And check again.
Dread fills my lungs like heavy mud. My phone is still on the shelf, quiet music hanging in the air. I clutch it in my trembling hands, the riot of my pulse making it hard to focus. It takes three tries before I successfully dial Theo’s number.
“I’m leaving the office right now,” he says, answering on the second ring.
My lips part, but no sound comes out. I stop breathing at the sound of rushed footsteps outside the bathroom door.
“Thalia?”
Instead of helping me take hold of myself, the sound of his voice has an entirely different effect. A pathetic, quiet whimper bubbles in my chest and grows more audible when someone slams a hand against the door.
“Thalia, what’s wrong?”
“Someone’s in the house,” I whisper, biting my cheek so hard I taste blood.
“What? What do...” he trails off as if needing a second to connect the dots. “Fuck! Where are you?” Hurried footsteps clap against the floor, and a door bangs on his side of the line, making me jump. “Are you okay?”
“I’m in the bathroom,” I choke out, biting my fist to stay quiet when another bang reaches my ears a second before the door handle rattles.
“Stay there. Lock the door. I’m coming, baby, don’t move.” The engine of his car thunders in the background. “Talk to me. Don’t hang up. Stay on the line.”
The sound of my heart thumping in my chest mixes with the revving of the big engine, Theo’s heavy breathing, and my stifled whimpers.
It’s maddening.
Seconds tick by, stretching into eternity.
Another bang on the bathroom door has me ducking under the sink. I cover my head with my hand, shaking all over when the rolled up note from teddy’s mouth is pushed through a gap under the door.
“Someone beheaded the teddy,” I whisper to Theo.
The tires of his Camaro squeal in my ear. “I’m coming. Stay where you are. Don’t move. Did you see anyone?”
“No.”
The note is through and whoever is there starts retreating. I listen, holding my breath until the main door slams shut, and my tears come on stronger, relief mixing with fear.
“I think he’s gone...”
“Don’tmove!” Theo yells immediately. “Don’t open the door, baby. Stay put until I get there.”
“Oh, God!” I spring to my feet, shaking all over. “Ares... I can’t hear him!”
“Don’t open the door!” He yells again as if he can see me reaching for the handle. “Ares is with the trainer, remember? He’s not home. Stay in the bathroom. I’m almost there.”
I sink back to the floor, listening for any sounds, but the condo is silent. “I was taking a bath,” I mutter because I can’t stand the maddening sound of my pulse rushing in my ears. “The music was playing, and I-I left the windows open, and I didn’t lock the bathroom. What if—”
“Don’t go there,” Theo warns. “Don’t think about that. You’re okay. You’re fine. I’ll put you on hold for twenty seconds, okay? I need to call Shawn. Stay with me.”
“I’m scared,” I whine.
I don’t think I’ve ever spoken those words aloud. I’ve never even thought them before. Not even when I was in jail locked in isolation, because the charges could’ve easily gotten me killed. Not when my lawyer said he won’t fight to help my case, not even when my parents threw me out of their house. The disgust on my father’s face when he backhanded me, saying he no longer has a daughter, haunts me in my sleep to this day.
But I’ve never experienced fear as paralyzing as I do right now, and I wonder if it’s because I’m truly happy for the first time in my life. The happiness could disappear if whoever broke in here got his hands on me. God knows what they wanted to do.
“I know,omorfiá. I’m not far off.” The engine revs louder. “I’ll call Shawn. Twenty seconds. Count.”
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