Page 21 of Captured Pawn
The water had started to feel cooler when I heard the door to the bathroom burst open, banging hard against the wall. I’d hoped he’d get bored and give up waiting, but my pulse jumped as the frosted-glass door to the tiled shower slid open.
“You can’t come in here!” I screamed as he reached in to turn off the water. I threw my arms up in an attempt to cover my dripping body, but it only made him break into an evil grin.
“Too late for that, little girl,” he said, ogling me up and down. “If you didn’t want an audience, you should have hurried like I asked.”
It was the kind of heated look that had the power to fire me up from the inside. I was grateful when he reached for a towel, throwing it to me before barking his next order.
“Dry off. Throw on the robe and come out. We need to talk.”
And then he was gone as fast as he’d barged in.
I did dry off, but instead of rushing, I took a few minutes to lather on several of the high-end lotions left out on the bathroom counter and brush my teeth. I told myself I was reluctant to put on his T-shirt I’d worn to sleep in, and that that was why I followed his direction to instead wrap myself in the thick terry robe hanging on the back of the door.
I’d run out of options. Staying barricaded in the bathroom wasn’t going to get me home, and anyway, my stomach had started growling.
He was seated at the table, sipping a mug of coffee when I finally emerged. At the sight of me, he reached to pour another cup before motioning for me to have a seat. What I wanted to do was run for the door, but even I knew that would be a waste of time, so I reluctantly took a seat across the table from him.
I silently doctored my coffee, even taking a few sips before he broke the awkward silence between us.
“Eat,” he barked.
“I’m not hungry,” I lied.
“I don’t care.”
Going on offense, I added, “I’ll eat when I get home.”
I let my eyes finally meet his in time to see his annoyance harden to determination.
“I told you… it’s not safe there. Now eat.”
Ignoring him, I bantered back, “So how do we get it safe again, or do you plan on keeping me hostage forever in here?”
Annoyed at my continued disobedience, Nick leaned forward and started cutting my now cold pancakes and sausage links into bite-sized pieces.
“There are documents… important files and photos. As soon as I retrieve them, things can go back to normal again. Now… take a bite or I’ll tie you to the chair and force feed you,” he threatened.
Taking a leisurely sip of coffee in an attempt to seem unaffected by his threat, I finally added, “Somehow, I don’t think Matty would agree about things getting back to normal. He won’t ever see normal again.”
The flash of anger in his eyes was quickly replaced by grief, reminding me that I wasn’t alone in missing my brother. The guilt of that revelation annoyed me.
When he was silent, I pushed harder. “Sounds like you need an admin to help you with all of your paperwork.”
Our eyes met again as I sipped my coffee. His grief was gone. What remained in those dark eyes had me worried I’d pushed too far and in a moment of true panic, it finally dawned on me that I had no clue what my plan for escape really was. It didn’t seem that pissing Nick Knight off was going to help my cause.
“Stop stalling. Eat.Now.”
Reluctantly, I picked up my fork and poked a bite. Any other day I might have enjoyed the fluffy pancake with rich syrup, but my tummy churned with uncertainty under Nick’s watchful eye.
Only after I’d taken a few bites in the silence did he speak again. “I don’t need an admin. What I need is a…”
His voice trailed off, but I noticed the uncertainty in his eyes.
“A what?” I prompted, genuinely curious.
“Never mind.”
Interesting. The power exchange between us seemed to have shifted, electrifying the air.
