“You’ve already made it clear that I can’t trust you.”
After he fastened her hands to the wood-slatted headboard, he made sure that the telephone was out of her reach. He then checked the door lock, turned on the television, and clicked through the channels. “What do you want to watch?”
She didn’t answer.
He looked at her and smiled. “Am I getting the silent treatment?”
She glared at him.
“I’ll be back in a minute,” he told her as he walked into the bathroom.
He wasn’t kidding. Five minutes later, he returned wearing nothing but a towel. He made a big show of flexing his muscles as he brushed his hair and took another look out the window.
As far as she knew, Rob had never lifted a weight in his life.
She watched Patterson push a chair and table in front of the door. When he was done, he sat down beside her on the edge of the bed, and cut the tape from her wrists. He was wearing the aftershave she’d bought for Rob.
Damn him.
Every muscle and tendon on the man had her mesmerized.
“Are you hungry?” he asked.
Angry with herself for being so easily enthralled by his physique, she merely grunted as she slid off the bed. She sorted through her things. After putting on a pair of socks, she grabbed a cup of instant noodle soup mix she’d suggested he add to her bag before they left her apartment, added water, and placed the Styrofoam cup inside the microwave.
He turned on the television, flipped through every news channel, and then turned it off. Once more, he walked across the room and took a peek out the window.
She stood next to the microwave, waiting for the soup to be done, praying he would go back into the bathroom so she could make a run for it. All she had to do was talk to the man in the lobby. He would know what to do. “Are you ever going to get dressed?” she asked.
He looked over his shoulder. “Why? Is my naked chest bothering you?”
She crossed her arms. “As a matter of fact, it is.”
He walked toward her and looked down his nose at her. “After being locked up and forced to wear only prison garb for eight years, the luxury of choosing what I will or won’t wear is a thrill for me.” He looked into her eyes.
Refusing to be intimidated, she did the same.
“But for you, princess, I’ll get dressed.”
“I thought you were going to bed.”
“Not until you’re finished eating.”
“Why? What happens after that?”
“We both lie on the bed and I tape your ankle to mine.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’m very serious.”
“I won’t run. You can trust me.”
“I believe you said the same thing at the ATM.”
At least the man had the decency to go back into the bathroom and shut the door to put on his clothes.
She didn’t hesitate. She ran to the door and tried to pull it open. The table was heavy, but she managed to push it to the side. The chair was another story. It was a recliner with a metal frame, much too heavy to pull, so she positioned herself between the chair and the door and used her hip and then her legs to push it aside. Damn. There still wasn’t enough room to open the door.
She could hear the faucet running. He was brushing his teeth. She could do this. She just needed a few more inches. Gritting her teeth, she tried again. Victory! She squeezed her way out the door and ran.
She reached the elevator doors and pushed the down button. When it didn’t open right away, she ran for the stairwell. But just as she was about to grasp the stairwell door handle, he grabbed her from behind. Once again he clamped a hand over her mouth and hauled her back to the room. After plopping her down on the bed, he hovered over her so closely that his nose nearly touched hers. His anger and frustration were downright palpable. “If you try that again, it’s over.”
A chill shot up her spine. She didn’t move, nor did she say a word as he locked the door and slid the furniture back into place.
“Can I eat my soup?”
“No.” He taped his right ankle to her left. When that was done, he pulled the sheets over both of them and shut off the light.
“What if I have to go to the bathroom?”
He said nothing.
“Who are you?”
“What are you talking about now?”
“If you’re not a killer. If you’re truly innocent…who are you?”
“Just a regular guy trying to make it in this godforsaken world. That’s who. But life isn’t fair. We both know that. Now go to sleep.”
She’d pissed him off and she wasn’t sure why she felt so bad about it. He was an escaped convict. He had abducted her, stolen her money, and listened to her phone messages. He was moody and bossy.
And he was wearing Rob’s cologne. It was going to be a long night.