Tessa blinked, her eyes slowly adjusting to the blinding sunlight. She was still in the same place she’d passed out, but Adrian was no longer on top of her. He was sitting cross-legged beside her, his back turned, whistling softly.
That tune made her chest tighten. She recognized it. She used to love it. But now, she knew she could never hear it the same way again.
She watched his hands move as he pulled things out of a metal box. One by one, he laid them on the floor. Duct tape. Handcuffs. A knife.
Tessa froze. The air felt thin around her, and tears welled up before she could stop them. She didn’t dare make a sound. Even breathing felt dangerous. Only her eyes moved, scanning the room carefully, looking for a way out.
That’s when she saw it.
A small fire extinguisher lay near her ri
