Page 105 of Run For Me
My head is pounding when I wake up. My mouth is dry and tastes really gross. My wrists burn and my chest feels heavy. I blink my eyes open and wait a moment for my vision to clear. Too many things come to me at once.
I’m in a room I don’t know, that smells like mold and dirt. I’m on a bed with a mattress that’s harder than a rock. I’m alone. And I have a vague memory of how I got here. My wrists burn because they’re tied with a scratchy rope that’s attached to the metal headboard behind me. I tug on it, but it doesn’t budge.
The more time passes, the better my vision becomes, so I look around the room again, hoping I missed something. Long drapes cover the only window to my right. There is a door across from me, and considering it’s the only one, it’s way out. The floor is dirty, the floorboards old and rotted with too much space between them. It’s quiet.
Everything in me says I should panic. Scream for help. Kick my feet. Bang around. But I remain as calm as possible. I need to think clearly if I want to get out of here alive.
God—that thought has panic coursing through me. Alive? I may not get out of here alive! Tears sting my eyes.
“No, Sailor,” I whisper to myself. “Don’t think that way. Positive thoughts only.”
I take a deep breath and run through everything I know.
Jaxon’s ex girlfriend took me. Or girlfriend. Maybe it was him, too. I’m not sure what to think anymore. It’s hard to believe Jaxon is a good man with all the things he’s done to me. Underneath everything, the way he looks, acts... But… isn’t that hypocritical? I’m not a bad person and I did all that stuff, too. I like all that stuff too. None of that means he’s a bad person. He’s not. I know him. As much as I say I don’t, I do. He’s done nothing wrong to me; he’s never broken my trust.
I hear footsteps outside of the door, so I close my eyes and let my head fall to the side, pretending to sleep. My heart pounds a little harder and I focus on keeping my breathing slow and even. The door creaks open and the footsteps get louder as they move closer to the bed. It takes everything in me to stay calm and keep my body relaxed.
I have no idea who is in this room with me or what they intend to do to me. If it’s Mindy, maybe I won’t be so scared. We’re roughly the same size, but I’m tied up, so I have a tremendous disadvantage.
Plus, she didn’t work alone. Someone helped her. Someone strong enough to carry me. A man, likely.
Jaxon, maybe…
No!
No, this isn’t Jaxon.
Where is Jaxon?
Does he know I’m missing? If so, how will he begin to find me? If he tries to find me at all. Does he care that much? Will he know I didn’t leave willingly?
So many questions. No answers. I could rot here.
I was so worried about Jaxon kidnapping me and no one realizing I’m gone. Now, he’s my only hope.
“What do you have that I don’t?”
Mindy.
Her words are whispered so softly I barely hear them. The pain in her voice makes me feel a little bad for her. The smallest amount. Had she not organized my kidnapping, maybe I’d feel more. But how do you feel bad for someone who acts like this? This is terrible, and it’s not my fault that Jaxon wants nothing to do with her. Why is she taking it out on me? It’s not my fault! Not that she should take it out on him either. She should be an adult, get over it, and move on.
Though, I guess I get it because I would be crazy if Jaxon moved on to someone else. Not kidnapping them crazy, but a little out of my mind for sure.
I consider, for the briefest moment, to open my mouth and say something to her. To tell her that I’m sorry and that this isn’t my fault, and she should let me go. Maybe she and Jaxon can still be friends. But I keep my mouth shut because there’s no way she will be okay with me seeing—or hearing, I guess—her vulnerability.
I feel her staring at me for a long time—I couldn’t begin to guess how long it’s been. All my focus is on not moving, keeping my breathing steady, and stopping my eyelids from fluttering. It’s the hardest part of pretending to sleep.
“I hate you,” she grits out. “I hate you so much.”
I swear I feel the anger radiating off her as she stares down at me. I’m certain she’s going to realize I’m not sleeping any second, and then it’s going to be hell. She’s going to make me pay. Honestly, I don’t know why she hasn’t already. Now’s the time, isn’t it? While I can’t fight back. She could do so much damage.
Her footsteps sound on the floor and then the door creaks, softly snicking shut. I wait a long while before opening my eyes, needing to be sure I’m alone. I hear nothing, and everything around me feels empty, so I slowly look around. Nothing. Empty. Alone again. I just wonder how long I’m going to lie here before I learn what her plan is—or until Jaxon saves me.
Chapter Sixty-One
Jaxon
It takes me over an hour to reach the house. My mother’s cell receives six more texts from that number, impatiently asking for further instruction. I can feel the plea from here. Mindy is desperate, and that’s good.
