HE FLAUNTED HIS superiority in front of the broken woman, pacing in circles around her like a lion circling a wounded elk. She continued to beg for her life, but it fell on deaf ears, not that he would kill her now. No, he needed time with his new plaything before she became disposable. He needed time to fully understand her suffering.

He took another drag on the cigarette before blowing out rings that stretched around her, making her cough.

“I know. It’s a nasty habit, isn’t it?” He spoke to her like they were old friends. “I really should quit or pick up a new vice.” He sank down in front of her and lifted her quivering foot off the cold floor. “Do you know what my father did to me when I was a child?”

“No,” she sobbed almost too quietly for him to hear.

“When I was bad, which I guess was fairly often, my father, the chain-smoker, would use me as his ashtray. Here, let me show you.” He put the cigarette out on the bottom of her foot, and her cries of pain made him smile with narcissistic pleasure. He set her foot back down and rose to face her. “I learned to cope with the pain, though. In fact, I learned to use it.” He reached for a cup of water and thrust the straw toward her trembling lips. “Take a drink.” She obeyed and took several gulps before he pulled the cup away from her. “That will have to do for now. I don’t have supper for two.”

He sat down at a small table he had set up in front of her and began to eat his steaming meal of pork chops, potatoes, corn, and rolls. When he was finished, he threw the bone at her feet.

“Here, this is for you,” he said with a malicious smile followed by laughter. “Enjoy.”

Of course, there was no meat on the bone, and her arms were still bound above her head, so it didn’t matter anyway.

“I can’t sleep if you’re screaming all night, so I’m afraid I’ll have to tape your mouth again,” he whispered and reached for the roll of duct tape.

“No, please don’t. I promise I’ll be good. I promise you won’t hear a peep,” she begged.

He wagged his finger in front of her nose. “Tsk-tsk. I don’t know you that well yet, so I don’t trust you.”

He tore off a large piece and covered her twisted mouth. Then he took one more photo of the rage, fear, and despise in her eyes before shutting off the light and heading up to bed.