I packed every piece of jewelry and designer watch in the house, then booked the earliest flight overseas.
I would disappear somewhere Thaddeus could never find me, and from there, I'd plan my next move.
As for calling the police, I didn't even consider it. The moment cops got involved, all Thaddeus had to do was tell them it was a prank, and no one could touch him. He could even distance himself entirely, have some lackey claim responsibility for the phone call, and walk away clean.
So running was the only real option.
Once I'd confirmed that everything valuable and portable was packed, I opened the door.
And froze.
Thaddeus James stood on the other side, his gaze glacial.
"Mrs. James, you didn't follow the instructions from the call. Where exactly do you think you're going?"
His voice came through a voice changer. A nightmare made flesh, standing right in front of me.
Before I could speak, his foot slammed into me.
The kick was brutal, dead-center in my lower abdomen. Pain ripped through me.
Was I really going to relive the same despair, the same death?
I didn't know where the strength came from, but I screamed and lunged at him.
My resistance was met with a beating twice as savage.