how hard can it be? I like to be in control. When I fuck someone, I’m the dominant one. I like the idea of always being in charge. Making all the rules. It’s the only way I’d fully be able to trust someone. Let them close. Hmm, you know, you’re very good at listening. I don’t usually speak this much about myself.”
There was a strange note in his voice. Like he was regretting saying anything.
“My lips are sealed.”
“You’re a smart girl, Betsy. No matter what your Mama used to tell you, you’ve got brains as well as beauty.”
“How do you know about my Mama?”
“Well, we all have one, don’t we? Just some of us have better mamas than others.”
“Yes, but how did you know what my mama said to me?” Maybe she should stop asking him these questions. After all, she was still sitting in a hole in the forest, where there were wolves. And let’s not forget the Things.
“I make it a point to know everyone in my Sunny’s life.”
All right. This was starting to sound more than a bit creepy.
“You know she has a boyfriend, right?”
“Of course I do.”
“Do you know if she’s all right?” she asked in small voice. She didn’t know what she’d do if Sunny had been hurt because of her.
“Sunny is fine. I would never allow her to be anything else. Unfortunately, I had other business to attend to and didn’t hear about what was happening until it was too late to prevent her being taken. That won’t happen again.”
She shivered, believing him.
“Now, should we get on to more pressing matters? Like getting you out of there? Unless you like sitting in your own grave?”
What kind of question was that? Careful, Betsy. She bit back her sarcastic remark.
Never kick a cow turd on a hot day.
She always thought that saying was hilarious. It hadn’t been one of Mama’s. She’d never bring herself so low as to say the word turd. But Betsy had heard it plenty growing up. If this guy was going to help her, looney or not, she wouldn’t turn him down.
She also couldn’t afford to trust him. Just because he said he knew Sunny and he seemed to know things about her was no reason to trust him. In fact, it made her more suspicious of him.
Had he been watching them?
Was he some kind of stalker?
Shoot. Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
She looked back up, nearly crying out in fear as she realized he’d gone. “Hello? Are you still here?”
“Yep. Just getting the rope ready.”
“Do you know where Thing One and Two went?”
“Who?”
She closed her eyes briefly. “The two guys that brought me here.”
“Oh. You don’t have to worry about them.”
“How can you be sure?”
“Because I killed them, of course. That’s what the déjà vu was. I killed two idiots who tried to hurt my Sunny. Now I killed two men trying to harm you. Of course they already harmed my Sunny, so they would have died anyway. You’re not upset that I killed them because they touched her, are you? Sunny always comes first in my heart. You understand, don’t you?”
He’d killed them? She swallowed back bile. Was this guy insane? He had to be. And she was going to let him help her?
What choice did she have? If she stayed in this hole, she’d likely die.
She groaned.
“Are you upset because I care more for my Sunny than you?” he asked curiously.
“No, no, of course not,” she said to placate him. He was still her best bet for getting out of her. “I love Sunny. She’s amazing.”
“She certainly is.”
“Do you know Ink?”
“Kind of.”
Kind of? What did that mean?
“Could you call him or Sunny for me?”
“No,” he said cheerfully.
“No?”
“No reception out here. We’re in the middle of the forest. I’m going to make a loop at one end of this rope and throw it down to you. Can you put it around you, under your arms? Then I’ll pull you up.”
“Can you…are you sure you can pull me up?”
“Don’t worry, I’m used to dragging around heavier people than you.”
She froze. What did that mean?
“Understand?” he repeated firmly.
“I understand.” Sheesh, what was it with all the men around her lately? They all had that commanding thing down.
“Here comes the rope.”
A light shone down, showing the rope lowering. She reached for it with her good arm. Crap, this was going to be painful. She pulled it over her shoulders awkwardly with one arm then grabbed the wrist of her bad