Page 104 of Dark Breaker

I ignore the question.

“Answer, and maybe you can eat,” he insists.

I still don’t answer.

He shuts the door and plunges me into the murk again.

I rummage through the dimly lit shed, but don’t find anything that will help me cut through the tape. Which is too bad.

I go to the door and begin kicking it instead now, hoping to break off the hinge, or the latch. But all I succeed in doing is summoning Carlo again.

The lock clicks and I back away as the door opens and light floods inside.

I shield my face with one hand so that I’m not blinded.

Carlo is holding a plate of pasta.

“I can’t eat with my hands duct-taped,” I complain.

“Eat it like a dog,” he replies.

I shoot him a fake smile. “I’m not hungry.”

He shrugs and sets the plate down next to the door. “You will be. I’ll get you a bowl of water.”

He departs, leaving the door open. Once again I try to worm away, this time toward the ocean. I move right past the plate of pasta and continue onto the sand. I’m moving painfully slowly and know I’m not going to make it.

Sure enough he catches me and drags me back. I lift up my head so I don’t get grit up my nose again.

After he’s hauled me into the shed he fetches a bowl of water from somewhere just outside. The bottom is sprinkled with sand.

He makes the peace sign. “Fingers, Rosa.”

“Two,” I say.

“Incorrect,” he replies. “Try again.”

I frown. “One?”

“Nope.”

I’m getting frustrated. He’s definitely batshit. “Three?”

“There you go!” He sets the bowl of water down in front of me. “See, that wasn’t so hard!”

“I think you’ve been reading1984too much,” I mutter.

“Drink, Rosa.” He giggles. “Rosa. That’s actually a good name for a dog.”

I give him a dark look, but my throat is parched so I grab the bowl with my bound hands and bring it to my lips. I drink the soothing liquid.

He watches me with those dead eyes the whole time.

I don’t know what I ever saw in him. He’s not even that handsome. But I already know the answer: he was just a guy for me to practice on. Someone to lose my virginity to.

Boy do I ever regret that now.

When I’m done I set the empty bowl on the shed floor.