EMMIE
By the time the end of the week rolled around, I was beginning to get cabin fever being cooped up in a house in the middle of nowhere.
Thanks to the phone Seb dropped off, I at least had some connection to London via him and Stella.
I was hesitant to message them the next morning for fear that Seb was lying to me and that Theo would be alerted the second I reached out, but he hasn’t appeared at the front door, or more likely the window—despite there not being any way for him to climb up to it. He’s Theo Cirillo. I’m sure something as insignificant as a wall wouldn’t have stopped him.
Stepping through the front door of Dad’s house, I expected a feeling of contentment, of comfort to wash through me at being home.
But it never comes.
Even as I climb the stairs and push my bedroom door open, something still feels off. Like I no longer belong. Like something is missing.
With a sigh, I drop my stuff to my bed beside my phone and laptop that Dad and Cruz left here the day they went to visit my darling husband. Wisely, while they brought me my school books and anything that they thought might be useful that they found in Theo’s guest room, they left any kind of tech behind. That motherfucker had tagged me—there’s no way he hadn’t done the same to my computer. Hell, I was even suspicious of my makeup, but a quick scan by Link and it was all cleared as safe.
Not allowing myself to stop and think about the unsettled feeling stirring in my belly, I set about unpacking, and once I’ve nothing left to do, I fall down onto my bed and open my laptop.
I have no idea if he has the ability to do it, seeing as Link has worked his magic already, but in my head, there’s an alarm going off in Theo’s penthouse alerting him to the fact I’m home and on my computer. Part of me expects a video call to pop up, forcing me to look at him.
My heart jumps into my throat at the thought, and something a little bit too similar to excitement flutters in my belly.
No. It’s not excitement.
It’s victory.
I won. I got out. He didn’t break me.
Yet.
“Em, do you want lunch?” Piper shouts up the stairs.
My lips part to say yes, but something else comes out.
“No thank you. I think I’m going to go out.”
It’s a spur-of-the-moment decision but one I suddenly realise is right.
I’ve basically been locked up for the best part of two weeks, whether that be in Theo’s flat or a cottage in a place I didn’t know.
I need to be free. I need to just ride through streets I recognise and allow myself some time to get to grips with this new reality.
I also want to prove to Theo that I’m not scared of him, that I won’t hide from him.
Slamming the lid of my laptop down, I grab the knife Stella gave me and tuck it into my boot.
Pulling on my warmest jacket, seeing as it’s arctic outside, I stuff my purse and the burner Seb gave me into my bag and head out.
My normal phone remains on my nightstand where it was when I came in.
It might now be free of trackers, but I’m not sure I’m quite that willing to dive back into my old life. God only knows what I might find waiting for me on it.
I’m hardly surprised when I find Dad in our bike shed, tinkering with mine when I get down there.
He looks up the second he hears me approach, and a knowing smile pulls at his lips.
“You’re too predictable, kiddo.”
I shrug. “You know how much I’ve missed her.”