“For you to be comfortable. You will probably be here for a while,” I said. “Dig in. The food is not poisoned.”

“How do I know that?” she asked.

“If I was going to murder you, I would have done that way before now, and with my teeth,” I said. “Most definitely not poison.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Huh. I guess that makes sense.”

“Eat,” I said.

She dug into the tray of food, alternating between each of the items except for the cake.

“Not a cake person?” I asked, curiously.

She shrugged as she popped a grape into her mouth. “Not really. So, tell me more about this going to be here for a while thing. We’re talking like a couple of hours, right?”

“No,” I said.

She stopped chewing and lifted her gaze to mine. “What do you mean, ‘no?’”

“I mean you could be here for a lot longer. All day. All week. The length of time doesn’t rightly matter, does it?” I asked.

She scoffed. “Absolutely out of the question.”

She stood up and headed to the door, but she couldn’t open the handle. She jiggled the thing and banged on the surface. “Let me out of here now. I’m going home.”

I stood up. “I’m afraid that isn’t an option for you anymore.”

“Like hell, it’s not,” she said.

I smirked and leaned against the doorway. “Tell me, how is leaving not out of the question?”

“Well, for starters,” she said. “My bouncer knows where I am. I told him I was coming here, and he will come looking for me if I don’t check in with him in a couple of hours.”

I smiled even wider, there was something to be said of her spunk. I liked it. I took a step closer to her, closing the gap between us a little more. Of course, I was well aware she lied, but that didn’t matter to me. She had courage, and fight. Those added to her curves and every second spent in her presence ate away at my resolve.

“If that is the case, why isn’t he already with you now?” I asked.

She stammered. “That’s not your concern.”

I smirked again. “You’re incredibly cute when you’re angry.”

She scoffed. “You’re an idiot.”

“And you truly don’t know what you do to me,” I said.

I couldn’t control myself any longer. My body had won out. She was too magnetic. Too intoxicating. She tried to get me to stop, but her words didn’t register. I finished closing the gap between us, pushing her against the wall, and slamming my mouth against hers. She stiffened at first and then moaned as she moved her mouth willingly with mine.

19

CINDY

I was stuck in a small room with no windows and a door that locked from the outside, keeping me in. And keeping me trapped. Though despite all of that, soft light filled the room, and the color scheme was rather calming. Still, it wasn’t enough for me to forget I was stuck in a small room with no windows and no way out.

The bed took up the far end of the wall, spanning the length of the room. It was plush, inviting, and in a dark grey color, like a large storm cloud. I resisted the urge to lay down on it and continued to take in the room.

The back wall was dark grey with a hint of a sage tone. The rest of the walls were a cool soft grey. The temperature of the air was cooler as well… not too chilly, but just enough to stay comfortable.

It was all very relaxing. But I didn’t want to relax. I wanted a way out of the room. And I could only think of a very few things rooms like this were used for and I wasn’t okay with any of them.