Chapter 6 - The Lion's Den
The idea of going back to that house made me physically nauseous.
But as I looked at Lily, exhausted and shivering in my arms, I knew I had no choice.
I had to end this tonight, or we would be running for the rest of our lives.
"He's probably out looking for us," I told Claire as she drove back toward our neighborhood.
"He wouldn't stay home."
"Let's hope you're right," Claire muttered, turning down our street with her headlights off.
The house was completely dark, standing like a silent tomb at the end of the cul-de-sac.
"I'll go in alone," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt.
"Keep Lily safe, please."
"Lock the doors as soon as I get out," I instructed Claire.
Lily grabbed my hand. "Mommy, don't go."
"I'll be right back, baby," I promised, kissing her forehead. "I'm going to fix this."
I slipped out of the car and crept across the front lawn, staying low to the ground.
The front door was still slightly ajar from when we had fled.
I pushed it open, wincing as the hinges creaked loudly in the silent night.
I stepped into the dark hallway, my bare feet silent on the hardwood.
The house smelled like peppermint and broken glass.
I crept toward the kitchen, my eyes adjusting to the darkness.
There, sitting on the granite island, was Ryan's silver laptop.
I rushed over and flipped it open.
The screen illuminated the kitchen with a pale blue light.
I plugged the flash drive into the USB port.
A prompt popped up on the screen, asking for a password to decrypt the drive.
My hands shook as I realized the laptop didn't auto-unlock the drive like Claire thought it would.
I needed his actual password.
I tried his birthday, our anniversary, his favorite sports team.
Incorrect password.
Incorrect password.
I had one attempt left before the drive wiped itself completely.
I stared at the screen, tears of frustration welling in my eyes.
Think, Sarah, think.
What does a narcissist like him value above all else?
I typed in a single word: RYAN.
I hit enter.
The loading wheel spun for an agonizing second before a folder popped open.
"Access Granted," the screen read.
A wave of immense relief washed over me.
I clicked on the video file, ready to copy it to my email so I would have it forever.
Suddenly, a heavy hand slammed the laptop shut, trapping my fingers inside.
I screamed in pain and spun around.
Ryan was standing right behind me in the dark kitchen.
"You really think I'd leave my house unguarded, Sarah?" he whispered, smiling wickedly.
May you like
He hadn't been looking for us.
He had been waiting.
