I walk over to her and pick up the locket around her neck. Gently, I open it and pull the picture back.
“Kai, what are you doing, stop!” She tries to take it out of my hand, but then she notices the numbers engraved into the gold. “Oh my god.”
“He told me where to find the code,” I say, and she looks up at me with wide eyes. “Hurry.”
She takes my hand, and together we go into her bathroom. There’s a large, glass-encased shower in the corner. She grabs a small statue next to the tub and walks into the shower with it. When I look at her in confusion, she points to the wall.
“It’s here,” she says as she rears back and then brings the statue down onto the tiles. The porcelain shatters, and behind it is a black box with a keypad on the front.
“Holy shit,” I say as she looks at the code and then smiles.
“It’s their anniversary.” Tears threaten to spill, but she takes a deep breath and enters the numbers.
My brave beauty is being so fucking strong right now, and all I want to do is get her to safety. I’m close behind her as she opens the safe and pulls out the small black canvas bag inside.
“This is it,” she says, and I take her hand.
“Let’s go.”
When we exit the bathroom, Margaret is there waiting with a duffel bag and pet carrier in her hand.
“It’s the best I could do,” she says, and Sienna throws herself in Margaret’s arms and I take the stuff. Inside the carrier, a little orange kitten meows quietly, and I hold the crate under my arm to keep it safe.
“Go, there’s no time,” Margaret says, and they whisper words of love to each other.
Margaret goes out of Sienna’s bedroom, and I take her hand. “This way,” I say, taking her back to the balcony.
“How am I supposed to climb down?” She looks over the edge, and I can see the terror in her eyes.
“You’re not climbing, I am,” I say, picking her up and carrying her on my back over the edge.
The kitten meows but doesn’t seem too bothered once Sienna talks to him. Once we’re on the ground, I keep her on my back as I crouch down and through the bushes. Leo told me the route to take to go undetected and where to exit the property.
It’s a long way to the edge of the estate, but with adrenaline and the overwhelming need to protect her pumping in my veins, I make it in no time.
Once we’re to the wall, I scale it the same way I got in and wait for the patrol light to pass us. Sienna has a death grip around my neck, but I don’t care. That lets me know she’s alive and safe, and that’s all that matters.
Up ahead I see the signal and then I’m running through the grass. My lungs burn from the run, and it feels like there are wolves nipping at my heels. The rear car door opens, and I leap inside a second before it takes off. Sienna and I fall across the back seat, and I breathe for the first time in what feels like hours.
Sienna sits up on the seat and pushes her long hair out of her face. “Sugar,” Leo says when her eyes land on him, and then she launches herself into his arms.
“Dad!” she cries, and I look up in the rearview mirror at Sam, who nods at me.
“We did it,” I pant and close my eyes in relief.