I take off jogging toward the exit ramp.
I stop when I reach the top, looking left and right, wondering which way is the fastest route to the service side entrance, when a hand wraps around my mouth from behind, and I’m pulled back against a warm chest.
I lift my leg, ready to inflict some damage when his warm breath skates across my ear. “Don’t. It’s me, Abby.”
CHAPTER THREE
“Charlie?” He lets me go, and I spin around, flinging my arms around his neck and clinging to him. “Oh my God. It’s so good to see you!” I admit, momentarily forgetting he’s on my shit list, because it is so good to see someone familiar.
“Abby.” He circles his arms around my waist, hugging me close as he presses kisses to the top of my head. The smell of his cologne wraps around me, and the familiarity is comforting. “What the hell are you doing?” he asks, gripping my arms and scrutinizing my face with troubled eyes.
“What does it look like?” I shuck out of his hold. “Getting the fuck out of this nuthouse.”
“You can’t.” He shakes his head. “You need to go back to your room ASAP.”
I narrow my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. “In case you don’t know, I’m fucking pissed at you, and I’m done taking orders.”
“You’re pissed at me?” Shock splays across his face, his vibrant green eyes betraying his confusion, before realization dawns. “I’m sorry I haven’t visited before. Your asshole father wouldn’t let me until now.”
That’s not what I was referencing. Doesn’t he get that I’m mad at pretty much everyone? And, if I am at Parkhurst, I will be plenty pissed that neither he nor Drew came to check on me. And until I know why my father has negotiated a new deal with the Barrons, I can’t trust Charlie, as much as it saddens me to admit that. “Were you in on it?” I level him with a penetrating stare. “The night of our engagement, you seemed to know what would happen. How is that?”
He looks behind him briefly before reaching for my hand. I step back away from him. “I can explain but not here,” he says. “I’m with your father, and he thinks I came back to get my cell from the car. He didn’t spot you, but I did. But if I don’t show up soon, he’ll suspect something. You need to go back to your room and follow my lead.” He reaches for me again, and I take another step back.
A pained look washes over his face. “Please, just trust me, Abby. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for you.”
I snort. The number of times the men in my life have said that to me is laughable. I don’t trust any of them. Except for Xavier, because he’s the only one who hasn’t betrayed me or let me down. “Trust you? You let them ambush me twice that night!” I shriek, letting some of my pent-up rage loose. “Once with the engagement and second with the kidnapping.”
“I tried to get you to safety!” he shouts. “Oscar was supposed to bring you to Xavier’s warehouse, and we would flee to Europe. I had it all set up.”
“What?” I splutter.
“Dad was helping. He wants to get you away from your father as much as I do, but everything turned to shit when Atticus Anderson and Wesley Marshall showed up, messing up our plans.”
“Why would you do that for me?”
He moves close, cupping my face. “Because we care about you, and we don’t want him hurting you any more than he already has.”
I blink fast—surprised, overwhelmed, and confused at the news. Then his words properly register, and I press my chest into his, looking up at him with panicked eyes. “Please tell me Oscar’s all right?!”
He glances nervously behind him. “I will fill you in on everyone, but you need to get back to your room now. Please, Abby. You’re going to ruin everything if you’re not there when we arrive.”
“What do you mean?” Goose bumps sprout on my arms, and I shiver.
“Dad and I have convinced your father to let you return to Rydeville. We’ve made a deal so you can live at our house, but if your father finds out you’re trying to escape, all deals will be off!” His tone is frantic, and little sweat beads dot his brow. Charlie is usually a very cool customer, which is how I know he’s telling me the truth. He’s genuinely panicked.
I still don’t trust him one hundred percent, but my options are limited now they’re here. “Okay.” He grabs my hand, and we run back down the ramp into the parking garage, sprinting around the corner. “Oh, shit.” I slam to a halt, clasping a hand over my mouth in front of the staff entrance as it dawns on me. “Father can’t come to my room!” I blurt.
He frowns. “Why not?”
“Because I drugged a nurse, and he’s tied to my bed.”
His eyes pop wide, and I can almost see the wheels churning in his mind. “I’ll handle it. I’ll make some excuse to come to your room first. Just go.” He pushes me at the door, and I use Wyatt’s card to gain access. “Stay safe,” he whispers before rushing off toward the elevator.
I make it back to my room undetected, closing the door and racing to my bed to untie the bindings around Wyatt’s hands and feet. I’ve only gotten one off when there’s a knock at the door, and a little whimper flies out of my throat. Adrenaline courses through my veins, and I pray it’s Charlie and not my bastard father.
“Abby. It’s me. Let me in!” Charlie says, and a relieved breath flees my mouth.
I almost trip over my sneakers in my haste to get to the door, opening it and yanking him inside before anyone sees him. “It’s only ever locked from the outside. How much time do we have?”
“Knowing how impatient your father is, I’d say ten minutes. Tops.”
“What did you tell him?”
“That I wanted to talk to you first. I told him I’d get you onboard with the plan.”
I scowl at him, and he raises his palms. “You want out of here, don’t you?”
“Yes, but not if it means selling my soul to the devil.”
“We’re well past that point,” he murmurs, tossing a look over my shoulder. “Fucking hell, Abby.”
His lips twitch as he walks toward the bed, taking in the prone body spread-eagled on top of my comforter.
“You untie his other foot while I get his hands,” I instruct, conscious of the ticking clock. I pull at the pantyhose around one wrist, ripping it with my bare hands.
“What the fuck did you do to the poor guy?” There’s an edge to his voice that he’s trying to disguise.
“I seduced him into coming here tonight with some booze. Then I drugged him with the pills I’m supposed to be taking until he passed out and I tied him up.”