Chapter 52
There she is…
Delaney
My eyes slowly opened to a room I didn’t recognize as I noticed the curtains that hung on the windows full of dust. The air was moist and thick, the smell of mothballs pungent and heavy.
I recognized this smell, it was exactly the same as in my basement back home.
After my father found a small family of garden snakes in our yard, he freaked out and set out moth balls everywhere, the smell didn’t ever fully dissipate.
I looked around, taking note of the chains on the door that were secured with a large padlock.
My mind instantly put together that if it was locked from the inside, someone must be in here with me.
A loud thud followed by cursing proved my suspicion.
I laid my head back down and pretended to sleep as I listened to whoever was in the other room dial on their cell phone.
“Do you have her?” A deep voice boomed through the speaker.
“Yes, I have her. She’s asleep on the sofa. I brought her to the safe house and locked us in like you told me.” The man speaking sounded like he was searching for approval.
“Great, Dallas knows she is missing. Do not under any circumstances let that bitch get away – ” the man on the other end of the line hissed over loud banging coming from his fists in protest knowing Dallas was on his tail.
“Yes sir. How long are you keeping her for?”
“That’s uncertain yet, it depends on a few…things.” He spit through clenched teeth.
“Look, you just stay put and answer when I call you. Let me figure out the rest. By tonight, we should have a pretty penny sittin’ in our pockets and we can proceed with the plan of taking out Dallas Kingston.”
Click. Silence.
After an ominous pause, I heard footsteps coming into the room where I was laying. I tightened my eyes and prayed he would walk by and leave me alone but the heavy footsteps came closer and closer until they stopped right in front of the sofa.
I laid perfectly still and tried to keep my breathing steady.
I felt his hot breath on my nose.
“I know you are not sleeping, kitten. Open your pretty eyes.”
I slowly pried my eyes open afraid of what I’d see when I did.
As they slowly adjusted to the dimly lit room, I started to make out the facial features of the man that was now my captor. His deep blue eyes fixed on mine, as a smirk slowly crept up his lips.
“There she is,” he said, standing from his squatting position pulling me up along with him.
I let out a startled squeal,“where am I?” as I pulled away from him, correcting my footing to stand up right.
“Let’s just call it a vacation, you’ll be home in no time as long as your little boyfriend cooperates.” He finished with a menacing chuckle. A chill ran down my spine at the mention of his name.
“Cooporate?”
“Yes, we’ve got big plans for him, that one. He’s been on my boss’s radar for many years. Twelve to be exact.” He sighed loudly after finishing the sentence.
“Imagine, after twelve years finally seeking revenge?” He looked up at the ceiling as if he were imagining just that.
“W…w..what do I have to do with this revenge?” I tried to sound unfazed but my words betrayed me when they came out on a stutter.
“Well if all goes to plan nothing but a scare tactic.” He shrugged and threw one hand in the air in dismissal.
“But, if he doesn’t play along like a good boy, then things could get very…complicated.” He said the last part slowly as he glanced in my direction.
His eyes slowly scaled my body as he licked his lips.
He walked in a circle around me, hiding his eyes, he let out a creepy, ‘mmmm,’ as his gaze attempted to dominate me.
He was going to have to try a lot harder to get me to crack.
I might look like an innocent creature, but this mind is wickedly sharp.
I watched him expressionlessly, refusing to give him any satisfaction of knowing he was intimidating me.
After one slow circle around me, making his gross moaning sound the whole time, he stopped in front of me.
His eyes staring into mine, he dropped his floppy, ugly hand to his groin area where he adjusted himself after undressing me with his eyes.
My thoughts were still and my body was tense, but I kept my breathing steady.
This idiot was messing with the wrong woman.
“I can see what Dallas likes about you, you’re meek. Like a scared little kitten.”
He slowly enunciated the word ‘kitten’ as his stare burned into me, keeping his eyes locked on mine like some sort of a weird stare down.
His attempt at making me feel uncomfortable was becoming more laughable with his every action.
Dallas will have a field day with this loser when he gets his hands on him…
“Well, anyway, let’s get you settled, shall we?
” He walked over, opening a small door that I had noticed earlier when I had scoped the room out.
Because of the size of the door frame, I had mistaken it for a closet.
It was a bathroom with a shower in it. The toilet was covered in brown mildew.
Clearly, this place had been vacant for a long while before we got here.
“This is your bathroom for the time being. The toilet doesn’t flush so please, liquids only.”
The smell coming from inside was bad enough to make me want to pick a corner and use it instead. He turned and pointed at the sofa, “That thing turns into a bed, but be careful when you open it. There could be something living in there.”