Kimberly
I jolted awake, my heart hammering against my ribs as the knock at the door echoed in the silence. For a moment, I couldn’t tell where I was. My mind was still clinging to the remnants of my dream, sunlit beaches, warm breezes, and freedom. But the reality of my room, dim and suffocating, closed in fast.
Another knock. This time louder.
I froze, my breath catching in my throat. Kendrick. He must have come back early. Maybe he’d forgotten something, or maybe he wasn’t finished punishing me. My stomach twisted, and I glanced toward the clock on the nightstand. It was just past midnight. He wasn’t supposed to be back until morning.
The knock came again, more insistent now. My pulse raced, and I instinctively pulled the thin bedsheet up to my chest, as if it could shield me from
