The Panic Room's Deadly Secret

ged me and locked me in our panic room. The cont

er's widow was also in labor. Her child had to b

blood soaking through my nightgown. H

t me with another drug to "keep me quiet." I

ty of my husband's greed. B

or Guzman, the sole heir

posed death, I'm back to collec

pte

Guzma

ees. My hands flew to my swollen belly, instinctively trying to protect th

h. My head swam, the edges of t

Isaiah, ha

uiet afternoon. A moment of

I awoke

haven. Bulletproof, soundproof

t kept

ld surface reflecting my terrified fac

aw, desperate croak. "Isai

lm and controlled, slicing through m

having our baby.

pain tightening around me. It felt

or! Now!" I pressed my ear against the cold metal, ho

"That's precisely why y

contraction. My heart seized in m

t?" My breath hitched. The

tone was flat, devoid of emotion. "Her do

Gray. His late busi

the dots through the haze of

impered, another sob tearing from my throat. Th

iness transaction. "It states, quite clearly, that the firstborn child i

ld. He couldn'

ney?" The words were barely a whi

oice sharper now. "For Blackwood Ind

raction, but from a sickening twist of betr

love, Elinor. Isabe

avagery of his words. They echoed in the sma

wrong." A sharp, searing pain shot through me, hot a

atience. "Don't try to manipulate me.

Just let me out! I'll do anything! I'll give up the inheritance

a fleeting moment w

e door, chilling me to the bone. "Don't you see, Elinor? Y

nd of muffled conversation. He was

a fresh wave of n

nst my cheek as I crumpled, unable to st

and tearing. My body was screa

e cracking. "I'm begging you! Don't

silent. He was gone.

ced through the drug-induce

gasps. The pain was unbearable, a mo

me, a sudden, violent l

. So much

. But my body was failing. The drugs were

sweet, inn

but my hand was too heavy, too sluggish.

ure, panic-proof ro

er, then a weaker tremor. My heart po

shrinking, fading. My strength drain

m the deepest part of my being. It was a primal

proaching the heavy door. Heavy

erce, ignited within

y bloody hands thudding against the metal. "I

man's face, cold and unyielding, peered

a sneer, laced with disgust. "Just as I

of pain making my body arch. "It's not a tri

d at a drop of blood on the pristine floor, her face twisted in dista

ng!" My voice was a desperate rasp. "And

ked nightgown. "Don't try to guilt me, Elinor. I k

octor, please! I don't want to lose this baby!" I re

d out her phone, holding it to her ear. "Isaiah? She's blee

was talking to Isaiah

ed into the phone, hoping he could hear me, hoping t

faking? She's really pale." She paused, list

int of uncertainty there. She was

iah," she said, her voice softer than

. My world he

drifted from the phone, clear an

oice was a silken whisper. "Remember what the doctor said. Str

s. Our l

past me, into the phone, a strange, a

ized. Probably surrounded by doctors and nurses.

e, now hard and cold, snapped back into focus. "Al

er of humanity extinguished. "He knows

his noise is entirely too much. And what if she actually does manage to hur

ck. Isaiah had hung

ion and fury. "He just cut me off! All because

eyes burning with an i

ain, pulling out a small, gleaming silver syringe. T

she hissed, advancing on me. "To m

le, glinting, coming closer. My b