and now I’m saving your ass.”
Her eyes widen as though she’s surprised. And I’m not sure which part triggered that response. I lower my lips closer to hers. “The least you can do is make this easy on me.”
Her light blue eyes stare into mine. She parts her lips and all I want to do is take them with my own. I want to make this easy. I want to make it right. But when she speaks, it ends that desire.
“I don’t trust you.” The softly whispered words hit my chest like fucking bullets.
It fucking hurts, but I can’t say that I’m too surprised. It takes a lot for me to trust a person, too. “Fair enough. Maybe you can make it easier on yourself then and stop pissing off your captor.” My stomach drops as I refer to myself that way. But that’s exactly who I am to her. Not her fucking savior, that's for damn sure. I’m the enemy.
“Does that sound like a smart thing to do, Elle?” I ask her as I tilt my head.
“No.” Her plump lips stay parted as she answers me, and her eyes fall to my throat. A sadness washes over her. Her eyes stay on the dip of my throat as she asks, “What are you going to do to me?” I can hear the obvious defeat in her tone. I suppose in a way that’s good, but it crushes me. I don’t want to kill the bit of spitfire she has.
“I’m going to feed you.” I tilt up her chin again to make sure she gives me her full attention. I repeat, “I’m going to feed you, but then I have to tie you up again so I can leave.” She takes a quick inhale and her nostrils flare, but she keeps her mouth shut before nodding at me.
I pull back and walk away from her towards the kitchen. I turn to look over my shoulder. “Come.” Her feet move obediently at the command.
“When you wake up tomorrow, this will all be over. Everything will be perfect,” I say, trying to sound reassuring. I listen to her feet moving slowly behind me as I enter the modern kitchen. I turn to look at her as I reach the pantry. “You won’t remember anything, and everything will be just as it was.” I fill a glass with water and set it on the counter. I debate against showing her what I'm about to do, but ultimately I decide to show her. I don’t want to trick her.
I reach in my pocket and pull out the bottle with the tablets. I pop the top off and drop one of the tablets into the glass.
I pick up the glass and watch as the tablet quickly dissolves into nothing. Her full, plump lips frown as I take a step toward her. “Drink this, sweetheart.” I hold out the glass and her small hands reach out to accept it from me. Her fingers overlap as she lifts the glass to her lips. I’ll have a good hour to hour and a half with her before she should pass out with this dose.
She stares at the glass for a moment and I consider pushing her, but I don’t. Thankfully she puts it to her lips and downs the water completely. With the glass empty, she gently places it on the counter, with her eyes on the floor and drenched in defeat.
Her mouth opens as her fingers toy with the loops on her shorts. But she slams it shut and instead focuses her gaze on the slate tiles on the kitchen floor. She looks so beaten down. She looks hopeless. She’s covered in dirt and scratches. I’m going to need to bathe her. She can’t wake up like that.
Her eyes reach mine with sadness and her mouth opens and then closes again. “What is it?” I ask, with patience and comfort.
“Please don’t touch me.” Her shoulders rise and her body trembles as she swallows thickly and moves her gaze back to the floor. She clasps her hands in front of her. My forehead creases with confusion, and then I realize the meaning of her words. I close my eyes and give myself a moment.
When I open them, her hands are covering her face as she stands there in the middle of my kitchen. She doesn’t belong here. It’s so fucking obvious to me that this is fucked up.
“Elle, sweetheart...” I walk over to her and wrap my arms