Laurel

I’m pacing. My heart’s racing like I can’t stop it.

Every step I take feels heavier, like the floor is sinking beneath me, and I can’t breathe. The room’s too quiet—too still—my thoughts spinning like I’m trapped inside a storm, and I don’t know how to get out.

I’ve cuffed Sophia to the bed. The metal feels like it’s digging into my very bones, but it’s the only thing I can do right now.

I need her to stay still, just for a little while. I need her to stay here long enough for me to figure out what the hell to do next.

She’s asleep, at least. Her face is calm, peaceful, but it doesn’t match how I feel.

Every part of me is torn between guilt, fear, and this gnawing sense that I’m doing the wrong thing. But I can’t think straight.

My hands shake as I check the cuff again, making sure it’s secure. I don’t even know how much time I have before she wakes up, before the anger sets in, before she tries to break free and find out the truth.

I grab a chair and pull it close to the bed, watching her sleep. I can hear her soft breathing, steady, like nothing’s wrong. But I know everything’s wrong.

And I know, when she wakes up, this will be the last thing she ever expects from me. It’ll be the last thing I want her to see.

But I had no choice.

I drag my fingers through my hair, pacing again, the air in the room suffocating.

My phone’s in my pocket, and I almost pull it out—maybe there’s someone I can call, someone who’ll help, but I know there’s no one. This is on me. This is the plan.

Eventually, exhaustion kicks in. My body’s running on fumes. I can’t stop it anymore.

I drop onto the couch, curling up into a ball, but sleep doesn’t come easy.

My mind keeps racing, my heart still pounding in my chest. I drift in and out of a restless sleep, the feeling of dread still chewing on me.

What will she think of me now?

***

I jolt awake, my body stiff from the awkward position on the couch. I rub my neck, wincing at the cramp.

The sun’s already creeping through the blinds, and the morning light is like a slap in the face.

I need to get out, breathe, do something.

I lace up my sneakers and head out for a run, hoping the cold air will clear my head. With every step, my chest loosens, the panic inside me easing just a little.

The rhythm of my breathing slows, matching the rhythm of my feet pounding against the pavement. The park’s quiet this early, and for a moment, it’s like I can pretend none of this is happening.

I don't get why I'm so bummed. This was the plan, except I screwed it up.

Get in, get answers, get out. Simple. So why the hell am I failing to breathe?

I grab breakfast on the way back—coffee and pastries.

As I step back into the hotel, I can’t shake the feeling that this is all going to explode in my face.

The hallway feels too long, my steps too heavy. The door to the room feels like something I have to face even though I’m not ready.

My hands shake as I slide the key card in, and I wince as the door creaks open.

Sophia’s awake.

I can see it the second I walk in. She’s sitting up on the bed, her wrist tugging at the cuff.

The sound of metal grinding against metal cuts through the quiet.

I freeze.

Her eyes snap to mine, filled with fury, confusion, and something else I can’t quite place—betrayal, maybe. The weight of her stare pins me in place.

“What the hell is this?” Her voice is low, but it’s enough to send a shock through my veins.

I step inside, setting the coffee and pastries on the table, but I don’t move closer.

I’m scared to.

I don’t know what to say. I want to explain, to make this right, but I can’t find the words. I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.

“Uncuff me. Now.” Her voice is steady, but the fury behind it is unmistakable.

I hesitate. “Sophia, please—just… listen.”

She glares at me, her eyes narrowing, and it’s like I can feel every inch of her rage seeping into the air around us.

“Listen? You want me to listen? You’ve got five seconds before I scream and get someone in here to drag you out of this room. This is not okay Laurel. What stupid games are playing?”

The panic surges through me, threatening to choke me, but I force myself to keep calm, to stay steady.

“Just—just give me a chance to explain.”

She pulls at the cuff again, the metal scraping against the bed frame.

“Explain? Explain what? Why you thought it was a good idea to chain me to a bed like I’m some kind of hostage?”

Her words hit me like a slap, each one harder than the last. I take a deep breath, trying to steady my shaking hands.

“I did this to keep you safe.”

She scoffs, a bitter laugh slipping from her mouth. It’s not even a real laugh—it’s hollow, full of disbelief.

“Safe? You think I feel safe right now?”

I step closer, but she flinches, pulling away, as far as the cuff will let her. My chest tightens, but I stop moving. I don’t want to make it worse.

“Please, Sophia,” I plead, my voice cracking. “Just hear me out. There’s so much you don’t know. Please, just listen.”

She shakes her head, disgust written across her face.

“Listen to what? You ghost me and the next thing I know I'm cuffed to a hotel bed?”

“I wasn’t—” I break off, swallowing hard. “I just… I needed to keep you here, until I could explain.”

She’s silent for a long moment, her eyes hard. Then, in a voice that cuts me to the bone, she says, “You have no right.”

I can feel the air between us crackle with tension. The words sting, but I know they’re true.

“I know,” I whisper. “But I couldn’t let you leave. Not with them out there.”

She doesn’t say anything at first, but she doesn’t need to. Her expression says everything. She’s not hearing me. She’s not hearing anything I’m saying.

“You can’t protect me, Laurel,” she says, her voice cold, unyielding. “Not like this. You don’t get to decide what’s best for me. And I don't need you.”

I stand there, speechless. She’s right. I don’t get to decide for her. I don’t get to lock her away and call it protection. I don’t get to decide what’s safe.

So, I do the only thing I can think of, I reach into my pocket and pull out the gun Miguel gave me.

“You're not feeling great at the moment and I understand." I look away because I can bear to see the tears in her eyes. The hurt and all the betrayal I've caused.

"I need some vital information from you and you can either choose to make it easy or..." I weigh the piece in my hands. "We can do that the hard way."

“Laurel.” Her voice is quiet but the damage is already done. Best I can do is keep up the tough shell until all this passes.

She won't even remember any of it because I will be gone as soon as she tells me where they're keeping Emily.

I push the coffee to her mouth but she looks away.  I forcefully place it in the side table.

"You need to eat."

I turn around, heading for the door.

"And don't even think about doing anything stupid." I caress the gun stashed in my belt, just so she understands what happens if she does anything stupid.