Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 97944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
I swipe the vase off the nightstand and throw the pillows from the bed. Getting up, I rip the sheets off and kick the bedframe. When it shifts, I stop, my eyes catching on the latch in the floor that secures the chain. Maybe I can take the bedframe and smash the cuff. Damage it enough to pop it open. In desperation, I throw my shoulder into the bed, shifting it until a leg is by the lock. I try to lift it, but my energy is almost on empty. “You can do this. Just fucking do this,” I cry, and with all my strength, I lift the bedframe and drop it down on the bolt.
“I wouldn’t bother.” I whip around. Vince stands in the doorway. “Glad to see you’re awake.”
“Fuck you! Let me go, you psychopath!”
He offers me the same smile he did at the bar. At dinner. At the store. How could I have been so stupid? “You can’t keep me here.”
“I can. And I will.”
“Are you delusional? This is kidnapping. Do you seriously think I’m going to bow down and accept this? Become your obedient pet?”
He nods with confidence, and my stomach knots. “I’ve done it before. I’ll do it again. It may take time with you, but I’m willing to put in the effort. You’re very special to me, Mindy. You should appreciate that.”
He continues to smile after confessing he’s done this before. “What do you mean—?”
“Let’s eat. You have to be hungry.”
“Fuck you. I’m not eating anything you give me.”
“Love, it’s been almost forty-eight hours. You need nourishment.”
“I need you to let me go!” When he’s close enough, I thrust my hand forward in an attempt to slap him. He’s too fast. Too prepared. His other hand holds a needle, and I immediately retract. “No. Please. No more drugs.”
“Are you ready to behave?”
I’m ready to go home. I fight back tears, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Yes. I’ll behave.”
His expression transforms. “Fantastic. I’ve made us a nice lunch, and we can discuss our future. I know you’re wary, but you’ll learn to love me. I plan on treating you like a queen. Now, no funny business.” Bending down, he unlocks the cuff and reaches for my hand, escorting me down the hallway and into the kitchen. “Sit, please. You’re going to love what I made.” I sit, the smell of food making my stomach churn. He makes two plates and slides one in front of me.
“Are you going to kill me?”
Shock spreads across his features. “Why would I do that?”
“Because you’re a…” I pause, deciding to choose my words wisely. “It’s just…if I don’t behave…you said you’ve done this before. What happened before?”
Before he sits down, he places a napkin in my lap. “She didn’t appreciate my dedication.”
My hands tremble in my lap. “What did you do to her?”
He picks up his fork, his knuckles clenching as he spears a piece of fruit. He doesn’t answer, and my anxiousness rises. “Vince, did you kill her—?”
His fist slams onto the table, and I jump in my seat, my knees banging into the table. “Stop focusing on the past. This is between you and me. Our future.”
“We don’t have a future! This is crazy. Please—”
“Eat your lunch.”
“And if I don’t? Are you going to kill me too?”
“Why would I do that? I love you.”
“And her? Did you love her?” I ask, panicked.
“She wasn’t the one. She wasn’t perfect like you.”
Tears rush down my cheeks. “I’m not perfect either. I’m just a person—”
“Don’t say that.”
“But I am. I don’t want this. I don’t want you—”
“Enough!” His chair flies back as he stands. “It seems you’re still not ready.”
I’m up just as quickly, my defenses on high alert. “What are you doing?” I back up as he storms toward me. He grabs my upper arm. With my free arm, I close my fist and take a swing at him, but I’m too weak. He slaps my hand away as his fingers dig into my wrist. I realize he’s dragging me back upstairs. “Vince, no. Please. Don’t put me back in there. I’m sorry. I’ll behave. Let’s finish lunch. I promise—” He shoves me into the room, and I trip, falling forward. My hands help cushion my fall, but I still crash to the floor, grunting out in pain. The clicking of the cuff echoes, followed by the slamming of the bedroom door.
Chapter twenty-six
Tate
Tick… tick… tick…
Every second that passes is like a pounding drum in my chest. We’ve been at it for hours. Every time we find an outlet, it’s a dead end. I’m not sure how much longer I can last before I lose it altogether.
Tick… tick… tick…
“We’re wasting time,” I say, like it will make a difference. My mind is a mess. The sold house route was a bust. We’re waiting for the bank to open to get clarification on the pending charge on Vince’s card. It could be the lead we need. I stare at all the intel taped to a board. Nothing makes sense. I’m starting to crash. I push myself to fight through my panic and continue to fight. Find a new path. “Where the fuck are you?” I ask to the photo of Mindy pinned in the center of the collage.