Page 27 of Gamble with Me
“And you love it,” he said, shrugging like it was no big deal.
“You’re sick!” I continued my outburst, yet he didn’t look fazed at all. It was almost as if he expected me to react this way.
“Probably.” He nodded in agreement, standing up. “But at least I’m not embarrassed about what I like.”
“This is what you like?” I stared at him in disbelief, ignoring the pain in my head that returned with full force.
“Yes, and much more, mon cœur.” He placed a hand on my cheek, but I jerked it away. However, he grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to look into his deadly, serious eyes.
“I will stalk you, chase you, play with you like a cat is playing with a mouse before lunchtime.” My breath hitched in my throat; his words excited me more than I would ever imagine or admit. “And then I will feast on you. You will serve as the appetizer, main course, and dessert. I will ruin you, take everything your body has to offer, and then I’ll wait until you come back for more.”
“Never!” I rumbled, surprised by my strong voice that echoed from the walls, but he only chuckled.
“You’ll be begging for more, Valeria. I promise you that.”
His unshakable confidence was getting on my nerves, and I swore if I got out of this alive, I would never let him win. The cocky bastard kidnapped me, tried to get into my pants, and threatened me. I should call the police ASAP.
“We’ll see, tiger.” I shrugged, giving him a mordant glare. “But remember that this gazelle knows how to run.”
Sparks of joy and excitement danced in my kidnapper’s irises when he leaned down to my eye level, our noses almost touching as we held each other’s stare.
“Challenge accepted,” he growled, and my heart skipped a beat. It was the beginning of my end. I felt it in my bones. “Now, let’s get you home, shall we?”
-15-
Valeria
My head felt like it was stuck in a vise. Groaning, I pressed my hands against the sides of my skull, massaging my temples to ease the ache. Weird, blurred images danced before my closed eyes, and I slowly opened them, staring out the window at the dark street before my apartment building.
Confused, I looked around, seeing nothing but an empty sidewalk and the closed gate to my home. I sat behind the steering wheel of my car, parked before the front door like I never left. A shiver ran down my spine, my body freezing on an October night without a coat.
Focusing my muddled mind on how I got here, my phone buzzed on the passenger seat. I snapped my head toward it, instantly regretting the sudden move. The striking pain in the bruise intensified, and I felt slightly dizzy. A few memories of a tall man dressed in black with a skull mask popped up, but there wasn’t any order in them. It was like he was a dream slowly fading away.
Rubbing my eyes to clear my vision, I took the phone, whining when the piercing, bright light cut through my skull. It almost burned my irises. Colorful dots danced everywhere, and it took me a few moments to see clearly again.
Sighing in annoyance, I glared at the incoming text from an unknown number. My brows furrowed, and a boulder settled in my stomach when another round of recollections witha tall mystery guy circled my mind. I clicked on the green icon, gasping for air when my eyes landed on the letters.
Unknown Number: You should really get your head checked out, mon cœur. You were out for too long. You could have a concussion.
Pure anger fueled my senses. I felt like I was about to explode. Everything came back with full force: the kidnapping, the warehouse, the chair, and the chains! The motherfucker chained me!
Me: How dare you, you punk! You tied me to a chair, probably drugged me, and now act like you care? Go fuck yourself!
I hit the send button and exited the car, slamming the door excessively. Stomping into the building, I ignored the incoming text and climbed the stairs to my apartment. The throbbing in my head worsened, and even when I didn’t want to admit it, my stalker was probably right. My injury could be nastier than it looked.
Kicking off my shoes, I stretched out on the empty bed, thinking momentarily of where my husband was. Not that I cared; I would only like to know how much time I had before he showed up.
Another message broke me from musing about Chester’s whereabouts, and I looked at the phone. I wasn’t in the mood to argue with a psychopath, yet the curiosity got the best out of me. The drugs were probably still poisoning my system; otherwise, there wasn’t any explanation for my interest in him.
Unknown Number: I would rather fuck you, mon cœur, but my desires must wait. However, your accusation saddens me. I would never drug you. What I used was a move from the Chinese martial arts called Dim Mak, and a minor concussion could cause prolonged unconsciousness. Please, be serious about it.
I stared at the screen in bewilderment, feeling a strange heat spreading from my chest. It had been a long time since someone cared for me, and my stalker’s interest made my heart flutter. He found my weakness, even when I didn’t want to admit it.
It was attention. I was starved of it. Chester hadn’t shown me anything honest in years. His gestures were based on how much money he won or lost, and he just did what hewanted. He completely ignored my needs and wishes. When I wanted to spend summer vacation in Cuba, he laughed at my face and took me and Zara to Vegas. It was an extraordinary trip, but Chester wasn’t with us at all. After two weeks, we returned to New York without him. He showed up four days later with a busted lip and black eye and never explained anything.
The number of issues I’d tolerated made me sick. Every time I replayed some trip, party, or family gathering we attended, all I could think about was the time I invested in a relationship that didn’t have a future. And now, the stalker tried to take advantage of me with his worries about my well-being, trying to mask the fact that he kidnapped me.
I opened another text, skimming the words and rolling my eyes. He was good. I had to give it to him.
