Page 108 of Pure Silence

Too bad one of those assholes hadn’t had some crazy facial scar or a big tattoo like the bad guys always did in the movies.

When Goldie was done, he lumbered out of bed to put on sweatpants and go use the bathroom. He was definitely sore, and he was glad they’d decided to stay home today because walking around a museum for hours didn’t sound like fun for his back right now. When he was done washing up, he paused to check his reflection.

Yes, the same wrinkles were there as always, and his hair hadn’t gotten any less gray, but he was surprised by something else.

His smile.

How easily it came now and the minimal effort required to keep it was a magical experience for him, and he swore the muscles in his face had to be getting sore by now.

Being with Day was wonderful.

Also slightly terrifying at times, definitely a bit worrying, but ultimately blissful.

Everything was going to be all right. Alvarez was going to text him back about those assholes from the parking lot, he would make sure Day got the help he needed soon, and they were going to be happy together.

Maybe even forever.

God, now there was a truly terrifying thought.

Commitment.

Goldie chuckled to himself and opened the bathroom door, stopping in his tracks when there was someone waiting for him on the other side.

The tall man from the parking lot was there.

Fuck, no time—

Every muscle in Goldie’s body set to go, and he swung his fist and heard a satisfying crack as it collided with the man’s face. Something pressed over his mouth and nose—soft, cloth—and he swung again. He lurched forward, using his weight to take the tall man to the floor. He punched him again and again, but there was something wrong. The man wasn’t letting go, and the cloth was stress stuck on his face.

Goldie kept struggling, but he was getting weaker.

The cloth over his mouth…

Huh.

This must be what chloroform smelled like.

19

GOLDIE

Cold.

That was the first sensation Goldie felt as he woke up. His head was throbbing miserably, and he tried to reach up to touch it.

His hands were bound, and he was half-naked.

Fuck, he was having the weirdest feeling of déjà vu right now.

He opened his eyes, blinking as he found he was lying on the rickety couch in Day’s living room. His hands were tied behind his back, and more ropes were slung around his bare chest and biceps. It was freezing, dim, but it had to be sometime during the day still because light was peeking through the foam that covered the windows and around the door.

How the hell did he end up back here?

Shit, where was Day?

Goldie spotted him tied to the armchair next to the couch, and he wasn’t moving.

Day’s head was bowed, the ropes bound him directly to the chair, and Goldie couldn’t tell if he was breathing or not. Day had to be cold too as he was just wearing that Goldilocks T-shirt he liked so much with underwear and his white wooly socks.