Chapter Twenty-Four
When I awoke, it was morning. I felt groggy, and my head spun as I sat up. There was a tremendous thirst in my throat, so I walked to the bathroom. I let the bathtub fill while I turned on the tap and drank from the sink. No matter how much of this free-flowing, ice cold water I drank, it never seemed to be enough.
The bandage was gone from my foot. Maybe it was lost when I took the sneakers off, but I could have sworn it was wrapped tight around my toe stump when Vic had pleasured me on the kitchen table. Looking at the place where the toe had been removed, it seemed to be healing exceptionally well. The bleeding had stopped, and the site seemed to have healed over at least a little, no longer a mass of raw and exposed flesh.
I slipped into the bath, hoping that by submerging my body in water, I might alleviate the thirst that drinking had not cured.
Within seconds of submerging myself in the warm water I felt like I would faint. I kept every molecule of my being focused on remaining conscious, even as the edges of my vision darkened. For a moment, I succumbed, and my head dipped beneath the water. I breathed in some of the bathwater, and the searing pain in my nostrils brought me back to full consciousness.
When I was done, I wrapped myself in a towel, and returned to bed. I was worried that I had missed something. Perhaps I had been asleep far longer than I thought. After all, how could my amputation possibly have healed overnight.
I knelt down on the floor and ran my hand under the dresser. I felt the impression of the knife and keys, and pulled away, afraid of being found searching for my means of salvation.
I heard the door open and Vic walked in.
A smile tugged at his lips as he took in the scene. “I love seeing you on your knees, but I’m guessing it’s not exactly an invitation.”
He was carrying a cup of tea and scrambled eggs with toast.
“How long was I asleep?” I asked.
He shrugged. “When did you go to bed?”
“Last night?” I asked.
He smiled. “Have some breakfast. You’ll feel better after you eat.”
I sat down at the edge of the bed, and Vic sat down next to me. Sure enough, he reached over and stripped the towel from my body, forcing me to sit next to him naked as I ate my breakfast.
I had to eat slowly, my stomach feeling like it couldn’t adapt fully to the simple action of eating. I wondered again how long I had been asleep.
“Where’s Matthew?” I asked.
At this, Vic frowned a little. “Are you trying to make me jealous?” he asked.
“I didn’t know that was possible,” I said.
His aspect became dangerous. “It is.”
When I said nothing more, he continued.
“I will show you how much I love you. The rest is up to you. You can stay here as a prisoner, or as my wife.”
“What does Matthew have to say about that?” I asked.
At this Vic smiled. “Do you trust me?” he asked.
I nodded, taking another bite of my egg. “As much as I’d trust any kidnapper.”
“I hope to be more than your kidnapper,” Vic said, before pressing a kiss to my cheek.
He left me with the plate and cup, though he would doubtless be back soon to collect them. Little did he know, I didn’t need any shard of broken flatware as a weapon. I had the knife, and a set of keys to open any door in the house. I didn’t know what I would do with them, not yet, but I was sure that they were crucial to my liberation.
I finished my food slowly, careful that no individual bite overfilled my shrunken stomach. The first few sips of tea left me nauseated, but in time I was able to finish the cup. The little bit of caffeine helped lessen the throbbing headache which had plagued me since I had awoken that morning.
I wished I had a book to read, something to keep my mind active as I waited to understand my own intentions. Instead, I had nothing but thoughts of Vic: lust, fear, and love all mingling in my chest, preventing any kind of clear reckoning.
I was still hungry.
I paced the room for some time, trying to force some kind of clarity to my thinking, but everything was muddled. I didn’t know what Vic intended regarding the situation with Matthew. I thought back on the times I had been alone and naked with Matthew, and found it was somehow reassuring that Vic said he was capable of jealousy over me.
After an hour of pacing, my body began to lose strength again. It felt as though my veins had flooded with a sedative substance, and the room was at an odd angle with my vision.
I lay down in bed and went to sleep.