Chapter 23
WHIPS AND CHAINS EXCITE ME
IZZY
I slowly raise my head. It’s pounding so loud I can practically feel it slamming into my body with the force of a sledgehammer.
I try to massage my temples, which seems to be the most painful area.
When I hear metal jingling next to me, I freeze.
There’s a shackle on my wrist attached to a long chain.
I move my gaze along to the chain and realize that it seems to be secured into the middle of the room on some weird device secured in the floor.
What in the actual hell?
My vision is a little blurry, so at first, I wonder if I’m imagining everything.
Eventually, however, I’m able to focus and there’s no mistake.
None at all. I let my gaze move through the room, but I quickly realize that this is some kind of hunting cabin.
There’s the bed I’m in, and across from it is a potbelly stove like I’ve seen in old movies.
There’s a small kitchen-like area. I say like because it basically consists of a microwave, a dorm fridge, a table with two wooden chairs, and a sink.
That’s it. No cabinets other than the ones that are under the sink.
There’s no stove or dishwasher. Which means—at least for me—it’s worthless.
I notice a small door to the right. It’s slightly ajar and I can make out a toilet, so at least that’s good.
I am not the roughing-it kind of girl. More than that, I’m not a girl who can handle going to an outhouse to do my business.
I get sick at the prospect of using a port-a-potty.
When the front door opens, I freeze, bracing for the worst, while hoping it’s the police come to take me home.
No such luck.
Caleb walks in, his long, wavy blond hair hanging down.
He looks like a Greek god. Just taking him in makes me ache.
I want him. God, I’ve missed him every single minute of the day since I left him in the parking lot.
That’s part of the reason I didn’t call dorm security when he first showed up.
I admit, I didn’t think he’d go so far as to drug and kidnap me, but I didn’t call them because I wanted him to stay.
I wanted to feel his arms around me again.
I wanted him to make love to me and make the ache disappear that I’ve felt ever since we parted.
Each day without him made it clear to me that I needed him in my life.
It was just me being stubborn that kept me from reaching out to him.
My first thought when I saw Caleb was that he came so he could talk me out of the myriad of reasons I had to stay away.
I was ready for it. Until now, I don’t think I realized just how intense and perhaps off-balance the man I love is.
I’m going to have to see if I can make him rein in his impulses in the future …
“Great, you’re awake,” Caleb announces, standing in front of me. I must have zoned out longer than I realized.
“Are you mentally deranged? Do you understand exactly what you’ve done?” I growl, not caving in easily—after the shit he’s pulled, he’s going to have to work for it. Plus, I’m going to make him grovel forever for drugging me.
“I only did what you forced me to do, Isolde. You wouldn’t let me see you and actually thought you could walk away from us. I’m showing you that isn’t going to work. You’re mine and I’m yours. There’s no ending what’s between us.”
“Caleb, you need professional help. You drugged me!”
“I know that. I also realized it would upset you—”
“Upset me?”
“Baby, I promise, I had a doctor help me and didn’t use anything that would harm you. I just needed to get you here so we could have this out.”
“If there was a chance for us, Caleb, you destroyed it. We don’t have anything to discuss now. We’re done,” I lie, irritated with his cocky attitude.
“Are you hungry? You always get grouchy when you’re hungry. Let’s see if we can get some food into you.”
“You asshole. I get grouchy when I’m kidnapped!”
Caleb has the balls to grin at me, like I said something cute.
“I have a surprise for you, gorgeous,” he says, as if I didn’t bring up his possible felony charge.
He goes over to a small sofa by the heating stove and puts a big, brown paper bag on the well-used coffee table.
He reaches in and pulls out a to-go container.
I instantly know where it’s from. I can also smell the bacon.
That’s my favorite sandwich for breakfast from Winchell’s in Lexington.
I frown as I continue to stare at it. “I know what you’re thinking. ”
“That you’re certifiably insane?”
“No, you’re thinking that it’s almost two o’clock, and you’d rather have a sandwich from the Big Blue Deli.
I did think about it, but you haven’t had breakfast yet.
Isolde, you really shouldn’t skip it either.
It’s the most important meal of the day,” he instructs casually, like we’re discussing the weather.
“Oh my God! Are you truly instructing me on being late to eat breakfast? Gee, Caleb, I slept all day because my psychotic boyfriend drugged me!”
“So, you admit I’m your boyfriend.”
My heart begins thundering in my chest as something else hits me. “Caleb? How do you know my favorite restaurants and what I eat there?” I ask softly.
He grins like this is the most normal thing in the world. “Like every good man, I pay attention to my woman.”
“You’ve been stalking me,” I whisper.
“I prefer calling it being proactive in our relationship until we get over this little issue.”
“Kidnapping and stalking are not little issues. You’re nuts. How did I not know that you belong in a looney bin?”
“Sweet, Isolde. You’ll grasp at anything to try to fight me, but right now, you’re just being silly.”
“No, I’m being mad as hell because you’ve stalked, drugged, and kidnapped me!”
He sits down at the end of the bed, still holding my food. He scratches his chin and sighs. “Okay, when you put it like that, I will admit it sounds bad.”
“It’s not bad, it’s criminal. It’s something they will lock you away in a mental facility for, Caleb.”
“Isolde, if I’ve gone crazy, you’re the one responsible. I love you. You can’t just end our relationship over something stupid. That’s not how adult relationships work.”
“I see. Do they, in the bizarre-o world of Caleb, work by kidnapping and committing multiple felonies?”
He leans in and kisses my forehead. I jerk back because it feels too good.
I need to hang on to my anger. It doesn’t do any good.
Caleb ignores me while unwrapping my BLT.
It’s then I noticed he also carried in a drink, too.
I see the blue C written on the white container and know it’s a Cherry Coke. God, he even knows what I drink.
He puts the sandwich to my lips. I should probably refuse to eat, but I’m hungry.
I take that first bite and it’s all I can do to stop from moaning.
I don’t want to embarrass myself. Sadly, my stomach does it for me by picking that moment to growl.
He laughs, and I shoot him a look that could kill—but doesn’t.
I eat the rest of the sandwich but make myself feel better by plotting Caleb’s murder.
After I eat, he lets his fingers move through my hair and cups the side of my face. I should tell him to stop, but I can’t make myself. “Fuck, I’ve missed you, Isolde. I’ve missed you so much. I’ve only been half alive without you.”
His words make me feel weak and special all at the same time. I try to hold on to my resolve to push him away because he’s turned into a stalker-slash-kidnapper, but I know I’m weakening. I know why. I love him. And as weird as it sounds, I know Caleb loves me, and that’s why we’re here.
“Caleb,” I murmur, not sure of what I want to say.
“Baby, there are things we need to discuss.”
“No, there’s not.”
“There is, but maybe you’ll feel more agreeable after I remind you how good the two of us are together.”
“Things are confusing enough. I’m not having sex with you,” I deny at once.
“Yes, you are.”
“If you force me, that’s rape. That’s another felony, Caleb, and something I will never forgive you for.”
I know instantly that I’ve said the wrong thing. There’s a flash of hurt that moves over his face, but it is quickly replaced with fury. Shit.
“If you think I’d ever force myself on you, Isolde, then you are the one who never knew me at all,” he snarls.
Guilt hits me. Shit, everything is way too confusing. “Okay, honey. I know you wouldn’t.”
“I like when you call me honey,” he murmurs, the anger slowly leaking away from his face. Sadly, that just makes the hurt on his features easier to see.
“Caleb, you can’t deny that stalking and kidnapping are not exactly sane behavior.”
“You know me, woman. I only did that because you wouldn’t even talk to me. I had to get you to spend time with me. I needed you to actually listen.”
“Fine,” I huff. “Unchain me, and we can talk.”
He laughs, grinning at me like a lunatic—which he might actually be. Then, the bastard reaches over and bops me on the nose. “You’re so damn cute. You think you can fool me so easily. I’m not letting you out of here until I’m positive that you’re not going to run away from me again.”
“I need you to listen to me. I cannot miss my shift at the hospital. You’ll cost me my career.”
“No, I won’t. I had my doctor friend call in and explain that you were in an accident in Tennessee and would be in the hospital for a few days.
He explained to them that it wasn’t serious, but it would probably be a week before you could return to work.
He told them that even though you had a mild vocal cord injury, you demanded he call so you wouldn’t lose your position. ”
“Caleb—”
“I love you, baby. I’m not trying to ruin your future. I just want to be part of it. I had him speak directly to Blake Sampson. That’s your supervisor, correct?”
I huff, but don’t argue. “Let me guess. The doctor who is helping you is a girl.”
He shakes his head. “Are you jealous, gorgeous?”
“More like disgusted.”
That makes him laugh harder. “To clear that up immediately. The doctor in question is a seventy-year-old retired Army doc. He has a devoted wife, two kids and 8 grandchildren. He still keeps his license active and works part-time at St. Lutheran.
“Asshole,” I mutter under my breath.
In response, he kisses my forehead. “You still look tired. Finish drinking your pop. It will help get the medicine out of your system.”
“It’s not medicine, Caleb. It’s drugs—because you drugged me.”
“Semantics,” he dismisses instantly. I push out a loud breath but finish my drink while he happily watches.
I fall back against my pillow. I hate to admit it, but my eyelids are getting heavy. Caleb immediately moves and gets in bed behind me to spoon my body with his. I instantly tense.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?
“I’m going to be the big spoon. We’ll nap together. I haven’t been able to sleep without you. I just want to lay here with you in my arms. That’s it. At least until you’ve had a few hours to get everything out of your system. Then, if you want more … all bets are off.”
“You’re too damn cocky,” I mutter. I know it’s weak.
I should be irate that he kidnapped me, called into my work—not to mention drugged me—but apparently, I’m just as crazy as he is because I kind of like that he has gone off the deep end to get me back.
In a way, it feels like he might love me as desperately as I love him.
Shit. Fuck. Damn. I do love him. That’s why it hurt so much to think he cheated on me.
The feeling terrified me so much that I ran.
Hell. I’ve regretted pushing him away since that day in the parking lot, and even before that, if I’m honest. I’m not about to tell him that right now. We have shit we need to work out.
Hell, I’m as nutty as he is. I’m kind of happy he kidnapped me to prove his love.
I like he was that desperate to be with me.
God, I’m deranged, too. Of course, that’s something he can’t just go around doing in the future.
Right now, I’m too tired to fight with him.
I tell myself that’s the only reason I let him pull me close and snuggle me.
I also say that’s the reason the kiss on my shoulder feels so good.
It’s probably also the reason that I easily fall asleep in his arms—in the arms of a crazy man who loves me, and one I love more than anything in the world.