TRAPPED: BREAKING FREE - BOOK 1 Read online

  I lose my equilibrium for a brief moment and pause to place my hand on the wall.

  Wow, that is some strong stuff!

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.

  I look up just in time to see Lottie running behind me as a man in his early fifties, dressed in nothing but a dressing gown and slippers, looking like a Hugh Heffner impersonator steps out on to the hallway in front of me.

  Lottie gives me a few hard pushes to the back and I look back at her, wondering what the hell she is doing.

  The Hugh Heffner look alike clears his throat and raises his eye brow expectantly, “Well, are you ladies here to show me a good time, or is there another reason for disturbing me?” I cringe at his words.

  I swear I just threw up a bit in my mouth.

  “Er, no. Do you have any sugar we can borrow please?” I ask, wondering why on earth Lottie has done this and left me to deal with the fallout.

  Hugh Heffner turns on his heel and stalks back in to his apartment.

  The panic starts to set in and I worry he is going to call security. Oh crap, what are going to do? This is all on Lottie, I am not taking the blame for her stupid self!

  I am broken out of my panic by him shortly returning and handing me a few sachets of sugar.

  I stare at them for a few seconds, wondering who on earth happens to have sachets of sugar lying around. This man is a freak.

  Looks like somebody raided the starbucks stash!

  I mumble a thanks and rush back to the elevators, pressing the call button over and over, praying for it to arrive quickly.

  I am so going to throttle Lottie, that girl won’t even know what’s hit her.

  “Oh ladies.” I face the man talking to us, wondering what the bloody hell he has to say now. “Don’t worry about returning it, I don’t tend to lend sugar out, so I’ll let you keep that. Just this once!” He laughs at his own attempt at a joke, before disappearing in to his apartment and leaving me completely shocked and exasperated at the same time, stood in front of a now open elevator door.

  I shake myself out of my distressed state of mind, chancing a glance at Lottie who has twisted on the spot to face me, but has not moved from where she hid behind me earlier, and is giggling with both hands covering her mouth like a school girl.

  “Oh god Connie, what did he look like? Well played my friend, I did not see you pulling that out of the bag! Way to think on the spot girl!” Lottie says, between a bout of giggles.

  “Whatever!” I tell her, not even bothering to play her silly game.

  I stomp in to the elevator to alert Lottie to how totally pissed off I am, making sure to hold the open door button and wait for her stupid arse to join me, although I’m not sure why. I am mentally cursing her to hell and back.

  Why bloody knock on a complete strangers door, for no apparent reason, and then throw her supposed best friend under the bus?

  The girl is getting it, cayenne pepper in her drink maybe?

  After what seems like I’ve been waiting for ever, Lottie finally makes the decision to grace the elevator with her presence. I am point blank refusing to look at her, I have a proper sulk going on and that cow is going to cop the brunt of it whether she likes it or not.

  “Oh stop being such a moody mare and live a little. I promise there is a method to my madness.”

  Huh, method to her madness? I highly doubt that, the girl is crackers.

  “Yeah and please, do share. What method would that be exactly? Cause I just thought you enjoyed making a complete and utter prat of me.”

  The bitch has the cheek to laugh in my face, Lottie on cocktails I do not like so much. “Na, you do that on your own most of the time, you don’t need me to do that for you.”

  I swat her arm, a giggle erupting from my lips. “Oh calmed down now have we?” Placing her arm around my shoulders, Lottie pulls me in for a hug. “I’m sorry, I froze as soon as I knocked and completely forgot I had the wrong apartment. I really am sorry, can you ever forgive me?”

  Oh hell, she has brought out the big guns, the puppy dog eyes, and sad facial expression.

  I’m a sucker for that look and judging by the smirk that has made its way across her lips the cow knows it too. “Yeah whatever, it’s a bloody good job I love you woman.” I reply, pulling out of her arms and walking out in to the lobby to apologise to Ryan. “Oh and you better have some more booze at the ready by the time we get back upstairs.”

  I wither on the inside from the look we are receiving from Ryan.

  He does not look pleased, he is frowning at Lottie and giving her proper evils. I groan inwardly, knowing we are in for one hell of a lecture.

  “What were you playing at? I leave for the whole of a minute and when I return you have disappeared.” I hear booming across the lobby as he lectures Lottie before turning on me. “And you should know better than to follow Lottie around, I very nearly called site security to check for an abducted woman, that’s if there is a shady character possibly hanging around? And what do I happen to spot on the CCTV as I’m dialling them?” He asks, turning his attention back to Lottie. “Oh, that’s right, you, deciding to play a game of knock down ginger with one our most prestige tenants. WHAT WERE YOU PLAYING AT?”

  I shuffle my feet on the spot, feeling totally reprimanded. Although this was in no way my fault, I suppose he is partially right.

  I didn’t need to follow Lottie around like a little lost sheep.

  I speak up, spotting Lottie getting agitated out the corner of my eye and knowing if she opens her mouth to lay in to him, she will make the situation a whole lot worse in her drunken state. “Ryan, we are so very sorry. It was all a giant misunderstanding, and Lottie being Lottie decided to run some errands quickly without thinking you would assume the worse. The silly cow just got the wrong floor and knocked on a strangers door by accident, her running away was a reaction to not knowing what to say. We really didn’t mean to be any trouble.”

  Ryan visibly relaxes before my eyes, the hostile expression fading from his brown eyes.

  e nods, walking around the desk and pulling us in for a hug, we clearly had him worried and I feel awful for causing his distress.

  “Please, if you ask me to check out a security threat, then please, please follow what I tell you to do. I cannot stress to you how important it is that you follow my commands. If anything were to happen to you from wandering off. I would have to search the whole premises from top to bottom before I could do anything else.” Ryan tells the pair of us, before stepping away and placing his blank, professional mask back on to his face.

  It’s pretty obvious Lottie feels awful, her features are showing nothing but regret for her actions and I cannot help but feel for my friend.

  She hates hurting people, and I know the thought of her truly upsetting Ryan will cut her deep.

  Watching Lottie step back in to the comfort and safety of Ryan’s arms, anyone would think there was something more between the two.

  Being as close to Lottie as I have been the last fifteen years, I can see the situation is more along the lines of sibling affection.

  Lottie, in all of her drunkeness, starts mumbling incoherently to his chest.

  Ryan laughs, a deep rumble of a sound, pulling her back to hear her more clearly. “Say that again.” He tells her, clearly amused with her actions.

  “Ryan, I’m sorry.” sniffle, “I would never want to scare you like that. I honestly wasn’t thinking clearly and took off without realising you would worry. It was stupid of me, and I can only apologise and hope you’ll forgive me.

  Ryan pulls her behind his desk and hands her a tissue, rubbing her on the top of the head affectionately and rolling his eyes.

  “Stop now! Just don’t do it again and I wont have to kick your tiny butt, you get me?” Lottie nods eagerly. “Good, now don’t do it again and all will be fine. Now is there anything I can get for you two young ladies? I happen to have picked up that you cannot walk in a straight line, your emotio
ns are all over the place and you tend to stumble quite alot. Would I be right in guessing you are both intoxicated and need a strong coffe maybe?”

  We both look up, completely horrified at the thought of sobering up. “Oh my god! Nooo.” I gasp, at the same time as Lottie screeches, “Don’t you dare! This is girls night and girls night means cocktails baby!”

  “Although,” Lottie leans her head on Ryan’s arm, giving him the puppy dog eyes. She’s up to something, and I immediately know this is not good for me! “I just remembered, I was on the wrong floor earlier, and I wanted access to the penthouse. Is there any chance you could get me up there? I’ll love you forever... pretty please?”

  “Lottie, what, no! Can we please go back to your apartment and continue getting drunk please?” I tell her, sounding horrified.

  “No, I know for a fact that the owner of the penthouse will be delighted to see us, and I just want the chance to prove it.” Lottie looks completely sincere as she informs me of this and all I can do is wonder who it is she is so desperate to see.

  She’s not exactly dressed for a rendezvous, in distressed washed out jeans, her white jelly style flip flops with big chunky bows above the toes and a simple white vest top. Not to mention the fact that I hope if she did have a rendezvous, she wouldn’t bring me along to join in. I mentally cringe at the thought. Yuk!

  Ryan’s head is batting between the two of us as we speak, he clearly becomes exasperated with the pair of us, as he promptly steps between us, forcing our conversation to stop due to being blocked of anything visibly behind his huge body. “Now listen, go back to your apartment and do whatever girls do up there. But know this, I cannot ever give out other residents details, nor can I provide you access codes or allow you entry without permission from the owner. If you want to gain access Lottie, I suggest you gain permission first.” He doesn’t give us a chance to say a word, deciding to walk away from us to make his back to his desk to start typing away on his computer.

  I make him right, can you imagine if a mass murderer wanted access to your apartment and the concierge gave him access to you?

  I can tell Lottie is clearly frustrated by this turn of events, she honestly expected Ryan to help her out.

  I laugh at her stubborn arse, she is watching Ryan with clear disdain written all over her face.

  Oh Ryan is going to cop it when the girl’s sober, she hates being shot down and ignored, and poor Ryan just did both, even if he was completely justified.

  “Right, well so much for having friends in this place.” She shouts.

  I watch his head snap up in shock, the hurt clear on his features.

  I must say, that was pretty low and even shocked me.

  I shake my head at Ryan, knowing it’s the drink that has taken over Lottie’s run away mouth and offer a sympathetic smile his way. She will forget all about this by the morning, I just pray Ryan does too.

  He doesn’t seem the type to take things to heart, but him and Lottie have gotten quite close in the six months he’s been working here.

  I’d hate to see them fall out over a bit of drunken behaviour and stubborness from both sides.

  Clearly had enough of the drama with Ryan, Lottie pulls me to the elevators leading to the car park, situated in front of Ryan’s desk. I go willingly, knowing if I put up a fight Lottie will just drag me along anyway.

  Stumbling over the sill in the lift, I right myself preventing myself from taking a tumble to the floor with Lottie, we really don’t need anymore reason for Ryan to moan at us.

  “Out.” Hiccuping, Lottie points towards the wall, despite the fact her eyes are focused on the now opening doors.

  She really is pissed, the extra blinking she is doing totally betraying her efforts at coming across as sober.

  The fresh air from the car park hits me like a ton of bricks, I immediately feel dizzy and have to stop on the freshold of the lift doors.

  I breathe in deeply, trying to calm the sick feeling that has rushed straight to my stomach and throat.

  I can feel my mouth watering and I really do hope I’m not going to throw up. That’s all Ryan needs to witness on his CCTV, after the trouble we have just caused him, I think he would slaughter us in his sleep.

  I lean forward and brace my hands on my knees.

  I jolt, feeling Lottie’s hand swat me on the bum.

  But I don’t move, I can’t, the sickness is fading but the serious head rush is still going on big time, I need to find somewhere to sit for a second and allow it to pass before I end up on the floor. I block everything out, including my best friend who is waving her hands in the air and moaning about something to do with keys.

  I have no bloody idea, and at this moment in time I don’t particularly care.

  At the bottom of the lifts is a gated area that leads to the car park, you can make your way out of the lift to the car park if you have a code.

  If not you need to press the call button on the side of the gate keypad and ask for permission from the concierge.

  To gain entrance back to the lifts and lobby you need the same, each apartment has their own code to log everyone in or out for security purposes.

  I lean against the fence next to the keypad, breathing slowly and counting to twenty in my head. I close my eyes and hang my head forward, getting my drunk body used to the change in the atomosphere.

  I open my eyes and chance a look at Lottie, the feelings are slowly edging away and I feel just a tad more prepared to deal with her next drunken antics.

  “My keys, I forgot my bloody keys, no word of a lie Connie. Shit, I cant get in my car or through my front door... Connie... Connie?” She steps up to me, clicking her fingers in front of my face. “ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME? I.FORGOT.MY.POXY.KEYS!!!”

  “Oh shut up woman, I was trying not to vomit! And yes I heard you, how can you remember to pick up your cocktail but not your house keys. That makes zero sense. What the fuck are we going to do?” Our drunken brains are clearly not thinking logically, all kinds of scenarios run through my mind.

  Sleeping in an empty stairwell, murderers and rapists getting to us, I am being completely irrational, but that doesn’t stop the panic racing through me, forcing my heart rate to pick up and sweat to start dripping down my back.

  “Bollocks. Okay, if I can just have some peace for a second I can think of a solution. Stop rambling Connie and shhh!”

  Really, me rambling?

  Who was the silly cow waving and clicking her fingers in front of my face in sheer panic a second ago, while moi, I was just trying not to pass out.

  I don’t say anything, choosing to let her work this one out on her own.

  I enjoy watching her like this, she is muttering to herself, tapping her right foot on the floor and has one eye closed and a screwed up nose from being deep in thought. She looks ridiculous, I just hope Ryan is getting a good laugh on his monitor.

  I wonder if he will let me have the recording to wind her up in the future with? I’m brought out of my musings by a loud “whoop” from Lottie’s mouth.

  “I’ve got it, you climb the gate and go and get the booze. I’ll ask Ryan for his spare key to get us into my place... Crisis averted.” Lottie informs me, as if it is just expected of me to climb a gate and collect the booze?

  What bloody booze? Why would I climb a gate when she can just type in a code. I go to tell her to get on with it, but Lottie, having some sort of sixth sense seems to know what I’m about to say before I even have a chance to get it out.

  “No don’t even ask, the codes are changed monthly and I can never remember them, so it’s just easier to stick the code in my phone. The problem there is I forgot my phone.” She pats me on the bum, nodding towards the fencing. “Off you pop, the booze should be next to the car on the drivers side.”

  “Not fucking happening! I am not, climbing a bloody fence in a pair of fanny flashing daisy dukes for a bottle of alcohol I knew nothing about.”

  “Oh come on,” the look I give her says it
all, she rolls her eyes and makes a grab for my empty cocktail glass that I have been carrying around this whole bloody time, and places hers and mine on the floor.

  No wonder Ryan thought we had had enough, carrying around empty glasses and acting like a pair of drunken twats.

  “Okay, okay. Listen, we will both climb, collect the forgotten booze. Yes I know don’t say it.” She raises her hand to stop my questioning. “We collect the forgotten booze, left by the side of my car door. I know, I know, I was far too focused on other things and left it behind, then climb back, speak to Ryan, get inside and get rat faced drunk. Plan?”

  I lean on one hip, raising a questioning eyebrow at my confusing friend. “Okay, we will both go. I suppose your short arse needs a boost up?”

  I scan the fencing, looking for the best place to climb.

  I spot an industrial sized recycling bin, filled to the brim with what looks to be boxes used for storing goods when moving home.

  Perfect. I think to myself, we can climb this side and use the edge of the bin on the other side to step on before jumping down.

  I point in the direction of the bin, not waiting for Lottie to follow me over there.

  We start climbing where I suggested, managing with relative ease for two drunk females, one being a midget, to make it to the top without causing any serious damage to ourselves.

  I nudge Lottie, causing her to give a small squeal and grip the surface next to her bum to prevent her from falling.

  I giggle at her response, she is so easy wind up.

  I’m so distracted laughing at her, that the next series of events happen so fast and I couldn’t stop it if I wanted to.

  The fence moves slightly from my giggling, causing me to jolt in repsonse and lose my grip. My bum slips and just before I fall, I reach out to grab hold of anything my hands can hold on to, which unfortunately for Lottie, happens to be her tank top.

  I land in a heap, cushioned from the blow by the boxing with Lottie flopping on top of half of me and half of the cardboard.