Page 41 of Lose to Win: Lost Trilogy: Part 3
The more he talks, I realize how similar my situation is to Arlene’s.
“I don’t want him to have my baby.”
The distress I suddenly feel at the thought of Steve taking my baby is causing me a panic attack. I can’t breathe freely anymore, but dad manages to calm me down with just a simple sentence.
“No one will take your baby away from you.”
His phone goes off on the desk, and he frowns when he looks at the screen.
“Everything okay?” My voice shakes a little, even though I don’t want to be scared.
“I need you to stay in here,” he points at me, then walks toward the door. “Do not move.”
It all happens so fast, I am left just staring at the door, wondering what it was all about. I have a bad feeling about things. Maybe we got too comfortable lately.
I jump in my seat when I hear a pop outside in the hallway. I stare at the door, expecting my father to walk back into his office, but nothing is happening.
I tiptoe to the door and place a hand on the doorknob, ear stuck to the flat surface, trying to figure out if there is anyone on the other side or not.
I hold my breath when I crack the door open just enough to look out. I don’t see or hear anything at all. The silence feels unnatural, so I slam the door closed and lock it.
I press a hand to my mouth, forcing myself to breathe and not cry. I need to stay focused, just in case I’m right and something is afoot.
I yelp in surprise when my phone dings with a message. In my efforts to pull it out of my pocket faster, I only manage to drop it to the floor.
“Shit,” I whisper and bend down to grab it, but it slips out of my hand once again. I sigh in frustration and finally turn it over to look at the screen. It’s a message from Puck. He is asking me to get to Sunny. Go to my house there.
Me:are you sure it’s a good idea?
Puck: I don’t have time to talk. Just do what I tell you. Take the Uber I sent for you
I frown in surprise, but then decide to let it go. He was abrupt with me in a text before, so I try not to take it personally, especially since we haven’t been very close lately. And there has been zero intimacy, so there’s that.
With my heart beating in my throat, I hesitate only for a second before I unlock the door and look up and down the hallway. Still not one person in sight, so I run to the elevator, praying that it will be just as empty as the rest of the building seems to be. I’m scared of running into anyone.
The trip downstairs is uneventful, which is anticlimactic, even though I was praying for that before getting in the elevator.
As soon as I walk out of the building, I spot a car with the familiar logo on the windshield. The driver smiles and gives me a friendly wave when I reach him.
“Emily Stewart?” he asks in a happy voice.
“That’s me,” I confirm.
“Trip to Sunny, coming right up.” We both laugh at that, and this time, I don’t hesitate when I open the door to the back seat and slide right in.
“Thank you for waiting,” I tell him. “My husband sent the car for me,” I make sure to say.
“Ah, yes, he mentioned something,” the driver nods. “Congrats on the marriage, yes?”
“Thank you.”
We continue our friendly chat for the thirty-five minute trip to my house. I hesitate getting out of the car when he pulls in. I haven’t been here in so long, it doesn’t feel like home anymore, not like it used to.
I briefly wonder where me and Puck are going to live once this is over. Maybe he likes this house and he’ll want to live here with me. The door doesn’t sound appealing at all.
When I get to the door, I try the knob and it opens right away. Did I give him a key?
“Took your fat ass long enough to get here,” an evil voice addresses me from the living area.
