Chapter 41

“Please. Just let me know you’re all right. You have one hour, then I’m calling her. You better be all right, you hear? Bye.” 3

Forty-five minutes later, Lee comes home.

The apartment is dark; I haven’t bothered to turn on any lights, but at least I’ve stopped the frantic pacing. Instead, I’m sitting on the couch, staring at the black television screen. The only light in the room comes from my phone whenever I wake it up to check the timer I’d set for sixty minutes after leaving him the message.

My stomach churns, my throat burns, and my head is starting to hurt after clenching my teeth for so long. And when he finally comes through the door, I tense even more, the muscles in my shoulders protesting loudly.