Page 71 of Unexpected Danger
She must have fallen asleep at some point. Something furry against her arm awakened her, and Londyn’s eyes fluttered open. Where was she? What was that pungent odor? Why couldn’t she move her arms?
A cat meowed and peered up at her as Londyn simultaneously sneezed. The cat zipped from her lap, and Londyn’s eyes watered and itched. She was completely congested. Yet, she couldn’t remove her hands from the restraints.
The door creaked open. “I see you’re awake. How was your nap?”
Renee crouched down beside Londyn.
Oh, yes. That’s where she was. Taken captive by a psychopathic animal hoarder.
“I’d be doing a lot better if you could please loosen these ropes around my wrists and ankles.”
“I’m sorry—well, not really sorry—but I can’t do that. Dustin is counting on me to follow his directions.” Renee’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she discharged a contented breath. “Did you know we are going to get married?”
Londyn wanted to tell Renee that whatever Dustin had promised was far from reality. He would no more marry Renee than any of the other women he’d likely proposed to. But she bit her tongue.
“He loves me, and I love him. Oh, how Ilovehim.” Renee swooned. “He’s sweet, charming, and not to mention, hot.”
Dustin was anything but sweet and “hot”, although he was charming. The thought caused Londyn to recoil. He held many under his spell and had almost fooled Londyn as well.
Renee stood. “I’ve been so lonely until I met him.” Her mouth twisted. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” She emitted a high-pitched laugh and dashed from the room only to return a few seconds later with a thick magazine. “Would you like to see the wedding dress I’ve chosen?” Without waiting for Londyn to answer, Renee stooped beside Londyn, her back against a pile of boxes as she thumbed through the pages of the sizeable bridal magazine. “Dustin says we make such a good team, and I know we’ll make a good team in marriage, too. Who would have thought someone so handsome would be interested in someone like me?”
Renee was clearly delusional.
The woman opened the magazine to a page that had been dog-eared and pointed to a picture of a model in a strapless form-fitting wedding gown with a lace bodice and a generous ruffled skirt with white flowers and pearl beads. “This is the one I have chosen. What do you think?”
Renee’s expectant gaze and actual belief that she would be Dustin’s bride sickened Londyn. But she would have to play along.
“It’s lovely.”
“Dustin told me that if I do as I’m told and hold you here until he returns, we’ll set the date for our wedding. I’ve always thought a winter wedding would be fabulous.” Renee’s expression took on a dreamy state. A thought came to Londyn then. “Perhaps you and I could go wedding dress shopping. I heard that boutique downtown carries a wide selection of formal wear.”
Renee slipped out of her fanciful world, her eyes enlarging and her mouth forming an “o”. She blinked rapidly before answering. “Yes, that would be an awesome idea.”
Londyn resisted the urge to allow a breath of relief to escape her lips. “I think so too. Maybe we could find a pearl necklace to match the beading on the flowers as well.”
Renee’s attention swiveled between the picture and the magazine and Londyn before a dark shadow fell across her face. “Are you kidding me?”
Londyn jolted at Renee’s harsh words. The woman stood. “I think you’re trying to trick me into letting you go, but that will never happen. I promised Dustin, the love of my life, that I would hold you here until he returned. Your trickery will not change that.”
Renee propped up the dartboard with a man’s photo on it and retrieved two darts from the top of the desk beneath a pile of papers. She threw a dart at the dartboard. “Take that,” she said as the dart hit the photograph’s outer edge.
“Who is that?” Londyn asked.
“Not that it’s your business, but it’s the man who decided it was a good idea to break my heart. We met online and were supposed to get married.” She seethed the words.
“Aren’t you and Dustin getting married?”
Renee whipped around and faced Londyn. Her chest rose and fell, and she tapped her foot. “Yes. Now I am.” She calmed, andher pinched expression eased. “Dustin came into my life at just the right time. I realize now what true love is. That’s why I would do anything for him.”
The door creaked open, and Dustin entered. Renee looped her arms around his neck. “I've missed you so much,” she said, planting a kiss on his lips. Dustin kissed her back, but at the same time, he focused his attention on Londyn and rolled his eyes. While Londyn couldn't see the front of Renee's face since it was Dustin who faced her, from the way the woman's head was tilted back, Londyn imagined her to be lovingly smiling at Dustin.
“Why don't you go make us some lunch?” he suggested. Without hesitation, Renee zipped from the room. Dustin kneeled beside Londyn and wrinkled his nose. “Man, this place is awful.” He brushed a thumb against her cheek. “Don't worry, my love, I will get you out of here.” Had he already forgotten he was part of the reason she was here? He stood just as Renee entered the room.
“I have some eggs I could make us omelets,” she suggested. Londyn stared at the egg carton in Renee’s hands and noted an expiration date of three months ago. She cringed. Was it because Renee had recycled the cardboard carton, or was it because the eggs were truly that old?
“Ah, that sounds perfect.” Dustin stood up and put his arm around Renee. “You've always been a good cook.” Renee blushed. How long had Dustin and Renee known each other?
When Renee again left the room, Dustin focused his attention on Londyn. “I want you to know that I don't really care about her the way that I care about you.” Londyn’s gag reflex kicked in, and nausea churned in her belly. “Now don't go anywhere,” he chortled, giving her the once-over. “I'll be back in a few. Oh, and you might need this.” He withdrew a filthy handkerchief from the desk drawer, twisted it, then shoved it into her mouth andtied it behind her head. “I know you, Londyn. You tend to make a commotion when things don’t go your way.”
