Chapter 174 Catherine

• I don’t know if I hit my head or was merely dazed by the explosion, but the next thing I’m aware of is the sound of gunfire outside the walls. The entire room is filled with smoke, and I cough as I instinctively attempt to get to my feet.
• “Catherine! Stay down!” It’s Patrick, his voice hoarse from the smoke. “Stay down, baby, do you hear me?”
• “Yes!” I yell back, intense joy filling every cell of my body as I realize that he’s alive—and in a good enough condition to speak. Keeping low to the ground, I peer out from behind the table that fell next to me, and see Patrick lying on his side on the other end of the room, still tied to the metal chair.