“We’ve got to get out of here,” he says. “Like, tonight. I don’t want to wait until the morning. I don’t want to sleep under the same roof as that guy.”

“Me either.” The thought of a man bound against his will in the room below us is very unsettling. I’ll never be able to sleep. “But what can we do?”

“I can go for help.”

My stomach sinks. “Ethan, no…”

“Hear me out.” He holds up a finger. “It’s only about a mile to get to the main road. I can walk that far, then flag a car down for help. Or actually, I may have some phone reception over there. I might not even have to walk all the way to the main road if I can get my phone to work.”

I look doubtfully out of one of the picture windows. There is a lot of snow out there. Moreover, it’s gotten very dark over the last hour. Pitch black. There are no street lights or lights from nearby houses or any lighting whatsoever anywhere outside of the premises. What if he gets lost?

What if he freezes to death?

I grab Ethan’s arm, digging my fingernails into his skin. “Please don’t go.”

“I’ll be fine,” he assures me with the confidence that I don’t feel. “I have a warm coat and a good pair of boots. I bet it will only take me about half an hour to get to the main road.”

“And you’d just leave me here?” A lump rises in my throat. “With him?”

“He’s contained. For now.”

I shake my head, but I can already see in Ethan’s eyes how determined he is. There’s no way I can talk him out of this.

“I’ll be back in an hour—two, tops,” he says. “I promise.”

I place my palm on my abdomen. It’s still flat—no sign of a baby bump yet. In the coming months, it will grow larger and larger with the life we made blossoming inside me. As excited as I am about this journey, I don’t want to do it alone. I can’t imagine my life without Ethan.

“Please be careful,” I murmur.

“Don’t worry,” he says. “I’ll be back in an hour.”

He leans in to kiss me, and as I feel his hot breath, I say a silent prayer. Please don’t let this be the last time I see him. I will always blame myself if something happens to him.

“Don’t go into the room for any reason.” Ethan’s voice is stern. “No matter what. Okay, Tricia?”

“Okay,” I agree.

“He’s tied up. The only way he can hurt you is if you take the tape off his wrists and ankles.”

“I know.”