CHAPTER 16

 

When I awake at the crack of dawn, my throat is raw, a dull ache pounding in my head. In some ways, it feels like a bad hangover from a drinking spree gone astray, even if the underlying act was nothing more than self-mutilation. I lie still on the couch, feeling like total crap, while trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my lower arm. I curse myself for the relapse.

My eyes are still closed when a warm body cuddles into me. I know instantly that it’s Jed from his aftershave.

“I saw the blood in the bathroom. Did you have a good time, honeybun?”

His question makes me feel even more despicable. “You knew this would happen, didn’t you?”

He wipes a strand of hair from my face. “Of course. I didn’t use to get why you cut yourself, but Napoleon explained to me that it’s like an addiction. You can’t help it. It numbs the pain you feel inside you. Intriguing, when you think about it. Inflict more pain to kill the other. It sounds ridiculous, but it must work since quite a lot of people are doing it these days.” He bends forward and his breath tickles my neck. “Tell me, honeybun. Did it make you feel better?”

I fight the urge to push him away, opening my eyes instead. His dark orbs are like liquid gold as they pierce into me. I detect a hint of glee. When I realize that our lips are only inches apart, a shudder runs through me. He must be getting ready to kiss me. I turn my head away.

“It didn’t help,” I lie. My voice is feeble and absolutely not convincing.

His fingers run over the bandage I found under the sink in the first aid package after the freezing bathroom floor became unbearable. “I should take a look at that later. We don’t want you to get an infection.” He grabs my chin and forces me to look at him. “But first of all, how about some early morning fun? Let’s begin by you kissing me, and I mean, really kissing me. Like you mean it.”

I laugh bitterly. “Fat chance. That’ll never happen.”

“Oh, it will, honeybun,” he says in a husky voice. His thumb traces my bottom lip. “If you don’t make me happy, I’ll take it out on Hallie. For the moment, she’s safe. Since I’m not attracted to her, I won’t touch her. I want you, honeybun, but not like the last time. I realized last night that I went about it the wrong way. You have to give yourself freely to me.”

The whole concept makes my stomach turn. “What is this, Jed? Some wishful thinking that I’ll become your girlfriend and we play house. You kidnapped me—again—and I’m your prisoner. That’s not really a strong basis for a love affair.”

His eyes darken as he clicks his tongue. “Maybe not, but then I suggest you become a really good actor. I want this. If not, I’ll make Hallie suffer and have you watch every step of the way. It’s all up to you. As I said before, only you can save her.”

The thought that he will tear her innocence away right in front of me drives tears to my eyes. That night when Napoleon took my virginity, something died inside me. I don’t want to have Hallie experience the same. After she already lost her parents, this could break her. “How do I know she is even here? You lied to me before. Maybe Napoleon took her.”

Jed sits up and stretches. “You’re right, honeybun. I’ll prove to you that she’s here, but let’s make breakfast first. She hasn’t eaten in a couple of days and sure must be starving.”

I wonder if he allowed her to use the bathroom or whether she also had to pee in a pot right in front of him. With some reluctance, I follow him into the kitchen, which is a standard vacation home setup. Small stove, single fridge, and just big enough to have a person turn around while working. Padlocks are on all the cabinets and the fridge, which is another blow. There is no way for me to get a knife or another weapon.

He unlocks the fridge. “Do you want bacon with your scrambled eggs?”

I will need all the strength I can get to pull through this. “Yes, please.” My stomach is queasy, but I’ll force myself to eat. My eyes fall onto the bathroom door. Nature is calling. Without asking for permission, I walk inside and slam the door shut.

“There is a spare toothbrush in the cabinet under the sink,” he calls from the kitchen.

While I relieve myself, I scan the room for possible weapons. The mirrors, which would have been my first choice, have been removed and there is nothing sharp I could use to stab Jed with. The razor blade I left on the sink is gone, together with any sign of my self-harm efforts. Jed must have scrubbed the place clean before waking me. The distinct scent of bleach is still in the air.

I check under the sink, but there is nothing other than the first aid kit, without the required scissors, and a new toothbrush. Toilet cleaner, bleach, and other chemicals could have worked to cause some serious damage, but Jed thought of everything. He totally baby-proofed the place, which also comes in handy to keep kidnapped victims confined.

When I step back into the kitchen, he portions the eggs onto three plates. “Eat up, or Hallie will get cold breakfast.”

The smell of the food proves too much. I rush back into the bathroom before my stomach heaves. I haven’t eaten or drunk anything since lunch yesterday and only manage to choke up dry air. Continuing to gag, I feel totally helpless while doubled over in front of the toilet. Every muscle in my body convulses as minor explosions set off in my head every time I retch. Desperate whimpers mix with the gurgling sound resonating from my throat. When my stomach finally settles, my skin is covered in cold sweat.

Jed hands me a small wet towel. “I’d better fix you some tea.”

All I can do is nod while leaning against the bathroom wall. My mouth is laced with the bitter taste of bile, competing with a fire that burns in my throat. I fight with the continuous nausea as the blood pounds in my temples, wishing for nothing more than some aspirins and my mom’s milk toast. Thinking about her brings fresh tears to my eyes. Now I’m sorry that I was such a bitch to her lately.

When I stumble back out of the bathroom, Jed has moved the breakfast into the oven and is fixing some tea. A light trace of ginger emits from the steaming cup he sets right in front of me.

“Here. My sister used tea to battle morning sickness when she was pregnant and swears it’s really good when you’re nauseous.”

I didn’t even know he has a sister. “Where does she live?”

“St. Louis.”

“And how old is she?”

“You ask a lot of questions.” Judging from Jed’s face, they do not get along.

“Does she know you and Napoleon have been kidnapping girls?”

His finger shoots in my direction. “Do yourself a favor and shut up. I don’t wanna talk about her.”

I file this bit of information away in the back of my mind. If I ever need to wind him up, this will be a way to do it.

The tea is hot and offers instant relief. I sip slowly, rolling it around on my tongue to get the nasty taste out of my mouth.

“Do you have any painkillers?”

He unlocks a kitchen drawer and tosses me a couple of ibuprofen. I get a good look at the other contents before he slams the drawer shut and locks it again—it holds various medicine bottles and a small knife. Picking that lock would definitely give me access to some treasures. I could probably knock Jed out if I grind up the pills and mix them in his food, or I could stab him with the knife.

By the time I finish the tea, my stomach has settled down, yet the food still doesn’t look appealing. I nibble off small pieces of the bacon while Jed devours every bit of his breakfast. He is a fast eater and the whole affair doesn’t take longer than five minutes.

After he scoops my leftovers into the bin, he grabs the last plate. “Well, let’s go and see Hallie.”

“How do you even know her?” It’s a question that has been bothering me the whole night.

A smile curls his lips. “I’ve been watching you since you were admitted to the hospital. Your brother is as careless as you and never even noticed I was following you guys. A few times, you and Hallie walked out together and seemed really friendly. I followed her one night to find out where she lives. Napoleon figured you were close enough that you would come to her rescue.”

My stomach cramps again at the thought that he has been following me around this whole time. This is so creepy. Wiping the sweaty palms on my pants, my legs carry me automatically up the steps, my apprehension growing. I’m mad at Hallie for getting herself kidnapped, but my sympathy prevails in the end. She must be scared out of her mind.

There is only one room upstairs and it’s padlocked. Jed fumbles with the keys while I drum my fingers on the banister. When the door finally opens, I push past him just to stop in my tracks at the appalling sight in front of me.

Despair lingers over the room as I take in her shivering, almost naked body, which is covered with bruises and small cuts. Her ankles and wrists are raw from the tight ropes which hold her in place in a spread-eagle position. Fortunately, there is no sign of blood on her thighs, and I’m relieved that Jed was not lying with respect to her V-card.

With no heat in the room, it is freezing. A cold breeze floating in from the cracked window makes matters worse. Despite the ventilation, a strong stench of urine irritates my nostrils. I scan over the various-sized stains on the mattress, which causes anger to flare momentarily. Those bastards must not have allowed her to relieve herself away from the bed. I can only imagine how terrible and dirty she must feel.

I lower myself next to her and fumble with the gag in her mouth. She gazes at me with utter confusion. I pull on the knot but can’t get it loose. My fingernails are too short.

“Cut this off her,” I finally hiss at Jed with frustration. “And get a blanket.” I want to help her so badly and assure her that everything will be okay again.

He has been watching me intently but doesn’t move. “I told you before—you’ll have to be nice if you want to help her.”

I huff. “What do you want?”

“For now, a kiss. A real one.”

I massage my forehead, totally at a loss. I don’t want to play Jed’s sick game, but I have no clue what else to do to help Hallie. My knees almost buckle as I stand up. Without resistance, I allow him to pull me into his arms.

When he used to kiss me, his lips had crushed down hard on me, and he had forced his tongue into my mouth. This time it’s different. He is gentle, letting me take the lead while waiting for my signals. Maybe he really believes somewhere in his twisted mind that we could become a couple and perhaps even fall in love. He’s so totally clueless, it’s not even funny. All I’ll ever feel for him is loathing and hatred.

When I allow him access, he pulls me even closer, his hand moving to the small of my back. It takes all my effort not to break away. A soft groan escapes his mouth as he continues to explore me with his tongue, totally oblivious that I have gone rigid in his arms. When he finally releases me, I face the wall to hide the tears in my eyes. Every fiber in my body burns with disgust.

Jed seems satisfied and removes the gag before leaving us alone.

“Why are you here?” Her voice is hoarse and breaks under her tears.

“They showed me a video of you and threatened to kill you if I didn’t surrender myself.”

Her gaze is filled with bewilderment. “So this is all about you?” There is a hint of blame in her voice.

The guilt that I got her into this mess finally hits me. Jed and Napoleon would never have kidnapped her if it wasn’t for me. I owe Hallie her life back without permanent scars.

In that moment, Jed returns with a quilt. His chin points at the plate with the breakfast. “Feed her.”

I cover her body loosely with the blanket and her grateful look makes up for that slimy kiss.

“Just untie her. I’m sure she has to use the bathroom, too.”

He chuckles. “You don’t get it, honeybun. For every privilege I give her, I expect something in return.” His lips purse. “Let’s see. I’ll untie her if you show me your boobs, but for her to use the shower and bathroom, I expect the full package.”

My hand rises to slap him across the face, but his boxing reflexes kick in. He catches my wrist before I can cause any damage.

“You’re a despicable human being.” My voice trembles as I spit the words out with venom. “Go to hell.”

He slowly walks to the door and locks it. “Let me show you what’ll happen if you disobey me.”

Sudden fear consumes me from the vicious glow in his eyes. I dash to the window, tearing it open. The roof slope is steep, but the gutter is down far enough for me to jump. I would definitely survive and would probably not even get hurt that much.

My leg is already on the windowsill when he pulls me back by my hair. With a fluid motion, he backhands me. The force throws me against the wall. Warm blood trickles down my cheek as the sting spreads across my face all the way into the depths of my skull. When he twists my arms back, I wince. A minute later, my hands and legs are secured with cable ties. I am deposited in a corner of the room with a front-row view of the bed.

“Now this is on you,” he yells, his finger pointing right at me. “All I asked you to do is play nice, but no, you had to be stubborn.”

Hallie’s face is streaked with tears. She recoils when he approaches her like a menacing monster.

“Please . . .”

The word is soft and spoken with so much fear that it tears my heart to shreds. What have I done?

Jed exposes his teeth to a wide grin, reminding me of a vicious wildcat before the kill. “This is gonna be good. I always wanted to get myself a virgin.” With one swift move, he tears away the blanket before ripping off her panties.

Hallie’s pleas mix with my sobs as Jed slowly unbuttons his pants. After he shakes them off, they are tossed in my direction with a cruel laugh. “This could have been avoided, honeybun.”

I bury my face against my knees. My stomach cramps as the thumping of my racing heart with the rushing of blood in my ears combines into a raging river. When the foil pack of the condom tears, all sounds are drowned out by Hallie’s loud cry. “No, please—”

“Stop.” My voice breaks through the commotion.

Silence falls over the room.

“Did you say something, honeybun?” Jed squats down next to me, his breath grazing against my neck.

I raise my head. “Whatever it is you want me to do, I’ll do it.”

A sadistic smile curls his lips. “Is that so?”

I want to shake my head, but my mouth develops a mind of its own. “Just leave Hallie alone.”

His fingers lift my chin to force eye contact. “So you swear you’ll cooperate?”

I’m having second thoughts, but once again, my mouth betrays me. “Yes.”

Triumph spreads across his face. “Okay, I’ll give you a second chance.” He glances at Hallie before his focus turns back to me. “Don’t screw this up again, or I promise that taking her virginity will be the least of your worries.” He cuts the cable ties around my wrists and ankles with his knife. “Now feed her and then come downstairs. I’ll get everything ready. After we’ve had our fun, I’ll even give you girls some privacy.”

He slams the window shut, pulling out a key to lock it. This bars my last hope of escape. With a lingering look at my cleavage, he leaves the room. Yet his eyes said it all—welcome to my own personal hell.