Chapter 185
Aubrey
I hear the click of Bianca’s heels against the concrete floor, drawing closer with each sharp step, rage on her face. My fingers work frantically at the rough ropes, trying to unravel the rope. Now, one hand is free, tugging and unwinding them as quickly as I can. She stalks toward me, a predatory gleam in her dark eyes.
Just a few more seconds. I need to time this perfectly.
An abrupt ringing cuts through the tense silence. Bianca pauses mid–step, annoyance flashing across her features as she yanks her phone from her pocket. I freeze, hands still poised on the half–unraveled rope, maintaining the illusion of being restrained.
This is my chance. If I can just keep up this helpless charade a little longer…
Bianca jabs at her screen and raises the phone to her ear, half–turning away from me. “What?” she snaps impatiently.
I strain my ears, trying to make out the voice on the other end of the line. I instantly recognize the voice as Rhett’s. And hope surges through me at his words. “They raided the packhouse and killed Kyle. You need to get her out of there now!”
“What?” Bianca’s face contorts with shock and disbelief, her eyes widening as she processes the gravity of the situation. Her grip on the phone tightens, and for a moment, she seems
Chapter 185
to forget about my presence altogether. Panic flickers across her features, and I can sense her mind racing to adjust to this unexpected turn of events.
“King Soren is on his way to the docks; get her out. We still need her!” Rhett screams into the phone, making Bianca jerks the phone away from her ear. My heart pounds with a mix of fear and exhilaration as I process Rhett’s words. This is it–the break I’ve been waiting for. I can’t afford to waste this opportunity; with Bianca’s attention diverted, now is my moment to act. Help is coming, and if I can just free myself before she regains her focus, escape is within my grasp.
My muscles coil with tension, ready to spring into action the second Bianca lets her guard down.
She paces in agitation, her blonde hair swishing with the motion. “Fine,” she spits into the phone. “But where do I take her?”
“I don’t care, just get out of there now. I will call you when I am on my way back for her.”
My heart pounds wildly against my ribcage. This may be my one shot at escape. I have to make it count. A whirlwind of emotions surges through me–fear, desperation, and a flicker of hope blending into a chaotic symphony. My breath hitches, the stakes of this moment amplifying all my senses. Every second feels like an eternity, and I know that this is my chance to seize freedom and get back to Soren and Max.
I sense Bianca ending the call and see her start to turn back to me in my peripheral vision. It’s now or never. She hangs up the phone, cursing under her breath.
Irip my hands free of the remaining ropes and lunge to my
288 Vouchers
feet, knocking the chair aside with a loud clatter. Bianca whirls around, startled rage contorting her face. Her eyes blaze with fury as she takes a menacing step toward me, her fists clenching at her sides. “You think you can just run?” she sneers, her voice dripping with venom. But I can see the hint of uncertainty flicker in her eyes, and I know I have the upper hand here and she is about to realize that.
Our eyes lock, a charged moment suspended in time. Her lips curl back in a vicious sneer.
Then she lunges.
