Page 9 of Monster's Claim
“I’ll tell you everything.All I know aboutSkip, from the day we first met,” she said.
“I’ll know right away if you lie.”
She nodded, trying to control her breathing.“I’m smart enough to know you’ve done this plenty of times.”
“Go on.”
Lara told him, although there was nothingmuch to say.Matthias didn’t say much, although he occasionallystopped her once or twice to ask a question.Some of his questionsdidn’t have anything to do with Skip, and threw her off-guard.
That’s the usual time you get off from work?You don’t usually cook?Any pets?
“We broke up two weeks ago,” she finallysaid.“My phone’s in my purse, if you want to see any messageswe’ve exchanged.I haven’t deleted anything.I planned to, eraseall traces of him after my haircut, but, you know.You tookme.”
Matthias disappeared from her line of sightand returned later, with her cell phone in hand.
“Code?”he asked.
She gave it to him.God.It wasnerve-wracking.While they were talking, Lara forgot where she was.Why had it been so easy talking to him about Skip?Another waitressat the diner once asked her about the bruises she didn’t concealproperly with make-up.Lara had locked up completely and told herto mind her own business.
With Matthias, he fooled her into thinkinghe was a friend she’d known forever.
Sweat coated the back of her shirt.Nowonder he didn’t need to use any of the tools on the wall.He wasthat good, that dangerous.She rubbed her sweat-slicked palms as hepeered into her phone.Moments later, he tucked it inside hispocket.
Lara breathed in and out, summoning thecourage to ask him, “What’s going to happen to me now?”
“It depends.If you continue being a goodgirl, I’ll let you move around more freely.If you’re bad, well.You don’t want to know.”
She truly didn’t.Lara leveled her gaze withhis.“I’ll be good.”
Matthias went on one knee and to her shock,pulled out a little key from his jeans’ pocket.Silver flashed,followed by a click.A moment later, the metal on her ankleloosened.He really did it, she thought, feeling numb.Every musclein her body became paralyzed.Something vibrated, and Matthiaspulled out a cellphone from the back pocket of his pants.Not hers,but his.
The moment he turned his back on her,function returned to Lara’s body.Using the wall for balance, sheforced herself to stand up.
Run!
The single word blazed in her head.She roseon wobbly legs.His broad back stared back at her.The single bulbin the basement illuminated the stairs to the left.Lara didn’thesitate.She bolted past him, expecting his big hand to land onher shoulder any second.
Nothing.Panting, she sprinted past thathook, finally reached the bottom of the stairs.Bright lightstreamed from the partially opened door upstairs.Freedom.Herstomach clenched.
Why wasn’t he chasing after her?He wasbigger, no doubt ten times more physically fit.Hell, Matthiaslooked like he could crush a normal man on the street withouteffort.
Don’t think,she told herself.Just go.Escape from this hell.
Lara started up the stairs, but somethingnagged at the back of her mind.She knew she shouldn’t, but shelooked over her shoulder, at Matthias.
He held his cellphone, black gaze pinned onher fleeing figure, cruel mouth a thin line.She expected to seerage in those usually empty black eyes but not this time.Bottomless wounds, so deep she could drown in them.Pain flashedthrough his features.Realization dawned on her as she stared atthose scars.
He’s been hurt before, too.
Lara faltered, her foot missing a step.Shelet out a cry, and suddenly, she was falling backwards, armsflailing.Agony shot up her leg, her ankle.
Oh God.She was going to die,falling, trying to reach for the light.
“I got you.”
Did she imagine him saying those words?
Chapter Six
