I pull out another water bottle to drink and sit on a fallen tree as I watch Liesel struggle with the fire. She tries over and over again, getting more and more frustrated.
She’s covered in dirt, sweat, and mosquito bites. Finally, she falls back to the ground, exhausted.
“You win, again.”
I stand and flick a lighter into the woodpile. It starts up immediately.
“That’s cheating,” she looks at the fire, still lying on her back, her breasts pushed up in her bra, revealing more of her stomach.
I could stare at her all night. She’s beautiful even though she’s covered in mud and dirt. Her body calls to me—begging me to show her how to truly fuck. That little show she put on for me with her boyfriend wasn’t fucking. She doesn’t know the meaning of the word.
I could show her.
My mind spins with thoughts of how I could take her here on the dirt, against the tree, or in the ocean.
“Are you okay? You look like you’re about to go murder an innocent rabbit for our food,” she says.
I reach into my backpack, pull out two Snickers bars. I toss her one and keep the other for myself.
“I won’t be hunting for rabbits tonight. I’d rather hunt for something else.”
She’s halfway opening the wrapper, when my words catch her by surprise. She freezes and looks at me, searching for answers behind my words. I’m not going to make this easy for her.
I had to kidnap her. And I’ll have to go much further to get the info I need from her.
“You have no need to hunt me, you already got me. Or do you think I’ll run off in the night?”
I take a bite of my bar. “You can run, but we both know no matter where you go on this island, I’ll find you. You can’t hide from me. And if I don’t find you, dehydration or exhaustion will.”
She continues to lie on her back as she nibbles on the corner of her bar, savoring every bite. She doesn’t know I have a dozen more in my backpack. She thinks this might be her only meal I give her.
Torturing her by withholding food or water isn’t really the best method to get her to talk to me. No, what I have planned is more sinister and won’t require me to watch her wither away into bones.
I like her curves. I want her curves. I’m a selfish asshole in that way. I won’t mark her body in any permanent way. I can’t say the same about her soul.
I wait until she’s finished with her bar before I speak again.
And wait.
And wait.
And wait.
I’m not a patient man, but I’m becoming one with her. The more patient I am, the more I mess with her head, the higher the chance she will start talking.
The sky has turned to dusk. The moon has started peeking out behind the trees, shining down on us. The fire illuminates her silhouette casting shadows over her face.
“Why did Fitz write you a threatening letter? Why did he want to kill you?” I ask.
I already know the answer.
Liesel knows the answer too.
This is a test of trust and truth. Will she answer me honestly? Or will she lie?
“I don’t know. I’m as bewildered as you are. I would guess Waylon’s first political run put a target on us. Fitz wanted our money, and he thought we’d pay to avoid a scandal,” Liesel says, pulling her sweatshirt over her chest as she shivers. The wind has picked up, and the fire alone won’t be enough to keep her warm tonight. She stares up at the scattered stars through the trees, not looking at me.
Lies it is.