I struggled with all my strength and bit down on his wrist.
“Ah!” he cried out, jerking back in pain.
I seized the moment and knocked the bowl out of his hands, the dark liquid splashing across the floor.
Blood dripped from his hand, and his face twisted with rage.
“Ashley! You’ve got a death wish!”
With that, he kicked me hard in the chest, sending me sprawling onto the ground.
“Lock her up in the woodshed! Don't give her food and water!”
Several men grabbed me and dragged me toward the back of the house.
The shed was dark and cramped, piled high with clutter. A strong musty smell hung in the air.
They threw me inside and slammed the door shut.
Clack. The sound of the lock echoed in the silence.
I sat on the cold floor, pain still throbbing in my knees.
Ivan... I must’ve been blind.
Three years of love was all just part of a calculated trap.
I felt around in my pocket—my phone was gone. Of course. Ivan’s mother had taken it.
I leaned back against the wall, closing my eyes and trying to conserve what little energy I had left.
Now that I thought about it, it all made sense.