Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Elise
I ’d seen Callum once in the last… some amount of time when he came in without a word, took a photo, and left.
It felt like hours, but I couldn’t be sure. The sun had shifted along the wall enough for me to know it’d been minutes, but how often did I hang around a room watching the sun move? And it was muted through the frosted glass so I couldn’t be sure.
My body ached from sitting. I couldn’t stand without slumping thanks to where he’d attached the cuffs, and I couldn’t believe how thirsty I was. I leaned into obsessively thinking about how dry my mouth felt instead of letting my mind wander to the worries clawing at me—that maybe Luc had no idea I was even gone. They circled my brain like vultures, and after I couldn’t stand it anymore, I started yelling.
“Callum! Callum, please. I need to talk to you!” If this resulted in my mouth being duct-taped, so be it.
Granted, easy to say now while my mouth wasn’t covered, but I convinced myself I could talk him into leaving me tape-free since I wasn’t screaming my guts out for no reason.
He opened the door with an irritated snarl. “Didn’t I tell you to keep quiet?”
“You did. I don’t have any other way to get your attention, and I…” I swallowed, realizing he wasn’t about to give me anything and the thought of sitting here for who knew how much longer without contact, without any information, made me feel like a caged rabbit. “I really need to use the bathroom.”
His jaw hardened, then his chin jutted out in this mean-mug look he’d given me a dozen times at least. “Fine.”
He approached with zero caution and pulled out a small silver key, then fiddled with the lock until the side attached to the radiator released. With a yank on my left arm, he turned me and connected the cuff to my right wrist, then hauled me up to standing.
My knees ached, but I happily stepped forward, eager to exit the room. As subtly as possible, I took in the space as Callum lead me to the bathroom. Sadly, I didn’t see much. White walls, a few other doors, all closed, and the bathroom. Clean and stocked only with toilet paper and hand soap—no towels I could see.
He shoved me in and shut the door.
“Uh, I can’t uh… I need at least one hand.” I ground my teeth against the urge to cry. How humiliating to have to ask someone to uncuff me so I could use the bathroom?
He shouldered back in and without a word undid the right cuff, then grabbed my chin and held it hard.
“Don’t do anything stupid, Leesy.”
Fury rose up in my chest and I was a heartbeat away from spitting in his face when he whipped around and shut the door after himself. I wanted to sink to the floor and cry or manifest a window and climb out of it. But, I moved through the motions quickly, too afraid to have him burst back in and find me moving too slowly. Then he’d think he had excuse to hit me again.
Something inside crumbled with that thought. I’d tried to stay away from it being him, but here he was. A man I’d once thought I loved. Who I’d been convinced loved me, in spite of some of his behavior. But here, he’d just shown clear as day that he’d just been waiting for an excuse to hit me.
At the same time, I’d been right. Not that I’d ever felt unjustified in leaving him, but now I knew. All those rough grips and harsh statements had been leading to more abuse.
Banging on the door jolted me into finishing rinsing my hands. With one last look in the mirror, I took a deep breath.
You can do this. You’ll make it through this.
As Callum marched me back to the room, I thought of my friends. I thought of Jo, who’d been held at gunpoint by a crazy person. Winnie had been abducted and had to be rescued, too. I thought of Jess, who’d saved so many people, and Liz who’d saved Jack McKean and his friend, not to mention all the spy stuff she’d done overseas to stop terrorists. I thought of Nikki, who’d fiercely protected Kiley and supported Bruce. They’d survived, and so would I.
Maybe we’d start a club.
Isn’t that what Silver Ridge Romance Readers is?
As though I wasn’t currently handcuffed and being led to a practically windowless room by my abusive ex, I laughed.
He pushed me forward and I only narrowly missed catching the doorframe with my face.
“I don’t know what you’re laughing about. Your little boyfriend is about to be out twenty mil, and then you’re mine.”
I could hear the smirk in his voice—that self-satisfied grin he’d give when he thought he knew more than me. It was the only thing keeping my mouth from dropping open because twenty million dollars?
Callum’s obnoxious, blustering laugh rang out. “Did you really not know he had that kind of money?”
Focusing on breathing through my nose and not letting him see my face, I gave myself a moment to process the information. Of course I’d known his family was hugely wealthy, but I’d gotten the impression he’d been cut off financially, at least while he was in the military. Twenty million dollars was an insane amount of money, but maybe that was what was in his trust? Also, it was way more than Callum would dare ask for on his own.
“Who are you working for? Who’s getting the bulk of that money?” I asked, right as he affixed one of the cuffs to the radiator again. I tried not to let my hopes sink. Why would it matter if I was right back where I’d been a few minutes ago? I’d known that would happen, hadn’t I?
And hey, all my fake fiancé has to do is pay my horrible ex a cool twenty mil and then I’m out of here. A wave of hopelessness washed over me.
Did he even have that much? His grandfather did, most likely, but just… sitting around?
Maybe, but the bigger point was, he shouldn’t need it. Luc didn’t, either. He and the Saint guys would find me before they ever sent that kind of money anywhere, right? Of course.
Calming breath out. Slow breath in.
I could handle this. Callum would leave soon, and I could organize my thoughts and figure out how I’d ever make all this up to Luc.
“Never thought I’d take anyone’s charity,” he spat, as though not needing help made him superior to everyone else. “I view this as an opportunity. And you know I’ll never waste one of those.”
His grin made my stomach roil. He’d always been entrepreneurial and that was his line—never miss an opportunity. He’d made decent money, and of course he’d talked me into his investment in Glazed like not taking it would be missing an opportunity.
Somehow, I managed not to cringe as the memories assaulted me.
“I’ll get a nice little pay day, and of course—” he grabbed my chin again, forcing my face up to look at his despite him standing and my place on the mattress. “I get you.”
I jerked back, out of his grasp, but this time, he grabbed me by the hair.
“You seem to be missing it, Leesy, so let me spell it out for you. He loses the money, and once that’s gone because of you, he’s not gonna want you anyway. I get you, and no one around here is the wiser because you’re not going to say a word.” His voice dropped into a steely whisper, words slipping out between sneering teeth, and my heart shuddered.
He really thought he’d “get” me after all this?
It should’ve been a blow to hear him speak so confidently, but it showed me he didn’t know me. Certainly not anymore, though I didn’t think he ever really did. But what he certainly didn’t know now was I had a support system. It was the one I’d used to mentally and physically pry myself away from him more than once, and it’d only grown stronger. Dove and I were closer than ever now that she knew the truth about Callum, and Liz… Liz was my badass spy friend who was the most observant person I’d ever encountered with the possible exception of Luc.
Luc .
The thought of his name brought tears to my eyes, but I held them at bay, averting my gaze even though Callum held my head fast. Just a few more minutes and he would get tired of his monologuing and I could cry for a while. I wouldn’t sink into the worry that what Callum said was true because he didn’t know Luc either. He couldn’t possibly understand someone so unlike him.
I just wanted him. I wanted to apologize and let him do the same. I wanted to be wrapped up in his arms and smell his warm, clean scent, and watch him eat one of my donuts. Or cookies. Or anything he wanted, because I wanted him happy.
I wanted us happy. But could we be after this? Could we be for real?
Callum’s voice softened. “You’ll see. It’ll all work out.”
He dropped my hair, and I slumped back down when a shrill sound burst from his phone.
He fumbled to get to his pocket, then pulled out the device, and a huge grin spread across his face.
“Looks like Mr. Moneybags is ready to make the payment.” His eyes were wild when they centered back on me. “Pretty soon, this’ll all be over.”
He slammed the door behind him, and I let myself sink down on the mattress. Tears slipped out as hope and fear warred in me.
This’ll all be over .
I just hoped when it was, I’d be in one piece, and Luc wouldn’t hate me.