Page 6 of Save Me

I stand up slowly, and once again, my head pounds with the movement. I bring my fingers to my temple, trying to find some relief, but instead I inhale sharply as pain lashes through me at the touch.

The guy in the kitchen pauses, looking at me again for a moment before resuming putting the food away.

“I’m sorry about that.” He inclines his head towards me. “I didn’t mean to kick you so hard, but it was about to get really messy with Tanner, and we needed to get you out of there.”

Tanner.

My stomach rolls and I feel as though I could throw up as I connect the dots. I stay pressed against the wall, fidgeting with my hands as I realize the guy in front of me is one of the ones who brought me here. Not to mention that Tanner, one of Rhett’sfriends, is also in on this.

“Who areyou?” I ask tentatively, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I don’t think that’s important right now,” he says as he pulls a package of muffins out of the bag and sits them on the kitchen counter.

I stay silent as he looks at me before continuing to put the groceries away.

His dark, almost black, hair and deep brown eyes seem oddly familiar, and yet I struggle to find any recollection of the tall man in front of me.

I jump as he drops something and it clatters loudly against the floor, and our eyes meet again. My heart beats wildly in my chest, and I feel the familiar surge of panic within me, breaking free at last.

He cocks his head at me, and a thoughtful expression crosses his face.

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he says quietly. “Not unless you give me a reason to.”

I nod slowly, not believing a word he says, as my hand automatically reaches for the side of my head, tender with pain.

“Like I said”—he gestures towards where my hand is resting—“that was a necessity and I’m sorry for it. But you’ve got nothing to worry about as long as you follow the rules. I’m just here to make sure you stay put until Rhett gets his money.”

“And when will that be exactly?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Hopefully soon.”

“So insightful.”

He gives me a look and I freeze, worried my sarcasm may have pushed the wrong button. But he just shrugs before continuing to put groceries away.

“I’m just as in the dark about all of this as you are,” he says casually.

“Seeing as you’re the one who kidnapped me, I highly doubt that,” I say, working hard to keep the panic out of my voice.

He puts his hands up in mock defeat.

“Okay, okay, you have me there. I know slightly more than you do. But that’s it. Scout’s honor.”

I will myself to stay calm, clenching my hands until my nails start to dig into my skin. I’m trapped here with someone I don’t know. Someone who is more than happy to follow Rhett’s orders and hurt me if I make it difficult for him. It doesn’t surprise me that Rhett has his friends wrapped so tightly around his finger that they’re willing to break the law for him.

“So what happens if I try to leave?”

“Right now?” He raises an eyebrow.

“Right now.”

“Not much,” he says mildly.

“Not much?”

I can’t help but keep the suspicion out of my voice, and despite my best efforts, hope starts to bubble in my chest.

“My job is to keep you here,” he says simply, “so by all means, be my guest and try to escape. But you might want to think it through before you do.” He gives a laidback shrug, and once again I find myself looking at him, wondering if there are memories of him starting to resurface from the depths of my mind, his mannerisms familiar in such an unfamiliar place. I look at him for a few more moments, trying to figure out where I know him from, before I give up, focusing instead on what to do next.

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