Page 42 of Lock

I clenched my jaw. “You didn’t have to say it like that.”

“Yes,” he said quietly. “I did.”

I exhaled hard through my nose. He wasn’t wrong, and that might’ve been the worst part. Because I always thought I was protected.

Another silence stretched between us.

“I should hate you,” I said eventually.

His eyes didn’t leave mine. “You can.”

“I might,” I added.

“Fair.”

I snorted despite myself and immediately hated that too.

My stomach growled.

Loudly.

I froze.

Lock’s mouth twitched. “I’ll take that as a vote for food.”

I rubbed a hand over my face. “I can’t remember that last time I ate. I didn’t even know how long I’d been out.”

“I figured.”

He stood again. “I’ll bring something up.”

I hesitated. “You’re just… leaving me here?”

He paused at the door. Looked back at me.

“The door stays unlocked,” he said. “Bathroom’s through there.” He pointed at a door to the left of the room. Living room through there,” he pointed at the other door.

“And if I do?”

“You won’t get out of here,” he said evenly. “But I’d rather not chase you down.”

I nodded slowly.

He left.

The door closed behind him but there was no locking sound.

I stared at it for a long second.

Then I looked around the room again.

Nothing screamed prison. No restraints. No locks. No cameras that I could see.

I wasn’t sure what I expected but definitely not this.

Still I didn’t test it.

I stayed where I was, leaning against the window frame, watching men come and go, like nothing was out of the ordinary.