Chapter 19
It’s Not Stealing If You Plan To Give It Back
Emily's Search History: Does my kidnapper actually love me?
Eli
Screaming.
Why is there screaming?
My eyes fly open.
My angel. Is she okay?
Emily is clutching a sheet to herself as she shouts at me.
“Angel,” I grumble, pulling her back onto the bed, “it’s too early for screaming.” I grin wickedly. Then remember she can’t see it. “Unless…”
She tries to shove me off her, but I hold my place, rolling so I’m on top of her. My already stiff cock nudges at her slit, and we both freeze as she moans.
She trembles beneath me and I can’t help but rock against her, my tip hitting her clit. She releases a shaky breath.
“Please,” she whimpers, wiggling her hips.
I lean down, my breath ghosting over her ear. “Please what, Angel?” I whisper, rocking my hips once more.
“I…” Her breath catches as my cock nudges at her entrance.
It would be so easy to slide inside her right now. To take what’s mine.
I will. If she begs for it.
“Say the words, Angel,” I coax, pushing my hips forwards just a little, breaching her ever so slightly.
She doesn’t speak, her lips parted, face flushed, eyes shining with lust.
Then—
“Please get off me,” she whispers, though she arches into me as she speaks.
Still…
I listen.
I roll off her and rise to my feet, standing beside the bed with my hands on my hips. She’s a vision—sleep-tousled hair sticking up in every direction, eyes dazed. And her gaze? It’s locked onto my dick, standing proud and aimed at her like she’s the only thing it wants. Because she is.
She grabs the blanket, covering herself again. A shame.
“What was with all the screaming?” I ask, running a hand over my head. My mask is thankfully still in place—though I’m overheating under it.
“We were naked.”
I shrug. “Technically, I’m not naked.” I wave my hands down my top.
She glowers at me. “Together,” she continues, voice rising. “In bed. Naked. Both of us.”
I nod. “Yes, yes. All true.”
“Why?”
I wish she could see the bemused expression on my face. “What do you mean, why?”
She grumbles incoherently.
“Angel?” I say, grabbing her attention. “Did you think I wasn’t going to sleep beside you?”
“I…” She frowns. “I guess not.”
I chuckle, shaking my head as I move towards the bathroom. “You’re a funny one, Angel.”
Shutting and locking the door, I take off the mask, breathing in a deep lungful of air. While I designed it to be breathable, wearing it to sleep in isn’t really ideal. But alas—needs must.
Cranking on the shower, I step in, letting the warm water cascade over me. I grip my dick, pumping it in my fist until I’m gasping for air, imagining what it would have felt like if she hadn’t asked me to stop.
I don’t stop until my cum splashes against the white shower wall, washing away with the spray.
Feeling lighter, I lather up, then rinse myself before stepping out and wrapping a towel around my waist. I get myself as ready as possible, then secure my mask back over my face and step out into the bedroom.
Emily eyes me as I walk back in, eyes tracking the lingering water droplets on my skin as they make their path down the exposed part of my neck.
“I should call the police,” she says, glaring at me from beneath the blankets. She’s not moved to cover herself any further.
“How will you do that?”
She glares at me. “With my phone.”
I shrug. “Go on then.”
She scrunches her nose up, then looks around.
Her eyes meet mine. “Where is my phone?”
That has a deep laugh rumbling in my chest. “When did you last see it, Angel?”
She furrows her brow. “I… Um… When you showed up at my flat?” she questions, biting her lip.
“Maybe you left it behind.”
“I…” She gasps. “You stole it.”
I smile beneath the mask. “Before I even got you on my bike.”
She grumbles and storms off to the bathroom, blanket wrapped tightly around her like armour.
I just chuckle to myself.
It’s not stealing if you plan to give it back.
Eventually.
I’m just plating her breakfast when Emily joins me, scooping Graham up into her arms as soon as she walks in, effectively ignoring me.
“Do you need food, baby?” she murmurs to the little man.
“Nope, I already fed him,” I tell her, indicating for her to take a seat at the table.
She does, but not the one I’m holding out for her. Feisty.
I watch her eat, content to just sit in her presence. I ate before she came down so I wouldn’t need to worry about taking the mask off around her.
“So, kidnapper,” Emily snarks around a mouthful of fruit and yoghurt. “What’s on the agenda today? Since clearly, I’m stuck here.”
I wish I could stay here all day with her. But unfortunately, I have a client I couldn’t reschedule.
“I’m going out for a few hours; you can make yourself comfortable.”
“You’re leaving me here?” Her brow furrows. “Alone?”
“Yes,” I answer, standing to clear her plate once she’s done. I give the bowl a quick rinse before placing it in the dishwasher. All the while, Emily’s eyes track my movements.
“Can I leave?” she asks, and when I turn back around, I see her nibbling on her lip.
My head shakes. “No, Angel. Not yet.”
Her eyes dim and I hate myself for making her sad. Temporary, I remind myself.
“Please?” she whispers and it almost breaks me.
I step in front of her, dragging her up from the chair so I can wrap my arms around her shoulders. “When you’re in love with me, you can leave.”
She deflates in my arms.
I place a kiss to the top of her head, then step back, forcing myself to leave the house.
The cameras installed in every room mean I can continue to monitor her, knowing if she tries to escape. And the additional locks on all the doors and windows add an extra layer of security. Could she break a window? Maybe. But she won't.
Emily
After Eli leaves, I go snooping.
It’s clear he’s removed a lot of personal touches; there’s not much left that would give away who he is.
But now that I know… I can see it even in the colours of the place—muted greys and blacks. Dark, like him.
Snooping keeps me busy for the first hour or so. Then I grow bored of not finding anything interesting. Without my phone, I can’t scroll through social media, which leaves me curled up on the couch, reading a romance novel from Eli’s bookshelf.
But I can’t concentrate. My mind races, turning over the situation I’m now trapped in. I haven’t tried to escape yet. I’m not sure if it’s fear of him finding out—or something else. I want him to lower his guard. I want to know who Eli really is beneath the mask.
Is he the version of him I saw as a patient real? Or is that just another deception?
He says I have seven days to fall in love with him. Then he’ll let me go.
Maybe I can pretend.
Let him think I’ve fallen. Let him believe the charade.
Then, as soon as I’m free?
I’ll run. Leave it all behind. Start over.
I’ve done it before. I can do it again.
Somehow, I find myself in the kitchen.
I snack.
Just a bit, at first.
It’s a familiar comfort—something I need right now, while I’m feeling so unsettled and confused.
Some biscuits from the cupboard. Then a six-pack of crisps. A protein bar.
The book lies open next to me, forgotten.
I end up back in front of the fridge.
Some ham.
Olives.
Cheese.
A sausage roll.
It’s all a fog. A blur.
I can’t stop.