I woke up all at once, gasping as though someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over my head. I tried to move but soon realized I was tied to the rolling chair from the security office. Daryl had secured my forearms to the chair arms and my feet were tucked up under me and strapped to the underside of the chair. He’d even bound me around the waist, cutting into my sore ribs. I wasn’t gagged so he must not have been too concerned about me screaming my head off.

I was in a bedroom decorated in late-teenaged nerd with posters of half-naked sci-fi movie starlets tacked to the walls. The bedspread had robot-looking soldiers on rocky terrain, gripping space-aged guns. Spaceship models hung from a ceiling dotted with glow-in-the-dark stars configured in an unfamiliar constellation. On the bedside table was a photograph of Daryl and me. I had no memory of when that picture could’ve been taken.

Oh, wait. No. It was after last year’s sales awards ceremony. I’d won second place. Xavier had taken first as he always did. Xav should’ve been standing on the other side of Daryl but had been cut out of the picture, leaving just Daryl and me. Major creepy ew!

Where in the heck was Super Agent?

Daryl came into the room, stopped just inside the door, and set down a tray on the dresser covered in…holy freak-out…pictures of me. And not just from the store. Most of them were of me in my everyday life.

“I’ve imagined you here so many times. To actually have you here now…” He wiped at his eyes. Was he crying? “It’s a dream come true.”

“Funny. I was thinking this was an alcohol-induced nightmare and any minute now I’m going to wake up with a raging hangover.”

“I’ve always enjoyed your honesty. You say what you think, how you feel. So refreshing.”

“Then you’re going to appreciate how completely pissed off I am at being kidnapped and tied to this chair.”

He turned and picked up a steaming bowl of soup. “I don’t expect you to fall in love with me right away. We’ll work on it. You’ll come to see we’re meant to be together.”

“If your plan is to keep me tied up in your childhood bedroom until I fall in love with you, then your plan sucks monkey balls. That’s never going to happen.”

He chuckled. “And so colorful too. I bet you’re quite spirited in bed.”

“Okay, first of all, eww. Second of all, untie me. Right now.”

He looked disappointed in me. “I can’t do that. You see, I’ve been studying Stockholm syndrome and military basic training techniques. It’s going to take some time and unfortunately some efforts I’m not completely comfortable with to turn your mind toward me. You’re going to love me. Do you understand?”

“Okaayyyy. I was hoping to reason with you, but I see now that your reason has gone on permanent vacation in Crazy Town.”

“I’m not crazy. I’m just a man in love.”

“It really doesn’t matter how long you keep me here, Daryl, or what you do to me. I won’t ever love you. I’m in love with someone else who is on his way here right now to rescue me.” Hopefully.

He set the soup down and in two long strides was standing in front of me. He raised his hand and smacked me in the face. Hard. “You’re in love with me.” He hit me again with his other hand. “You love only me. Now.” He pulled at the tails of his shirt, straightening it. “How about some soup. You must be hungry.”

My cheeks burned and tears filled my eyes. That hobbit-looking son of a bitch was a lot stronger than he looked. He picked up the bowl of soup again and came toward me. I glared up at him through stubborn watery eyes.

He brought the soup-filled spoon to my lips. “Come on, dear. I know you’re hungry. You’ve been out cold for nearly ten hours. Eat.”

That long?

My stomach growled and he smiled. “See. Hungry. And I’ve brought delicious soup for you, my love. Open up for me.”

I let him feed me. When he went for a second spoonful I spat the soup at him. His face grew red and I thought for a moment that he was going to hit me again. Instead he splashed the entire steaming bowl of soup at me.

I screamed. It burned like a son of a bitch.

“I’m sorry to have to do that to you, but how else are you going to learn?” He pulled in a breath and straightened his spine. “Apologize to me.”

“What?” I sputtered, trying to shake the soup out of my eyes. “I’m not freaking apologizing to you, you jerk. Let me go!”

“In that case, no food for you for the next twenty-four hours. Everything you need, you’re going to get from me, do you understand?” He patted his chest. “I’m in control. I decide what happens to you and when. You need me.” He reached out a tentative hand and stroked my face with his finger. I didn’t try to bite it off. “Remember that the next time I show you a kindness.”

He backed away from me toward the door, gathered the tray, and left. He opened the door a second later and turned the light off. At least I couldn’t see the photo collage of me anymore.

I shook my head, squeezing my eyes. They burned from the soup and running mascara.

“Daryl!” I waited a beat and then tried again. “Daryl! Help!”

He burst into the room and flipped on the lights. “What is it, sweetheart?”

“Could you wipe my eyes? They burn.”

He frowned. “I suppose that would be okay.” He plucked a couple of tissues from a box and wiped my eyes. “Better?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

He started for the door.

“I have to go to the bathroom.”

Panic flittered across his features. “Let me think about this a moment.”

“Could you think faster? I’m about to have an accident here.” I pressed my thighs together to prove it.

“Okay. Okay. I’ll be right back.” He left and then came back with a device that looked like it came from one of his video games. “I’m going to untie you. One false move and I’ll hit you with this.”

“Did you get that in your box of sugary cereal this morning? It’s cute.”

“No. It’s a Taser.”

“Ooohhh. I’m scared.”

I heard a zap and every muscle in my body burned like the worst leg cramp ever.

“Are you scared now?” Daryl asked.

No. I was freaking terrified.

All of a sudden the cramping let up and I could move again. This guy was seriously racking up dead-to-me-list points.

“The probes are still in your arm,” he informed me. “All I have to do is hit the trigger again and you go down. I’m going to untie you now.”

He worked on my feet, disconnecting them from the chair, but he left them tied together. “So you can’t run away,” he explained.

I rolled my eyes.

“Lean over,” he said. He then untied my left arm and retied it behind my back, securing it with rope around my waist. “Sit up.” He freed my right arm. “There.” He seemed really pleased with himself.

“I have to hop one-armed to the bathroom?”

“I’m going to roll you to the doorway. Then you’ll have to hop.”

I had to admit this guy was no dummy. I had about a foot and we won’t mention how many pounds on him. I could’ve easily overpowered him.

He wheeled me toward the bathroom and disconnected the Taser probes. “Don’t try anything,” he warned.

As if I would. At this point I really did have to go to the bathroom and was afraid one more shock would loosen my bladder. So I hopped into the bathroom and did my business. I was just coming out when I heard a loud crash from somewhere in the house.

Daryl grabbed my arm, shoved me into the chair and pushed me into the bathroom, closing and locking the door after us.

“What was—” Darn Daryl tased me again!

He shoved a handkerchief in my mouth and bound my free arm to the chair. “Be quiet,” he warned. “Or I’ll tase you again.”

Like I had a choice? Finally my muscles relaxed again. Every second with Daryl made me hate him more.

“Oh, no,” Daryl breathed.

“Maggie!”

Super Agent! I was rescued.

I tried to yell, struggling in my chair to make as much noise as possible. Freaking Daryl tased me again. Daryl’s wild gaze swung to the rattling door handle.

“I have a gun! I’ll shoot her!” Daryl yelled.

Finally in control of my body again, I worked at forcing the cloth out of my mouth. Eureka! “No, he ugh—” The bastard shocked me again! I was really getting sick of that.

Something hit the door, splintering it. Daryl backed away, tripped on the edge of the bathtub and tumbled in. The back of his head hit the tile with a sickening thunk.

Freed from the effects of the Taser, I started yelling my head off and didn’t stop until I saw Super Agent come through the door.