Catherine's Pov
They had arrived at 8:50pm, right on time. A text message flickered on my phone, lighting up the screen just as I finished tying the lace of Esme's tiny shoes. My heart was hammering against my ribs.
After I finished my call with Mark, a deep sense of unease had settled over me. I had dropped by a store on the way back to the hotel, my hands shaking as I purchased a small taser and a can of pepper spray, stuffing them both into the depths of the diaper bag. I didn't want to blindly trust these people, but I also couldn't afford to turn down this deal. It was our only way out.
I was desperately hoping that the universe would finally be gracious to me, that it would give me one reason to smile after everything I had been through. My funds were critically low; I could only pay for the hotel for one more week, and that was it.
