Page 36 of A Captive Situation

I was frustrated all over again because this was so confusing.

He was at the back door, putting in a code. The locks were unlocking, and as he stepped inside, he moved around so my head didn’t hit the doorframe (so considerate of him) before he punched in another set of codes. The door shut, and he did a whole set of codes after that.

The guy hadn’t lied about that security. Fuck. He was eitherreallyinto security or paranoid. Though, the contract out on his life was giving him some credibility. If I believed him. I still wasn’t sure about that. I watchedNightline. Kidnappers brainwashed their kidnappees.

He didn’t turn on the lights, going through the kitchen and moving into the bedroom where he turned with his back to the bed. I heard a swish and I was airborne. “Oooh!” I fell to the bed with a bounce. That was a little jarring. I glared, sitting up. “You could’ve warned me.”

He didn’t spare me a look, moving around the room.

There were two of them. They were going in circles.

Now three.

Was I hearing birds?

I lay back down, cursing because I knew better.

He laughed, not trying to hide it. “I could’ve told you not to sit up. All the blood’s at your head.”

I rolled so I could watch him, and as he paused at the window, I called his name. “Jake.”

He looked.

I held out my middle finger, making a point to turn it around so it was upright. “Fuck you.”

He stared at me for another moment, taking me in. There was no glare back, or curse, or even annoyance. His jaw just tightened before he moved to the last window. “This room is secure.”

I smirked. “Did you check the bathroom?”

His jaw clenched. “Already done. That won’t happen again.”

It was dumb of me, but I couldn’t help myself. I needed to taunt him. I was helpless so I wanted him to feel an eighth of what I was experiencing, even if it was foolish of me. There was something in meneedinga reaction out of him. Any sort of reaction.

My tone was mocking. “I thought the whole place was on lockdown. You’re like some security guru or something?”

“Just double-checking, now knowing your proclivities for not believing me.”

I laughed, giving up on watching him, and closed my eyes because the ceiling was still circling. “I hate you.”

“You’re not some treat either, princess.”

“Shut up with that name or I’ll start calling you names too.”

He grunted, opening a door and flicking on a light. “You already have.”

“I have?” I lifted my head, seeing him standing upside-down in what looked like a doorway to a bathroom. I moaned because therewere still two of him. At least the third had gone away. Small blessings. Just the one was enough of an annoyance to me.

“Psychopath? Asshole?”

I muttered under my breath, “Well, you are.”

“Lunatic,” he shot back.

I winced, raising my hands to start rubbing at my temples. “I think you’ve cured me of my slight break in my mental health. Funnily enough, if my best friend called me up, I’d answer.”

He stopped in his tracks. “That’s who he left you for? Your best friend?” His voice went low.

Oh. I hadn’t gotten to that part. A knot formed in my throat, but I swallowed it down, not sure why it was there anymore. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yes.”

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