I could erase it from my memory. Oh, I’ll get to spend all the time in the world with her now. Just not in the way I envisioned it. I’m no longer naïve, and Vanessa is no longer the sweet girl I used to know.
Time has changed us. It’s not been kind to us, and neither will I be kind to her. Not anymore. She wasted that chance, and now I’m going to lay waste to her.
CHAPTER 9
VANESSA
Back and forth. Left and right. He keeps circling my cage, gazing at me with those bloodthirsty eyes every other second, only to return to pacing around the attic. I wonder what he’s thinking. Is he envisioning ways to torture me? Is he trying to decide what method best to use to hurt me? Or can he simply not decide?
The thought alone creates goosebumps all over my body. I don’t want to think about the things he’s going to do to me, but with him barging into the room, I have nothing else to wonder about. His presence alone is enough to make me tremble in fear. It disgusts me. I’m not normally like this, so … weak and mumbling when I speak. I hate it; I hate to see myself behave this way, and yet, I can’t stop it. It’s as if the terror has settled in my bones.
I’ve never experienced anything like this. At least … not since the last time we were alone together.
It must be him, but I don’t understand why my body reacts to him the way it does. He’s the only man who’s ever been able to make me shiver to the point of wanting to grab a gun to shoot him. A man never threatens me. Hell, they’re mostly scared of me instead of the other way around. Must be the air of aloofness shrouding me. That or my inability to care for their emotions even the slightest bit.
Except his … Phoenix … the way he looks at me, briefly stopping to bite on his lip piercing, does something to me. The way he runs his fingers through his dark hair to keep his focus is entrancing. My heart beats out of control at the sight of his steady paces, his hawk-like eyes, and the black depth hidden within them. I want it all. And I want to kill him for doing this to me.
It’s like I’m left in the hands of a merciless animal that will rip me to shreds if I don’t manage to seduce it into letting me go. Speaking of which, I think that is the only shot I have of getting out of this prison.
However, I know he won’t fall for it that easily. He knows me too well for that. I just have to try even harder than before. Working my charms on him is the only solution I have to this problem. What else can I do when I’m bound to this cage and left to his mercy?
Nothing, except persuade him not to hurt me … maybe in time, when he trusts me enough, he’ll even let me out.
As he slams open the door, I shoot up and bump my head on the cage. He’s gotten my rifle from downstairs. I wonder what he’s going to do with it. With a wicked smile and a raised eyebrow, he looks at me while placing the rifle on the table near the door, and then fetches a gun from his bag.
“Big isn’t always better. Except when fucking, of course,” he says, grinning.
Seeing that makes me shiver, as I know all the tools he brought with him are meant for me. If I’m nice, maybe he’ll go easier on me. It’s worth a try. I don’t intend on dying just yet, but I don’t want to be stuck in this cage forever, either.
He walks toward me and loads the gun, readying it for fire. I guess he won’t go easy on me, no matter what I do.
With a threatening stance, he holds out the gun, aiming for my head.
I cover my head with my hands and shout, “Please, don’t shoot!”
“No?”
“No! Don’t! Please?”
“Or what?”
“I don’t want to die!” I yell, tears welling up in my eyes.
I can’t see him, but I can hear him muffle a laugh. “I could swear you begged me for this a while ago.”
“Please …” I mutter. I don’t know what else to say. I don’t want to die. That’s human. But I don’t want to suffer, either. What