Page 55 of Caging Liberty

Lib?

My stomach clenches like someone’s making a fist with it in their grasp. “What are you talking about?”

He cranes his head toward the phone. “Call him back and put it on speaker.”

The fist tightens. “Why?”

“Just do it.”

I glance down at the phone and question what’s taking so long.

He’s talking to the authorities. That takes time. It hasn’t even been that long.

Right?

“Sawyer’s going to be here soon.” Mr. A frowns and waves to the phone again. “Do it.”

I chew on my lip as I bring up the recent calls, searching for my husband’s number at the top. But I don’t see his number.

I see his name.

Nausea overwhelms me, and I swallow down bile. I click on the name and put the phone on speaker, watching as the hope within my grasp slips farther away, like I’m walking backward.

My hand shakes profusely, and I nearly drop both the gun and the phone when Robert answers on the second ring.

“Liberty?”

“It’s me,” Mr. A says, taking a step closer to the phone.

“Jesus Christ.” Robert sighs, this time with relief. He lets out a little laugh. “What happened?”

I lower the gun and stare at the phone with tears blurring my vision.

“Your wife’s feisty.” Mr. A takes another step toward me.

Robert laughs again. “You don’t say?”

“I don’t know how she managed to unlock my phone,” Angel says.

“She’s a resourceful little bitch.”

I flinch like he slapped me. A slap would’ve hurt less.

“She is,” Mr. A agrees. “Sorry about waking you. I’ll let you get some sleep.”

“Don’t worry about it. Hey, call Sawyer, though. I just got off the phone with the manor, so he’s probably looking for you.”

More tears leak onto my cheeks as I look past Mr. A out the sliding glass door. Flashlights shine in the distance, getting closer by the second.

“Will do. Thanks.”

Mr. A closes the distance between us before gingerly grasping the phone.

“And hey,” Robert’s voice is full of amusement. “Give my wife a kiss for me.”

Mr. A takes the phone from me and hangs up.

Once again, I’m speechless, but for an all new reason. My chest hurts like my heart has literally broken as I stare at the lights getting closer and closer.