I’d spent two nights in that room with very little contact from the man who’d taken me. I didn’t even know his name. I looked at the ceiling and waited for the knock when he brought a breakfast tray. He’d stopped by three times the day before to drop off breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He didn’t say a word. He picked up the tray from the previous meal and was out the door in ten seconds or less.

I needed to talk to him when he came, though, and hoped he would listen. I took the pillow and put it over my face because just thinking about apologizing to the man who kidnapped me made me want to throw up. If I wanted supplies, I needed to play nice or I wouldn’t get them.

I wondered what Bryce was doing. I wondered if he put out a missing persons report on me with the police or if he went straight to my father. Not knowing what the man wanted or what his motivation was scared me. No one was crazy enough to take me for ransom. They knew they’d never get it or live long enough to spend it.

I took the pillow off my face and screamed when I opened my eyes. He was standing above me, looking at me with his arms crossed. I put my hand on my chest to try to keep my heart from beating out of it and sat up.

He pointed to the table. “Your breakfast is ready.”

He turned to walk away, but I reached out and grabbed the back of his pants. I needed him to stop and talk to me.

“Please wait.”

He stopped and turned his head toward me, but didn’t look at me or turn around.

I let go of his pants and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

He crossed his arms and turned toward me. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sorry for hurting you.” I looked up, and the swelling where the hangers had hit him was finally going down, but he still had bruising and cuts. I did feel bad. Hurting people was never easy for me, but it was him or me. I’d always choose me.

“Apology accepted. Now, eat your breakfast.”

“May I ask for things?”

He tilted his head. “Such as?”

“I haven’t brushed my teeth or showered since I’ve been here. I’ve worn the same outfit, and I could use another roll of toilet paper if you have it to spare.”

He nodded and headed toward the door. “Eat and you’ll have everything you need by the time you finish breakfast.”

“Thank you.”

He paused at the door, nodded once, and left, closing the door behind him.

It went better than I thought it would. I got up and inspected breakfast. He seemed to know a lot about what I ate and at what times. I shivered at the thought of him watching my every move, but there was no other explanation.

My cheeks grew warm when I thought of what Bryce and I did the morning he took me. I wondered if he had witnessed that. I was curious, but not enough to ask. I took a big bite of the croissant he left for me.

I shook my head. The one time I did something crazy and there was a lunatic watching me. I placed my elbow onto the table and put my forehead in my hand.

“Everything okay?” He walked in with a few bags in his hands.

My mouth was full from the huge bite I’d taken, so I nodded. I took a drink of orange juice, hoping to wash it down enough to have a conversation before he took off again. “How long were you following me?”

“About a week.” He set the bags onto the bed and turned to me. “I only followed you to get your schedule and favorite routes.”

“Why did you make the appointment?”

“I didn’t. It was made for me, but it worked out.”

That depends on what side of the situation you’re on. I swallowed the last of the croissant and cleared my throat. “I don’t even know your name.”

“No, you don’t.”

I looked at my plate. “I’m not sure what to call you.”

“You mean besides fucker or motherfucker?” He chuckled and pulled a chair up next to me. “My friends call me Tank.”

“That’s a bit cliché. Don’t you have a name?”

“I do, but not many people know what that is.”

“I see. Well, I don’t like calling you Tank.”

He leaned on his elbows on the table. “What do you want to call me?”

“Hey You will have to suffice. I’d want to call you by your name, though.”

“If you’re trying to become less of a victim by getting personal, it isn’t going to work. I don’t give a shit about you or the outcome of this.” He stood and picked up the tray, leaving the orange juice behind. “If you’re finished, I’ll take it now and be back later with your lunch.”

I shook my head when he shut the door. He wouldn’t even tell me his name. It didn’t seem right. I’d already seen his face, so it couldn’t be about his identity.

I stood and walked over to the bags to see what he brought. I narrowed my eyes the closer I got. One of those bags was mine. I opened it, hoping it was just a coincidence, but each thing I pulled out was mine. They were my clothes, my toiletries, and my vibrator. “That motherfucker.” I threw it back into the bag. It was the bag I’d packed to elope. I’d stored it in my trunk, but now it was in his house.

I stormed over to the button he pointed to a few days ago and pressed on it hard as if it would somehow make the bell louder. I let up and pressed several more times until I heard him coming down the hall.

I didn’t let him talk when he walked through the door. I shouted at him the moment I saw the door open. “Who the fuck do you think you are? You go to my home and get my things? Who gave you the right to do that?”

“Are you listening to yourself? Do you realize what kind of situation you’re in? Don’t worry about how I got your shit. You should be grateful to have it.”

I took a few steps back when I realized what else he could’ve done while he was at my house. “Did you hurt Bryce? Whatever your problem is, you need to leave him alone.”

“Are you taking anything that I should be aware of? You’re a decent person one minute and a crazy bitch the next.” He ran his fingers over his short hair and sighed. “I went to your home, but didn’t get past your garage. I didn’t have to. You had that bag in your trunk.”

“How did you know that?”

He blew out a breath. “I told you. I’ve been watching. I saw you place it in there.” He paced a few times. “Jesus, you’re infuriating. I have never laid a finger on Bryce or you for that matter. I took your keys and locked up your boutique after you got into my car. While you were crying in the back seat, I went and picked it up.”

“You just expect me to believe you didn’t enter my home?”

“I don’t give a flying fuck what you believe. There was no reason to enter your home when you left everything I needed outside.”

“You’re a criminal. Wouldn’t you have looked for things you could’ve taken?”

He walked until he was toe-to-toe with me and bent down to my level. “Sweetheart, I already had the prize I was going to take in mind, and her sweet ass wasn’t home. She was already in the back of my car.” He tilted his head to the side. “So, why the hell would I go in there?”

I stared back into his eyes just as he was staring at me. I had nothing but hate and contempt on my face during our standoff. If I thought it would’ve made a difference, I would’ve kneed him in the balls and ran for the door, but I knew he would’ve caught me.

“If your inquisition about how I run my operation is over, I have things to do.”

“Another innocent girl to take?”

“Innocent?” He scoffed and took the cuffs out of his pocket. “Don’t make me use these. You’ll learn to live on a schedule. You won’t eat, sleep, drink, go to the toilet, or even think without my say-so if I have to slap these back on again.”

I crossed my arms.

He leaned a little closer and sniffed. “Now, take a fucking shower and change those clothes. When you want batteries for your little friend, you let me know.”

I moved to slap him, but he caught my wrist. “I’ll never ask you for those. Keep dreaming, asshole.”

He pushed me to the wall and pressed his body against mine. “Women like you need sex. You crave it, and it’s been about seventy-two hours since you’ve last had it. The only way you’re going to get it is by my say-so.” He raised me up, wrapped my legs around him, and grinded his hips into me. “How long can you make it without an orgasm?”

He was right. I craved sex. His body was pressing up against places I needed touched, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing my body responded to him. My mind still hated him. I acted as if I didn’t notice he was pressed against me. “How do you know how long it’s been?”

He backed up and let me fall to the floor. “I doubt you’ve been in any mood to orgasm here.”

I stood and smoothed out my skirt. “That’s the first correct thing you’ve said since I met you.”

“Here’s another one. Before you leave, you’ll be begging me to let you come.”

I lifted my foot to take a step toward him, and he held up one finger. “You know nothing about me, asshole.”

“I know plenty, bitch.” He turned toward the door and called over his shoulder, “Be sure to let me know when you’re ready, and I’ll be more than happy to help you come. No batteries required.”

* * *

He brought lunch in while I was in the bathroom, but that seemed like hours ago. I was determined to not be occupied when he came in again. I needed to talk to him every time he entered my room. I wanted out, and he was the way out.

I’d spent the afternoon putting my two outfits away and coming up with different things to talk to him about. I wished I had packed more than three, but I didn’t know it was going to be my kidnapping bag when I packed. I thought it was going to be my honeymoon bag, and I hadn’t planned on getting dressed or staying out of bed much on that trip.

I thought about the lingerie I had packed. He’d taken it out of the bag. Not that it would’ve done me a lot of good. There was no way I would’ve slept in those. I was surprised the bastard removed them and didn’t leave those as the only clothing for me to wear.

I jumped off the bed when I heard the door unlock. It opened part of the way, but hesitated before it opened enough for him to get through.

“I hope you’re hungry.”

“I am, but I thought you said you knew everything about me.” I looked at the hamburgers he had next to a pile of fries, and I closed my eyes.

“I do, and pressing you up against the wall earlier taught me even more.” He walked behind me, put his hands on my shoulders, and led me to the table. “You’re too skinny. You need to eat more.”

“I’m a vegetarian.”

“No, Bruce is a vegetarian.”

“His name is Bryce, and you know it. Stop trying to be an asshole.”

“But you don’t deny you’re not a vegetarian.”

“Bryce has helped me make a healthy lifestyle change.” I looked at both plates. “Why are there two?”

He sat next to me. “I’m joining you.”

I opened my mouth and closed it again. He was the way out of this mess. I wanted the time with him. “Okay, but I can’t eat that.”

“Why do you want to be with a man who wants to change you?”

“Bryce doesn’t want to change me. It’s my choice to not eat meat.”

“You mean except for his.”

“That’s mature.” I crossed my arms. “It’s just easier to fix one dinner instead of two.”

“You need protein.”

“There are plenty of sources to get protein from other than meat.”

“Suit yourself. If you haven’t touched it by the time I’m finished, I’ll eat it, and you’ll be hungry because you’re not getting my fries. I wasn’t sure what you wanted on your burger, so I brought a plate of options. You don’t get it if you don’t eat the burger.”

I watched as he picked up his burger, piled high with any topping you could imagine, and took a huge bite. The juice that dripped down his chin could’ve been from the hamburger or the tomato, or even the pickle, but the mayonnaise and ketchup that stuck to the other side of his mouth was my undoing.

“What happens here is our secret?”

His mouth was full, but I still understood the mumble that came out. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sure you don’t want people to know you kidnapped me.” I pulled the plate of toppings to me. “And I would rather Bryce not know I ate this. You can stop smiling. I’m just hungry.”

“It’ll be our Vegas.” He nodded and took another bite. We ate mostly in silence, but I couldn’t help the sounds that came after each bite. They started out as moans since it’d been so long since I had a hamburger and ended with painful groans as my stomach expanded to accommodate the food I kept putting in. I was going to regret it when nothing fit in the morning.

He finished well before me, but kept me company while I finished my plate. “I’m glad you came back to the dark side if only for the time you’re here. How about a nice, juicy steak tomorrow?”

It was my turn to talk with my mouth full. “No way.” I shook my head. “I don’t think I’ll be able to look at food tomorrow.”

He wiped his mouth again and put his napkin on his plate. “I bet you’ll be able to find room for steak. I’ll make breakfast light for you, though. You’re not used to this, and I’m not cleaning up your puke.”

I had a hard time swallowing the bite I had left. “I hate food now. I need to not eat for a week.”

He grabbed my arm when I stood. “You are too thin. I want you healthy. Skinny does not equate a healthy lifestyle.” He reached up and touched my collarbone. “I shouldn’t be able to see this so defined. I know it’s there, but you don’t have to prove it.”

“It’s none of your business, but I need to lose weight for the wedding.”

“From the photos I saw, you didn’t have any weight to lose.” He stood and piled the plates back up onto the tray. “You will eat what I tell you to, and I don’t want to hear another word about it.”

“What the hell does it matter to you what my weight is? What crazy game are you playing here?”

“I’m not playing a game. You’re here under my roof, and while you’re here, you’ll do as I say.”

“And if I don’t?”

He narrowed his eyes at me and set his jaw. “Do you really want to find out?”