Page 17

I was in a car accident. Ran off the road. And then was kidnapped and brought to a doctor who clearly practices illegally.

Dr. Garrison.

The man who is currently in my face, staring at me with urgency.

“I’m going to help you. Please, get up.”

The bone-chilling cold that penetrated the fog worsens as his hand grabs onto mine and pulls me forward.

I yelp in response, the aches in my body have increasingly gotten worse. It feels like a hot poker is being stabbed into every one of my nerve endings.

“I know it hurts, sweetheart, but we have to hurry before Rio comes back.”

He gently tugs on me again, and it’s then that I notice the IV has been removed from my arm.

I resist, and in an effort to stall, I ask, “H-how long have I been out?”

“Only for a night, sweetheart. Now get up, please.”

Leaving me with no other choice, he helps me up, rushing me forward while attempting to handle me carefully.

“Where are we going?”

I’m nearly frantic, and confusion is muddling my thoughts.

Mainly, I can’t figure out why the hell he’s helping me. Isn’t he in on this, too?

It’s then he looks at me, a crazed smile on his face.

“I’m going to take you somewhere safe. No one will ever find you, I promise.”

A rock forms in my throat, and I work to swallow as my situation becomes more apparent.

No one will ever find you.

He may be saving me from Rio and Rick, but that doesn’t mean I won’t need saving from him, too.

“Why are you doing this?” I breathe, my eyes bouncing across the room, searching for a solution to get me out of this very big problem. There’s only one exit that I can see, and he’s leading me straight toward it.

For all I know, he’s going to lock me in a box and feed me through a glory hole. The image disturbs me so profoundly that I think I’d rather take my chances with Rio and Rick.

“I became a doctor because I like taking care of people. But the hospitals never let me take care of my patients the way I wanted.”

My heart drops, and he peers at me demurely like a little boy admitting his crush to the prettiest girl in grade school.

His smooth, cold hand slips into mine, holding it like he’s about to drop to one knee and ask me to marry him. “I want to take care of you, sweetie. I-I’ll treat you better than these people ever will. I promise I’ll be good to you.”

My mouth opens, but no sound escapes.

The fuck does he expect me to say to that?

Yes, please, whisk me away to your creepy lair. Nothing would make me happier.

I want him to let me go home. Not into the arms of another creep that will trap me for the rest of my life.

Taking a step back, I carefully pry my hand from his grip. His face drops, and hurt flashes in his pale blue eyes as he watches my fingers slip from his. He acts if he did get down on one knee, and I've just rejected his proposal.

“I… I’m not sure that’s a good idea. They’ll know it was you,” I say, attempting to reason with him.