I continued edging around the house, looking for a point of entry that would allow me to get inside undetected. After one lap around the house, I decided my best option was to go through one of the ground-level basement windows. I was prepared to break the glass with a rock, but to my surprise, the window was unlocked and slid open with ease.
Wedging myself through the opening wasn’t as easy, but I managed to squeeze through and dropped to my feet with a satisfied smile, which promptly disappeared when an overpowering stench filled my nose. Glancing around for the source of the smell, I almost shouted when my eyes landed on a skinny, hairy man chained to the wall. While I gaped at him, he was staring at me with hope-filled eyes. When he opened his mouth to speak, I snapped out of my shock and raised my finger to my lips to silently shush him.
“Please help me,” he whispered desperately.
“I will,” I whispered back, “but I need to help my friend upstairs first. Can I go this way?” I asked and pointed to the stairs.
“Yes, but you need to be careful. She’s crazy.”
“I know.”
“If you’ll get these chains off me, I’ll help you.”
“I’ll come back for you,” I promised.
“Please,” he begged and pointed across the room. “The key’s right there.”
I glanced at the key and back at him. “Who are you?”
“My name is Sean Sanders.”
“You’re Daphne’s husband,” I gasped.
“Do you know Daphne? Is she okay?”
“She’s upstairs.”
His eyes widened in horror. “She’s going to kill her. We have to stop her. Please, get the key.”
I wasn’t sure how he would be able to help. Judging by his appearance, he didn’t have much strength to speak of, which is part of why I decided to set him free. If he tried to attack me, I could easily take him down.
“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” he said when I unlocked his chains.
The smell emanating from him was horrific, and I struggled to keep myself from gagging. “How long have you been down here?”
“Months, I think. I’m not sure.”
I struggled with the lock on the last chain. I was about to give up and leave him when the key finally turned and the lock popped open. Quickly stepping back, I eyed him cautiously.
He seemed to know what I was thinking. “I never wanted any harm to come to Daphne. That’s why Tori locked me down here. Tell me how I can help.”
“I don’t have a plan,” I admitted.
“Where are they upstairs?”
“They were in a room near the front door.”
“The stairs lead to a hallway. If you go to the left, it will take you to the kitchen, which is connected to the dining room. The room they were in is on the other side of that. I’ll go to the right and loop around to the front to create a distraction while you get Daphne to safety.”
I hesitated, unsure if I could trust him. “I’m a member of the Blackwings MC. If you’re fucking with me, my club will make you suffer far worse than anything you’ve experienced here.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible,” he said, barely audible. “But I swear, I don’t want anything to happen to Daphne.”
“Okay,” I said and tested the doorknob to make sure it was unlocked. “Let’s do this.”
When I pushed the door open, I could hear their voices, but I couldn’t make out what was being said. Based on Sean’s description of the floor plan, it sounded like they were still near the front of the house.
Pulling my gun from its holster, I moved through the kitchen and dining room as quickly and as quietly as possible. When I reached the dining room, I positioned myself where I was out of sight, but had a visual of Tori. Then I waited for Sean. And waited and waited. The shouts were getting louder, and the tension in the room was palpable. I was about to wing it on my own when I finally heard his voice.