Page 21

Chapter twenty-one

Mia

Two hours earlier

“I 'll be there in an hour. I’m just finishing up some work here, then I’m going to run home if I have time and change.” I’m exhausted and wearing my librarian uniform feels restricting. I really want a pair of jeans and a big cozy sweater instead of the skirt and heels I’m currently in.

“Okay, can’t wait to hear everything,” Charlie says.

I won’t be sharing everything , like the life-altering orgasms I've been having and the waterworks that accompany them. I’d rather not make my friends jealous. I still can’t believe my body can do that, let alone repeatedly.

“Did I tell you about the flowers Knox sent me?”

Charlie chuckles into the phone. “Only about a million times today.”

I laugh as I stare at the bouquet of white tulips on my desk.

“Well, consider this a million and one then,” I say with a wide smile on my face.

“Who knew Knox was such a romantic?”

“Right? I’m one lucky girl.” For more reasons than one. “See you in a bit.”

I disconnect the call and finish up some ordering and a couple other things before checking the time. I’ll have just enough to get home, change, and meet the girls for a drink.

Knox and a few of the guys are going on a run today, and while I’ll miss him, it’s a good time to hang out with the girls without our men crashing the party. Not that they aren’t always welcome, but it’ll still be a nice distraction from missing Knox since we’re still in what Charlie calls the honeymoon phase. I asked her if it’s worn off with Linc, and she laughed and told me no. I have a feeling it’s not so much a phase as it is a new way of life for me, and I can’t say I’m the least bit mad about it.

Gathering my things, I head to my car, making sure to buckle the vase of flowers so they don’t topple over. He left a note this time saying see you soon. I love that he was thinking of me before he left this morning.

Pulling my phone out of my purse, I dial my grandmother’s number.

“Hello, dear,” she answers.

“Hey, Grandma, I’m heading home to change, then I’m going to meet the girls for a drink. Do you need anything before I get home?”

Knox and I split our time between our houses. Even though I don’t need to live on my grandma’s property, she and I have fallen into a routine, and I don’t want to upset that too much. Plus, I like spending time with my grandmother, and she likes “having a man around” as she puts it.

“No, I’m about to leave myself. Arthur is taking me to dinner.”

“Hi, Mia,” I hear him call.

“Tell him I said hello.” I smile, liking that she’s found someone to spend time with even if she insists they’re only friends. That could very well be the case, but I notice the way she brightens when he’s around. “Okay, Grandma. I’ll see you tomorrow for coffee.”

I hang up and start my car, pulling out of the parking lot to head home. It’s the perfect spring evening, not too cold, which means summer is right around the corner. This is my favorite time of year because summer vacation is almost here. It’ll be nice to have weekday mornings to myself for a bit and not have to rush out to head to work.

I pull up to my house and turn the car off before reaching over and grabbing the vase of flowers and my purse.

“I see you got my flowers,” I hear behind me, the voice making me jump so suddenly that I nearly drop them.

When I whirl around, Leonard steps out from the shadows.

“What the hell are you doing here?” I’m so stunned by the last person I ever expected showing up in my driveway that all I can do is stand there and stare as he approaches.

“I just want to talk to you. Don’t be scared,” Leonard says, holding out his hands.

That knocks me out of my stupor, but fear isn’t the first emotion that comes rushing in. It’s fucking anger.

“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, but lying in wait for me to get home is beyond inappropriate, Leonard.”

“I know you think that, but really…I’m here to help.”

I start backing up toward my house as I feel around my key ring for my house key. I just need to get inside and call the police. This has gone too far, and it’s about damn time I file charges—not only with the school board but the authorities as well.

“I don’t need any help from you, and you need to leave right now. Knox is on his way, and if you don’t get off my property, that little scene at the festival is going to be child’s play.”

I saw the fear in his eyes when Knox had him pinned against the wall, and while I was pissed as hell at Knox for getting involved, I think I should have let him do a lot more than just rough him up a bit.

Leonard shakes his head back and forth slowly as he continues to approach me with an eerie look in his soulless eyes. “I know he’s not here. And I know your grandmother is gone, too. I watched her leave with that old man. It’s just us, and you need to listen to me, girl. What you’ve been doing, who you’ve been spending your time with, it’s evil and wretched.”

What in the actual hell?

“He’s leading you down a path of sin. He’s not the man to show you the true way—the true light.”

When my heel reaches the first step of my porch, I throw the flowers at him and race up the stairs, shoving my key into my lock. I swing my door open, but before I can shut it, Leonard reaches in and makes a grab for me. He snatches the strap of my purse and tries to pull me back, but he yanks the purse off my shoulder instead, sending everything inside scattering around my floor. I try to slam the door on his arm, but he’s too quick and slams his body against the wood. He steps through as I make a run to the kitchen, more specifically to the butcher block sitting on the counter.

My hand reaches for the biggest knife there. Just as I grasp the handle, my knee is kicked from behind, and I collapse to the ground, smacking my head against the corner of my counter as I fall. I’m only stunned for a moment, but red tints my vision almost immediately. Just when I turn around, still sitting on the floor but ready to kick, scratch, or bite anyone who comes near me, a fist connects with the side of my head—and it’s lights out.

The first thing that registers is the pounding headache when I try to open my eyes. The second is what happened to give me the headache, and the third is the rope cutting into my wrists when I try to move my arms and hands. This isn’t the soft rope that I’ve become accustomed to. This rope is thick, and the fibers feel like tiny needles shredding my skin.

I’m tied to a bed in a dingy room. The rope is knotted around my waist and looped around my arms and up to my wrists, where it’s connected to a metal bed frame. My legs are tied in a similar fashion. Basically, I can’t fucking move.

From the looks of it, this house or wherever I am, has seen better days. There’s paper over the windows, so it’s dark in here but not pitch black. From what I can see and smell, the place I’m in is old. The walls are stained wooden panels. When my eyes travel to the ceiling, I see the source of the damaged walls and probably the dank smell that accompanies it. Huge brown water stains cover the lighter wood of the ceiling as though the roof has been leaking for ages. My head moves from side to side as my eyes adjust to the dimly lit space. In front of me is a splintered door that leads to God knows where, and to the right is a closet with its doors leaning against the wall. I spy a few shirts hanging on old wire hangers and shoes haphazardly strewn inside the bottom of the closet. I can’t see much else since I’m tied down to this fucking bed by my arms and legs.

Tears sting my eyes when I realize the likelihood of me getting out of here alive is fucking slim. I have no idea where I am or who else is here. I try to move my arms and legs, but the rope is so damn tight, and it’s not budging. Even if I could get free, I have no idea what lies on the other side of that door.

Stop it, Mia. This is not the way it ends for you.

I take several deep breaths, trying to calm my racing heart. Panicking never did anyone any good. There has to be something somewhere that I can…what? Reach? Yeah, that shit isn’t happening anytime soon.

The door creaks open, and in walks the man responsible for me being here.

“Hello, Mia,” he says, walking to the edge of the bed with something in his hands. “I brought you something to eat.”

“Where am I?” I croak out, still groggy from being unconscious.

“At our cabin. I really think you’re going to like it here.”

My eyes dart around the room and I try to get a look at what’s beyond the door. “How long have I been here?”

Leonard tilts his head back and forth. “It’s about six in the morning.”

Oh my God. I’ve been here overnight? That hit to the head really did a number on me.

Leonard must see the shocked expression on my face. “I was surprised you slept so long, too. When I shot you up with my little concoction, it worked better on you than it had the others.”

My eyes widen. “You have other women here?”

Leonard shakes his head and runs a finger over the cut on my forehead. It stings like a bitch, but I try my damndest not to wince. “No, they left. They weren’t up to the task of cleansing themselves from the sin that they’d allowed to ruin their soul. It takes a strong woman to be able to handle such a trial, but I have a feeling you’ll have what it takes.” The creepy smile he wears sends chills down my spine.

“What…what do you mean? What trial?”

“Shh, shh. There'll be time for that. You must be hungry. You’re going to need your strength for later.”

Leonard sits down and grabs the spoon out of a can. “Here, have a little soup. I know the drugs I gave you can make it hard to eat at first, so I’ve found broth to be the best thing when you wake up.” He holds a spoonful in front of my mouth. “I hope you liked the tulips. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed that you never said thank you.”

Oh my God. It was Leonard, not Knox, who sent me those beautiful bouquets? He’s been planning this for months, and I had no idea I was in the presence of a madman this entire time. An asshole? Sure. But this man is certifiably insane and has been walking around without a care in the world. Working with children, for God’s sake. And now he’s kidnapped me, and no one has any idea who I’m with or where I am.

Leonard waves the spoon in front of my face. “Come on, Mia. It’s good for you.”

I consider not eating it, or maybe taking it in my mouth, then spitting it at him, but then another idea forms in my mind. This isn’t going to be my end. It can’t be. But that means I’m going to have to fight. I open my mouth, and the chicken broth tastes like the most vile thing that’s ever touched my tongue. Then I pretend to choke and the broth dribbles down my chin.

“I can’t eat like this. I need to sit up a little,” I say, pleading with him with what I hope is a pathetic look in my eyes. If he thinks I’ve resigned myself to my fate, maybe he won’t think I’m a threat.

Leonard considers my request and sets the can next to him. “No trying to get away, hear me? Right now, the devil is still inside of you, so you’re going to want to run.” He pulls a large hunting knife from his belt that I hadn’t noticed before and sets it on my stomach. “But if you do, I’ll have to start bleeding him from your body before you’re ready.”

I nod, terrified of what will happen if I try to escape but just as terrified of what will happen if I don’t. Leonard unties my wrists and helps me sit up on the bed. I rub at the raw skin there as he settles back down next to me with the soup and leaves the knife on my lap.

“There. That’s better,” he says as he brings another spoonful to my mouth.”

“I can do it.”

“No, no. I want to take care of you.”

While his eyes are on the spoon to ensure that he doesn’t spill the broth, I rear my head back and crash my forehead on his nose. He falls from the bed and groans.

I grab the knife and slice at the rope on my ankle, cutting myself in the process. The rope comes undone and I get to work on the other. Thank God the hunting knife is sharp as hell.

“You fucking bitch!” Leonard cries as he lifts himself from the floor with blood pouring down his face. I swing the knife in his direction but miss my target, which is pretty much any part of his body. When I swing again, Leonard grabs my wrist. I struggle with all of my might, kicking, screaming, and flailing my body. Anything to make it hard for him to keep hold of me.

But it’s no use. Leonard rips the knife from my hand. I continue to scream and thrash until I feel a sharp pain in the side of my neck.

“It's the devil inside of you, Mia. Don’t fight me. I’m going to save you.”

My world tilts on its axis as I fall back against the mattress. Before my eyes close, the last thing I see is Leonard’s bloody face leaning over mine as I’m swallowed by blackness once again.