Doubt everyone.
“I’ll be back.” Seamus leaves the room before I can say anything else, slamming the door behind him and I fall back against the wall, stifling the cry that wants to escape.
Has Seamus gone mad? Seriously, what he’s doing isn’t normal. Or sane.
I’m worried for his mental state, which means I’m also worried about… me. My safety. How is this going to end? I doubt he’s going to let me go easily.
Frustrated, I squirm around, knocking my ankles together in the hopes my feet will wake up. The prickling sensation is excruciating, and it doesn’t help that my head still feels heavy. I wonder if Seamus drugged me with something. I don’t even remember.
Knowing him and how he’s been acting, he probably did.
The room grows darker as the sun sets and soon enough, it’s nighttime. My eyes adjust to the darkness and I press the back of my head against the wall, gazing up at the ceiling and the light fixture above me. At least he tied my hands in front of my body and not behind me, though maybe that was a stupid move. I could undo the rope when I’m positioned this way…
My chest tightens and I realize I might have to face the truth. Maybe Seamus is right. It doesn’t look like Perry’s coming to save me.
I’m going to have to save myself.
This is how Seamus finds me when he reenters the room. I don’t know how long I’ve been at it, or how many ways I’ve contorted my arms, hands and fingers as I try to undo the complicated knots. Sweat dots my forehead and the skin at my wrists chafe thanks to the rough rope material.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asks, his accented voice calm. Like it’s no big deal he has his ex-lover tied up and locked away in a room God knows where.
I don’t look at him, forcing the wave of anger that floods me down so I don’t say something stupid and piss him off. I do straighten my body out though, trying for nonchalance.
No, you didn’t catch me trying to undo the rope. Why do you ask?
“I’m thirsty,” is what I say to him instead, which is the truth.
“I’ll bring you something to eat and drink later.”
“When?”
“Later,” he repeats, his voice firm. He shuts the door behind him and leans against it, contemplating me, crossing his arms in front of his chest. The way he studies me makes me want to squirm but I keep myself still. He remains quiet for so long I start to wonder if he’s going to say anything at all until finally, eight words slip from his lips. His tone low and almost menacing.
“What am I going to do with you?”
Terror filters through my blood, making me tense. There must be some sort of motive behind his snatching me out of the lobby at our building. I assume he has a plan. Who kidnaps someone without a plan?
Maybe he does.
I remain quiet until the silence becomes unbearable and I can’t take it any longer.
“What exactly do you mean?” I finally ask.
Seamus pushes away from the door and heads in my direction, crouching down in front of me, his gaze level with mine. “Are you mad at me?”
I blink at him, shocked by his question. Does he actually think I approve of him abducting me?
“Or are you angry? You look angry. You were always extra pretty when you were mad, Charlotte,” he continues, his voice low. God, I hate hearing him say my name in that accent I used to find so charming. “Did you know that? Not that you were ever that mad at me when we were together. Only at the end, when you found out…”
His voice trails and the pain at that memory pierces my heart, reminding me how much his betrayal hurt me.
“Why did you do that?” I ask, my voice small. I sound pitiful, and I see the approval in his gaze. He wants to talk about our past, while that’s the last thing I want to do.
But maybe it’s the smart thing. I could convince him I want to be with him, and maybe that would lower his guard.
“Do what? Lie to you? Keep my girlfriend a secret?”
I glance down, wishing I could conjure up some tears. Men always fall for them, and I know for a fact Seamus does. I think he enjoyed seeing me as the broken little girl. “It hurt so badly, Seamus. And how I found out—”