Page 136 of Ride With Me

“Shit,” I curse under my breath. Now I’ve just frightened him like a blundering jerk, which is the last thing I wanted to do. “I’m sorry,” I whisper and lean away from him. Slowly, keeping his eyes on me, he loses the wariness and relaxes slightly.

“I’m going to drive again for a bit now, but then I’ll help you. Will you let me do that?” He stares at me for a long time. He has no reason to trust me and I’ve just frightened him, so itsurprises me when he gives a faint nod. Warmth blooms in my chest alongside the surprise.

I give him a little smile. “Thank you.” And close the lid of the boot back down on him.

“He’s still out cold,” I say when I get back into the car.

“You were gone a long time to find that out,” Glynn sneers.

“Well, I had to make sure he was still breathing,” I shoot back at him, which shuts him up for a while.

As I drive back to the training headquarters, I come up with a story about why we can’t let him out yet. The others don’t buy it, so I get desperate.

“He’s had an, um, accident,” I say quickly, shooting a silent prayer to whomever is listening to forgive me for the lie.

“He’s pissed himself?” Trust Glynn to get straight in there.

“Um, yes.”

“Eww, disgusting.” Glynn turns away, no longer interested. He still doesn’t sound too bothered that he’s in trouble.

Tim regards me with a shrewdness I don’t like. I hope he doesn’t detect that I’m lying. I’ll cave straight in if he questions me.

“I’ll take him back to where I’m staying and clean him up. I’ll bring him back later so Roger and Dave can talk to him.” The CEOs of the training company are scary guys, having worked in personal security for over twenty years. I’m definitely not looking forward to that interview. Tim looks towards the car like he’s about to say something, then his nose turns up slightly in disgust, as if he realises that if protests he might end up having to clean the guy up himself.

“Okay, but don’t take too long about it.”

I don’t wait around for him to change his mind.

When I pull up at the small lodge where I’m staying, I pull out my phone and do some research. I’m not overly familiar with claustrophilia and I want to know more. What information isavailable is sketchy at best. Oh well, I’ll have to do the best I can. I try to remember everything I’ve learned from Lawrence.

First, I open up the lodge, as I don’t want to be fumbling with the door. Then I take a good look around to make sure there’s no one to see me, before opening the boot lid.

This time, when I look in, my stomach hollows and my chest constricts as I see those pretty eyes are silently weeping.

CHAPTER 5

JAMIE

I’d barely registeredthe face that loomed at me when the boot lid opened, but when he spoke, I knew it belonged to the rich voice guy. It was deep, and he spoke softly. I didn’t feel threatened, but I was still in a deep state of arousal, slightly aware that I was being disturbed and wishing it could continue. When he asked if that was what I wanted, I couldn’t believe it. I could only nod. Then he reached out, and I tried to back away from him. I didn’t want touching right now. It was clumsy, but he didn’t force it, and seemed upset that he’d caused me to recoil. But he soon left me, and I’m thankful I didn’t have to see that Glynn guy, who’d knocked me out.

Back in the darkness, when clarity of thought comes easier, I reflect on the kindness of the stranger. It was like he understood me; he didn’t back away, force me out, or even look at me in disgust. Quite the opposite, and for the first time in my life, I felt seen.

That realisation tumbles in my head along with the fact that he’s a stranger and I’ll likely never see him again. Those thoughts crash into the situation of the last twenty-four hours. The initial excitement of a good weekend, followed by the uneasiness that quickly turned to fear that led to me being outin the forest with no money and a dead phone battery. Then a kidnapping, albeit a fake one, and an unexpected high from being aroused. It’s suddenly all too much. A wave of emotion tides through me and I’m powerless to do anything to stop its progress. Tears roll down my face. Weeping makes my nose run, and the sight of me, wet-faced and snivelling, is what greets the poor stranger when he opens the boot once more.

He still doesn’t back away.

“Hey, it’s alright.” His voice is like a balm to my soul. “Everything is going to be fine. I just need to get you inside, okay?” I nod through the tears that are still falling, though the sobs wracking my body have subsided.

He deftly picks me up and gently carries me into one of the lodges. I briefly consider that this might be a bad idea, but as I’m bound, there’s nothing I can do about it, and he hasn’t given me any cause for concern.

He sets me down on the bed so I’m sitting, and takes a little step back. His height is looming, and I look up at him, seeing nothing but kindness. He gives a tiny smile and then frowns and crouches in front of me, as if he’s realised how big he is and how it might be threatening.

“Hi, I’m Victor. I’m going to remove the gag and restraints now, if that’s okay?”

I nod and receive the tiny, kind smile again. A kernel of awareness lodges deep in me that this guy knows what to do. Anyone else, on finding a stranger bound, would rush to untie them. But somehow, he understands, and a rush of gratitude flows through me.

He unties the gag first and I work my jaw. My throat is dry and papery. While that’s not unusual, the dry boot of the car has made it worse. He quickly unties my hands and feet and I rub at my wrists. He retreats to a chair a few feet away and I feel small and alone.

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