Page 49 of Vow of Sin

The door seems to be my only way out. I examine the lock, wondering if I can pick it. For a glass cell, I’m surprised to see such a simple lock on the door. There’s only one piece of metal that I have on me at the moment.

I tug my hands into the sleeve of my dress and pop the hook on my bra. The straps fall down my arms. I take my arms out of the straps and push them back through my sleeves. I lift the cup to my face and begin pulling at the seams on the bottom with me teeth.

If I can get the wire out, I can sharpen it by rubbing it across the cement floor and using the point to pick the lock.

One seam breaks and I move onto the next. Then the next. I bite into one thread after another until I’ve broken enough to pull the fabric apart with my fingertips.

I slip the curved piece of metal out and toss the bra to the side. The end is squared off. I squat down and place the corner onto the floor, rubbing it back and for against the rough concrete. The sound hurts my ears, but I don’t stop.

Who knows how long it will be before Elena returns and I don’t want to be here when she does. After inspecting the one side, I’m satisfied with that one and flip it over to the other side, doing the same until center comes almost to a point.

I slip the metal into the door and realize the curvature is stopping from getting the point into the correct spot. Back and forth I bend the metal over and over again until it snaps apart in my hand. I immediately go back to pick the lock. This time the piece is small enough to fit inside.

Antonio taught me years ago how to pick a lock. At the time the lessons seemed unnecessary. Right now, I’m so grateful that he did. I twist the metal to the right one last time and hear the distinct click of the lock.

In no time, I’m on the other side of the cell door, searching around the room for something to stack by the window. It’s the only way I’ll be able to reach it.

The chair from the cell isn’t tall enough. When I stand on the top, I can barely reach the bottom of the window. It’s not enough for me to pull myself up and out it. I simply don’t have that kind of arm strength.

When I get home, I will never leave without the guards again. Had they been with me, I wouldn’t have found myself in this situation.

The chair Elena sat in. I didn’t see her take it from the room when she left. I race to the side of the room she was on and find the chair. I carry it over and stack one chair on top of the other.

Nothing about my makeshift ladder looks stable. There’s nothing else in the basement that could possibly help me. After kicking off my heels, I carefully climb on top of one chair, then the other, all the while hoping I don’t fall and break my neck.

I reach the top of the second chair, kneeling to push on the bottom of the window.

Here goes nothing.

At first when I push, nothing happens. I add a little more force and breath a sigh of relief when the window opens.

It isn’t easy to push myself up and out the window. As I’m sliding my legs out, I feel something sharp run across my skin. I almost yell out into the night, but I don’t want to draw anymore attention to me.

I bite the inside of my cheek and continue. When I’m far enough out, I grab hold of large handfuls of grass and use them to help pull me the rest of the way out.

I look in every direction, trying to figure out which way would be the best to run when I spot Nico sitting on one of Luis’s motorcycles.

I don’t want to think about how sexy he looks straddling the bike. I’m too happy to see him to care about anything that has happened in the last few days. I take off at a full sprint to meet him.

Pain instantly shoots up my back. In the back of my hear, my mind recognizes the sound of a gunshot.

I fall to the ground. The moon that seemed so bright only moments ago is now dull and muted.

“Scarlett.” Nico’s voice reaches me before he does.

He’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I want to reach out and touch his face.

My arms feel like lead weights. I can’t lift them. Nico puts his arm behind my head and hugs me to him.

“Scarlett, you have to be okay.”

“She told me why.”

He brushes the hair back from my face. “Why what?”

I know we should be in a rush. We need to get away before Nico gets shot, but I have to tell him this first. “Why Luis married me.”

“You know that. He wanted to protect you after your parents died.”