Marcus wasn’t as warm or inviting as he’d been with her before. He was distant now, his responses clipped. Even his touch was mechanical, as if he no longer viewed her as a person.
Except she knew that wasn’t true, especially after what he’d said to Driver. But even if he did see her as a person with feelings and someone deserving of respect, he was no longer treating her with kindness or affection. He was simply going through the motions. Every hour, he made sure to give her a bathroom break. When it was time to eat, he fed her. When it was time to sleep, he helped her to the bed and kept guard throughout the night. The blindfold hadn’t come off once.
And he’d stayed true to his word. Elise was bound again, a thick braid of rope holding her hands behind her back. At least it wasn’t cutting off circulation this time, but it certainly put a wrench in her plans for escape.
At least Driver hadn’t harassed her in the last hour or so. He just left her alone to rot in the bedroom, which, all things considered, she preferred over spending any time whatsoever around him.
I wish I didn’t have to wear this stupid blindfold, she thought to herself. Before all this, she never knew eyelids could sweat. Ugh.
At least the bedroom door had been left open. As such, she was able to listen to the voices on the television filtering down the hall.
Driver was watching the news again, obsessed with finding out if they’d been identified yet and if the police were hot on their trail. The way she figured it, they’d been holed up for days. If the police had any leads on their whereabouts, they’d have rescued her by now.
Where was a good detective when a girl needed one?
Elise shifted restlessly, tugging at her bindings in hopes of loosening them for her imagined escape. She may not know the exact layout of the cabin, but she had a fairly good idea of where the front door was. One chance, that’s all she needed, and she would make her attempt.
At this point, she figured she was out of options—they’d been slim anyway. It didn’t look as if the police were coming anytime soon either, so she was on her own.
Escape or rot—those were her options.
Elise liked her freedom, so she was going to take it. All she needed was an opening.
The sound of boots clomping down the hall brought her attention back to the here and now, and Elise sat upright, her shoulders filling with tension as she waited.
“Behaving yourself for once, I see,” Driver commented, pausing in the doorway. If she could see his face, Elise imagined he was looking pretty smug just then. She got the impression that he wore that expression often.
“I wasn’t aware of having done anything but behave since you abducted me,” she replied.
Driver’s tone turned clipped. “You’re a mouthy bitch for someone who’s this close to death. Especially after that little stunt you pulled earlier.”
“I’ve been tied up for a while. Maybe you could be a bit clearer with your baseless accusations?”
He gave a derisive snort. “Fucking my partner. Thought that would get you preferential treatment, did you? Maybe a ticket out of here, hmm?”
Elise shrugged. “If that’s what you choose to believe.”
“It’s what I know,” he sneered. “But that backfired, didn’t it, bitch? My partner got a good fuck, and you haven’t gone anywhere.”
“It wasn’t like that,” she claimed, doubting every word. In the moment, she’d have sworn there was more to it than just sex—a connection—but now she wasn’t so sure.
“Wasn’t it? Tell me,” Driver said, the floorboards creaking as he crept closer. Elise stiffened, bracing for anything. “Where is he now? If my partner was so into you, why isn’t he here now to protect you?”
Elise swallowed tightly. “Do I need protecting?”
His next words were spoken so close to her face, Elise could smell the coffee on his breath. “You bet your ass,buttercup.”
Elise launched herself sideways, rolling across the bed and away from Driver before the thought had a chance to be fully realized. All she knew was the threat inherent in his voice, and some part of her decided then and there that there was no more waiting around. If he was going to kill her, she would not be complicit in her own demise. While she might not stand much of a chance, Elise was determined to go down fighting.
She hit the floor hard, cursing, but she kept moving. Rolling onto her side, using all the strength she had in her legs to lift her to her feet without the benefit of her arms.
“Just where do you think you’re going?” Driver laughed at her, cruel intentions ringing in his voice. “You can’t even see where you’re at.”
Elise faced the direction of his voice. “I know my way around better than you think,” she snarled. “Marcus was kind enough to help me with that.”
“Fuck!” Driver shouted.
Elise smirked. She’d known that would get to him, realizing she knew his partner’s name. He was probably wondering what else Marcus had told her.