Page 142 of Shadows of Obsession
"You smell the same," he whispered, his lips brushing against my ear, his voice a twisted mix of longing and accusation. "Even if you are fucking someone else."
The words hung heavy in the air, a reminder of the obsession that had driven him to this point. My stomach churned, bile rising in my throat as I lay helpless and trapped, the weight of his body pressing against me, his presence suffocating and inescapable.
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I blinked them back furiously, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me break. My mind raced, desperately searching for a way out, some means of escape from this nightmare. But as Daniel's hand slid down my body, his touch possessive and violating, I knew my chances of survival were growing slimmer with each passing moment.
"We're going to have a little fun, Anna," Daniel said, his voice low and menacing. A cruel smile played at the corners of his mouth as he reached into his pocket, his movements slow and deliberate. My heart raced, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps as I watched him, my body tense with fear.
Daniel pulled out a large pocket knife, the metal glinting coldly in the dim light. My eyes widened in terror as he flipped the blade open with a practiced flick of his wrist, the sound of it snapping into place sending a chill down my spine.
Slowly, he lowered the knife toward my neck, the sharp edge hovering just above my skin. I held my breath, my pulse pounding in my ears as I felt the cool metal graze my flesh. Daniel turned the blade so the flat side faced me, tracing it along the delicate curve of my neck, the sensation both terrifying and sickening.
He dragged the knife down my body, the tip of the blade skimming over my collarbone, between my breasts, and along my stomach. Myskin crawled at the touch, goosebumps rising in the wake of the cold steel. My muscles strained against the restraints, but it was futile. I was completely at his mercy.
When he reached my ankles, Daniel set the knife down on the bed beside me, the blade glinting ominously in the moonlight. He gripped my ankles tightly, his fingers digging into my skin as he forced my legs deeper into the mattress, pinning me in place.
"You see," Daniel began, his voice dripping with a sickening mix of anger and desire, "I've been searching for you for too long." He leaned over me, his face mere inches from mine, dark eyes boring into my own with terrifying intensity.
"I let you get away in Kansas," he continued, his breath hot against my skin, "and this time, I came prepared not to lose you again." His words sent a shiver of dread down my spine, the realization of his obsession hitting me like a physical blow.
"You won't be leaving this room, Anna," he said, his tone final and unyielding. "You're going to pay." He spoke each word slowly, letting the weight of his threat sink in. "First, for leaving me. Then, for running. Then, for hiding and putting me through all the bullshit of trying to find you."
My heart sank, despair washing over me as I understood the gravity of my situation. I was trapped, at the mercy of a man consumed by obsession and rage, with no hope of escape. Tears streamed down my face, soaking into the duct tape covering my mouth, my muffled sobs the only sound in the oppressive silence of the room.
Daniel's hand slid up my leg, his touch possessive and unwanted, a sickening reminder of the power he held over me. I closed my eyes, trying to shut out the horror of my reality, but there was no escape from the nightmare my life had become.
As his fingers tightened around my ankle, the pressure bordering on painful, I knew the worst was yet to come. I steeled myself for the torment ahead, my mind desperately clinging to thoughts of Jaxon, of the life I had built, and the love I had found. I wished more than anything that I had acknowledged my feelings sooner and told Jaxon how I truly felt.
My heart raced with terror as Daniel loomed over me again, the knife glinting menacingly in his hand. I couldn't suppress a muffled cry as the blade caught beneath the fabric of my shirt. The sound of the knife tearing through cotton was almost drowned out by the pounding of blood in my ears.
As the ruined pieces of my shirt fell away, exposing my skin to Daniel's predatory gaze, I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing I could close off my mind as easily. I felt horribly vulnerable, panic rising in my throat like bile. This couldn't be real. It had to be a nightmare.
Daniel's fingers brushed against my stomach, and I flinched violently, revulsion shuddering through me.
"This body belongs to me, Anna," he growled.
The possessiveness and entitlement in his voice made my skin crawl.
My thoughts reeled with despair and disbelief that his fixation had brought us here. I tried to block out the sensation of his touch, tried not to think about what he might do next.
Instead, I conjured up an image of Jaxon, holding onto his memory like a lifeline. He would know something was wrong when I didn't come home. He would look for me. I had to hold onto that hope.
I clung to faith in Jaxon and Connor, picturing them searching, refusing to give up. They would find me. I just had to endure and survive until then. I wouldn't let Daniel break me.
Opening my eyes, I glared up at Daniel with all the defiance I could muster. I refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing me cowed. I was more than this moment, more than what he could do to me. I would get through this.
Trying to shut out Daniel's rambling words and the cold dread of the knife point trailing over my skin, I focused on my breathing and heartbeat, on my certainty that this wasn't the end. Help was coming. I had to believe that.
CHAPTER 39
Jaxon
Ipaced frantically back and forth in Connor's home office, my boots thudding heavily on the hardwood floor with each agitated step. The room felt suffocatingly small, the walls closing in as my mind raced with worst-case scenarios I desperately tried to shut out.
Where is she? Where the fuck is she?
Connor sat behind the computer desk, fingers flying over the keyboard. The rapid clicking filled the tense silence between us. I could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw was set with concentration and worry.
"This doesn't make any sense," Connor muttered, brow furrowed as he leaned back in the chair, staring at the screen with a mix of confusion and concern.