Page 111 of The Way We Win

I jerk back. “No.”

He chuckles, sliding his hand down my cheek, but I turn away. It gets me a scoff, and he roughly pulls me out of the chair.

“Don’t shit your pants, I’m not going to do that.” He walks me to the bathroom, hesitating as he looks into my eyes. “I’m going to untie you so you can take care of your business and get ready for bed. If you pull any shit like trying to run or whatever, I will tie you up, and you’ll never get this chance again. Understand?”

My jaw tightens, and I nod, watching as he loosens the rope. My mind is racing as I try to think. I’m familiar with this little house. The bathroom window is a tiny square, too small for me to fit through, and even if I could, the house is on stilts. It’s a long drop to the ground.

The rope falls away, and I exhale a sigh as I rub my aching wrists. As much as he tried to act like it wouldn’t leave a mark, my wrists have ugly red lines from the zip ties followed by the ropes.

“On second thought, I’m standing here while you do whatever. It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.”

“I have no intention of disrobing in front of you.”

“Okay, fancy.”

“Do you have a toothbrush?”

“Use mine.”

My lip curls, and I decide I’d rather use my finger. I don’t want any of his fluids near any part of me.

He stands in the doorway watching as I do my best to use the bathroom without showing my body.

I splash water on my face, not worrying about my smeared mascara. I make a show of putting a dollop of toothpaste on my finger and using it to clean my mouth.

When I’m finally done, I turn to face him. “That’ll do for now.”

His lips purse with a frown, and he huffs a laugh. “Fine. Let’s go to bed.” I follow him to the double bed, and he takes out the rope again. “Lie down on your side.”

Inhaling a breath, I fight against the feeling of despair trying to crash down on me. I don’t trust this man. I haven’t known who he is for so long. For so long in our marriage, I lived in terror, never knowing what might show up on our doorstep or whether they would be armed.

Now I have no choice but to do as he says.

Holding my skirt around my knees, I lie on my side. He makes a noose with the rope, dropping it over my wrist and tying it behind the metal bed frame. It’s too far for me to reach, and my arm is already growing numb.

Squeezing my eyes, I hold back the tears. I swallow the fear and focus on Austin. I think about my son, and I think about Jack. I think about surviving. I think about the first thing I’m going to do when I get out of here.

I’m going to put my arms around him and hold him so tight… then I’m going to change my damn name.

26

Jack

My knuckles ache from gripping the steering wheel. I’m taking a route that goes through every small town along the 98 corridor.

It’s slow going, made even slower because of the trick or treaters and parties and general Friday-night traffic. I’d much rather be taking the fastest route along the interstate, but what if that’s what Rip expects? What if he’s going this way to see if we show up at his place ahead of him?

He’s not dumb, and it makes sense. It’s also killing me every time I stop at a long traffic signal in the middle of nowhere with no cars around.

I’ve just crossed into Mississippi when Garrett calls me. Tapping the screen, I put him on speaker.

“Have you heard anything?” My shoulders tense, and I squint into the darkness, hoping. “I’m at the address in West Riverside. A blue Malibu with Alabama plates is parked on the street.”

“That’s it.” I quickly exit 59, taking the first highway thatwill bring me all the way to I-10. “I’m coming as fast as I can get there.”

“I’m going to park up the road and wait. It doesn’t look like they’re going anywhere tonight.”

“Stay put. I’m at least an hour away.”

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