Page 16 of The Forbidden Secret

I waited until Zeke did his final rounds of the night before tucking myself into a bulky hoodie and sliding open my bedroom window. The fire escape had been secured to the wall about three feet beyond the window, and the sill was too narrow to climb. I knew Zeke had likely deemed it a minimal threat if he allowed me to sleep here, but he had not expected me to leave.

I didn’t care.

I stood on the window ledge, leaned forward, and jumped.

I didn’t dare to look toward the ground, knowing that the multiple stories below me would likely scare me out of my plan. And it didn’t matter. Not as I easily found my footing on the fire escape and began shuffling down the levels quickly, making sure to conceal as much of my face and hair as possible.

And then I was off.

I had expected to feel at least some sense of regret, but after the lack of answers Zeke had given me, I realized it was for the best that I got away. I would face nothing but heartache and disappointment if I stayed. The logical side of my brain knew that he was entirely uninterested in me. I knew it was a one-night stand, and I knew that his pickup lines and interest in my body meant nothing for the longevity of a relationship between us.

I also knew that my general lack of social awareness in many situations could have been hard at play here. I knew that beneath the surface of his words and behaviors, I felt something, and I wanted to believe that he did, too.

I stopped myself before delving too deep into that thought.

Zeke was a part of my past, and Beatrice would be my future.

I smiled at the thought of finally taking back my little girl—finally being able to live the life together that we deserved. I couldn’t wait for the day I could spend more than a few hours with her. The day I would have her to myself, day and night.

I would be able to take her outside on walks and, eventually, when she got a little older, to the park to meet friends and other moms.

That life sounded sweeter than anything I could have imagined for myself before her.

I grinned as I strode toward the street, raising a hand to hail a cab. Maggie only lived a few miles away, but walking through the streets when people were looking for me was a bad idea, and I knew that. I needed to stay as out of sight as possible. Once I got to her studio, I would cut my hair and change clothes. I would hitch a ride to the airport and gather all the documents I had crafted for me and Beatrice weeks ago—the ones I had left in Maggie’s safe keeping.

Lost in thought, I didn’t pay much attention to the taxi until it pulled beside me, and I slid into the back seat. I closed the door, and the vehicle immediately pressed on the gas, merging back into traffic.

The doors clicked locked.

I glanced at them, wondering if it was an automatic feature, as I opened my mouth to give him the address. But something stopped me.

Everything had felt fine moments ago, but now—after getting into this cab—I could feel the shift. I could feel that something was off even without a basis for that feeling.

I met his eyes in the rear-view mirror.

It should have meant nothing. He said nothing, and I couldn’t even see the bottom of his face. But there was a sense of accomplishment there. Cruel excitement. The emotions didn’t make sense, and I tried to rationalize them as Maggie’s address became lodged in the back of my throat.

“You’re not going in the right direction,” I said, trying to make my words sound less paranoid.

I had not given him the address yet, so he couldn’t possibly know that…

“Yes, I am.”

His deep voice and the words repeated in my mind. Over and over again, I tried to explain away what I knew was happening.

“Stop the car,” I said, leaning toward the door.

He didn’t say anything as my heart began pounding in my ears.

“Stop the car!”

Nothing. No response.

In the city’s traffic, he couldn’t go more than fifteen miles an hour, and I wouldn’t let him get to a place where he could go faster. I wouldn’t let him take me away from my daughter the way my father had already done once.

I reached for the lock, steeling myself to the pain I knew would come once I ducked and rolled from this vehicle. He didn’t even seem to notice my intention as I pulled the lock and then the door handle.

It didn’t budge.

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