Page 205 of Lost in the Dark

"I'm not your love," I said, keeping my voice measured. "I left, Karl. We're over."

He slammed his fist out, punching the wall right next to my head. I flinched and closed my eyes, not wanting to see the way rage twisted his face; not wanting to feed into his sick belief system.

Wall. We were inside. I hadn't even thought to figure out where the hell I was. Rope scraped against my wrists, which were bound in front of me, and the fucker had even thought to bound my ankles as well. I opened my eyes and glanced around, figuring that we were in some kind of storage shed, though this couldn't be part of The Nest—I had a feeling even their sheds were pristine, and this place had cobwebs fogging the small windows and missing boards here and there. It was empty aside from some old crates and a backpack that Karl had probably brought with him.

I didn't want to know what was inside it, or what he might have planned for me.

"You're mine until I'm done with you, Kez, and I am not done." Karl ground the words out. He moved his fist from the wall and stroked my cheek. I had to force myself not to recoil or flinch. That would only make it worse.

His fingers were rough on my skin, nothing like Ash. I realized then what while my nightmare lover might be classified as a monster, Karl was the actual monster here. A monster I was ready to slay, banish once and for all.

It wouldn't matter how much I said no, how far I ran, he would never let me go. Not until he'd broken me into tiny little pieces that could never be put back together.

I looked him in the eyes then, really looked at him. His whites were bloodshot, and the dirty brown of his iris reminded me of shit water. His skin was sallow, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Have you spent all the time since I left trying to find me?" I asked, feeling a pity I didn't want to. He was delusional to think that he could still control me. I might be bound in front of him, but I was free emotionally. He had no power over me now.

Karl growled, his upper lip twitching into a sneer. "You think you're smarter than me, don't you?"

I pursed my lips and then shrugged. He could interpret that how he wanted to. I was more concerned with how long had passed since he'd kidnapped me. Surely by now someone had noticed that I was gone. I'd told Jenny I would be at the afternoon session, and while I couldn't see much through the windows, the shadows appeared to be growing longer.

Though, when she'd seen me earlier, I had been tired, worn out from a night with Ash. She might have just assumed I was napping. Dammit. I twisted my wrists, hoping for some give, but Karl had done good work on the knots.

I wasn't getting out of here.

Not on my own.

Ash, come for me, please? I called in my mind, wishing that he could answer me. Wishing that night had fallen already so that he could swoop in here. My dark knight, my nightmare avenger.

I just had to hold out long enough for that to happen, because I knew he would come as soon as possible. And I had to do it in a way that wouldn't get me killed or beaten.

"What's the plan, Karl?" I asked. My mouth was dry and my lips were cracking. I must have been out for a while.

"We're getting out of here. You and me. Road trip, baby!" Karl stood and paced around the small shed. "I've got big plans. Go out West, start fresh. Leave all the bad shit behind. You and me. That's all we need to make it work."

Fuck. He was really delusional if he thought that was the case. But I could ask for more information, that was harmless.

And water.

"Can I have something to drink?" I let out a little cough to emphasize my request.

"Yeah, I guess." Karl reached into the pack and grabbed a bottle of water, lifting it to my lips and tilting it. He was so gentle, not spilling a drop. He'd been kind once, or at least, had pretended to. I closed my eyes and felt a tear slip free.

"What happened to us?" I asked. The question was genuine; because once, things had been good.

No. That was all a lie, a trap. Men like Karl could only be well behaved for long enough to lure their victims in.

"You got too full of yourself, Kez. Forgot your place. I took care of all your needs, but it wasn't enough, was it? Nope. Never enough."

There was no point in trying to respond. My answers were never good enough for him. I glanced to the window and saw that there was darkness creeping in around the edges, and my heart lifted.

Soon, he'd come. I knew he would. Then I saw a flicker of purple outside and I knew he was already here. Ash. He'd come to me even though it wasn't night.

I just had to hold on.

Or, I needed to speak my truth, knowing that it was the only time I could ever be safe doing it.

"You have no fucking idea, do you?" I put my attention on Karl, not letting the flare of anger in his gaze cow me like it used to. Ash was here, and he would save me. "You used me, abused me, beat me down until I had no confidence and really believed that I could never do better than you."

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