Taylor stayed where she was after the footsteps disappeared. Her breath came in ragged bursts, one hand clamped over her mouth to hold in the sound.
No, no, no, no.
She squeezed her eyes shut, and the cell tilted around her. Her chest locked as panic rose like floodwater, cold and absolute. She couldn’t breathe.
She couldn’t stop hearing the footsteps thundering after her. Couldn’t stop seeing the knife flashing in the light. Couldn’t stop smelling the wine.
The floor came up hard beneath her knees. Somewhere beyond the roaring in her ears, a voice shouted. Then another.
The slot in the cell door banged open, and a voice yelled in. “Loudrick!”
Taylor flinched so hard her shoulder struck the wall. It was then that she realized she had been screaming. Her throat felt raw, and her cheek
