Page 209 of Don't Leave Me

“I don’t even…should I say goodbye? I don’t know what else to say to her,” Emily said in a hushed tone.

“I’ll call you in a while. We’ll all get settled in and calm down,” Michael assured her, and a moment later I heard the door open and close.

I had stopped crying by then. I felt like a child that was being put in a time out. The pressure to do something about Jack at that very moment left me overwhelmed and confused. Stockholm Syndrome really did exist. Would I ever snap out of it?

* * *

I must have fallen asleep at some point, because the next thing I knew, the hotel room was dark and there was only a faint light coming from the living area of the suite. My eyes were blurry and groggy, my lips were chapped and my throat dry, and as I sat up I felt like my head was spinning. I grew nervous:where’s Michael? How long have I been sleeping – has Jack tried to contact us more?I slowly got up from the bed and held onto the wall for support as I entered the empty living area. I could see the bathroom light on with the door closed, and a little movement coming from the shadows underneath. I stood there for a moment, but before I could decide what to do, the door opened and suddenly a figure I was so familiar with appeared.

“Hello, sweetheart,” he said.

My heart dropped. I watched, frozen, as he shut the door behind him, the light still on but no more movement happening from inside.

“Jack,” I gulped, my voice so quiet that I could barely even hear myself. “What-what,” I stammered out but couldn’t form the sentence.

“Did you really think I was only tracking you by phone? That was too easy, darling. I had a back up plan, one that I didn’t think I needed but…you surprised me,” he raised his eyebrows, walking slowly towards me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I didn’t want to. I didn’t have a choice,” I went on, still frozen where I stood.

“Oh, I believe you, Hana,” he nodded, almost mockingly. “But I still had to bring my trusty friend in case you were any trouble,” he reached behind himself and pulled out the very same gun that he had shown me so many times before.

“You don’t need that,” I shook my head, my heart racing. “I’ll go with you. Let’s go now, before Michael comes back,” I pleaded, tears falling from my cheeks and onto my thin shirt.

Jack grinned. “He’s knocked out cold in the bathroom, sweetheart. I may have sucker punched him when he answered the door, but I had to,” he raised his eyebrows. “Now I just need to finish the job.”

Suddenly he turned, his gun still drawn in his hand, and reached for the bathroom doorknob.

“Wait!” I pleaded, my voice louder than it had ever been.

Jack stopped and turned towards me.

“Please don’t,” I walked towards him a step. “We can just leave. Just leave him in there and let him wake up confused, and without me. That will hurt him enough. I’ll leave a message for him. I’ll tell him this wasn’t what I wanted,” I said, not even flinching, knowing that talking badly about him would sway Jack.

“He’ll keep finding ways to get you back,” Jack muttered through his teeth, now angry. “And you will always go with him,” he spit out.

“No,” I shook my head. “No, I won’t. I didn’t want this. I was trying to figure out a way to get back to you, Jack. I was confused but I’m not anymore. You can lock me in the loft. You can tie me to the bed all day, make sure I don’t leave. But you don’t need to. I’m yours, Jack. I’m yours. You’re my soulmate,” I smiled, reaching for his free hand.

“So what do you care what happens tohim?” Jack flinched away, but still listening.

“I don’t want anyone to die, Jack. I don’t think you do either. And do you know how hard it would be to get away with murder? In a crowded hotel like this one? With cameras everywhere? It’s just easier this way. We will pretend like he doesn’t exist anymore,” I said soothingly.

Jack paused for a moment. He stared at me, trying to decipher if he could trust me or not. He could. I would do anything to save Michael’s life – again.

“Leave him a note. Tell him you ran off with me. Quick, now,” Jack ordered, pointing towards the phone that had a notepad next to it.

I ran to the notepad and took the Double Tree pen in my hand, quickly writing what I thought anyone would believe at this point. I hadn’t wanted to turn Jack in. I couldn’t explain myself to them. Maybe this time they would actually believe that I wanted to be with Jack, that I couldn’t live without him. Maybe this time they wouldn’t try so hard. Maybe this time they would remain safe – which would be far away from me.“Michael, I can’t do this. I can’t be with you. I’m destined to be with Jack. Please don’t waste any more time trying to win me back. I am married to Jack and I will love him forever. Please. Stay far away from me. Hana.”I showed Jack the note; he nodded, then took my purse and my hand, his gun tucked back into the waist of his jeans.

“Grab your coat. Let’s go,” he ordered.

I grabbed my coat as Jack tugged me out of the suite, into the elevator, and out of Michael’s life. But now he was safe. He would only ever be safe if I wasn’t in his life. Emily would be safe. Billie would be safe. My parents would be safe. All I had to give up was my freedom…and my life.

58

Chapter 58

I felt a sense of relief in the cab with Jack – a sort of sick, twisted kind of relief. My captor was no longer looking for me and I was no longer putting my loved ones in danger. I was there, safely beside him, totally at his will. He had spared Michael’s life for me. Perhaps that’s what he wanted – he knew I would beg for Michael’s life. He knew I would trade my freedom (again) just to keep Michael safe. He always knew just how to get me to comply, and I always did. Why did I even risk it in the first place? Emily was right: Jack had been tracking me that whole time. He always knew where I was. I didn’t know how, but he somehow found me, and I put everyone’s lives at risk. For what?To be with Michael. Yes, but I had to know deep down that I was now stuck. I had married Jack. I had a severe case of Stockholm Syndrome. The police didn’t believe Michael or Billie before – why would they now? Sure, I had bruises, but I didn’t have any actual proof that Jack had me against my will. I “lied” to my loved ones before. What’s to say I wasn’t lying again?

And there was another little pesky issue: I actually loved Jack now. Despite everything that he had done to me, that he had forced me to do, I was still in love with him. He knew that – I knew that. That was the biggest thing he had over me.

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