Page 5 of Ends of Being

Dare

Well, that was exceedingly satisfying.

I stand back, my eyes skimming over Antoinette’s beautifully trussed-up body lying prone in the trunk of my car and smile smugly at my handiwork. Even with her delay tactics, this could not have gone any better if I had spent months planning it.

I mean, technically, I’ve been planning this out in one capacity or another in my mind for ages, but that was only in theory. Execution of the plan is where it really counts, and I pulled off the snatching of Antoinette flawlessly. Oscar-worthy performance, for sure.

I double-check the ropes binding her and the gag in her mouth, making sure there’s enough leeway that I won’t accidentally suffocate her in transit. Now that would really piss me off. After denying myself her company for so long, to then have some accident tear her from me permanently.

I glance down at her again and consider removing the gag so she can at least communicate acute distress to me, but then, as I remember what a raging bitch she can be when riled, I tighten it a bit more so she can’t get out of it. If nothing else, I know she’ll be spitting nails by the time we reach our destination, and the less I hear from the trunk of my car, the better.

I slam the trunk lid down none-too-gently, a pep in my step as I walk around and climb into the driver’s side. We have a bit of a drive before we get where we’re going, and I want to be well on our way before she starts kicking and screaming. Well, wiggling and grunting in her current bound-and-gagged state.

I chuckle to myself, amused and relieved that there’s no going back now. Even if I wanted to call the entire thing off and deposit her at home before she woke up, there’s no way she didn’t recognize me when I had her pressed against her car. I hadn’t meant to say anything at all, my plan being to remain silent and get her incapacitated and into my trunk without much fanfare.

But I just couldn’t keep my fucking mouth shut. As soon as I had her pressed up against her car, all previous planning went out the window, and I started running my yap like a goddamn amateur, and it would’ve served me right if things had gone south and I’d ended up with a knee to the balls. Calling her my baby girl and going on about bad boys, for fuck’s sake.

A thump sounds in the back, so I turn the radio down and listen intently. The thumping sound comes again. She must have woken up already; that didn’t take too long at all. The banging increases in volume, then in frequency, until it is a constant rhythmic noise in the back.

I laugh to myself, then turn up the hard rock song, ”Highway to Hell”, playing on the radio to drown her out. She’ll be spitting mad by the time I open that trunk at our destination, so I may as well get in what little relaxation I can now.

I hope she’s as ready for me as I am for her.

Chapter Three

Toni

I’vebeenmostlyawakefor a while. I did some thumping around initially, so he’d know I was awake, but then reverted to calmly resting my eyes as I plot my imminent revenge.

To say I’m shocked would be a serious understatement. How that boring son-of-a-bitch ever hid such an epic plot twist from me for all this time is beyond me. It doesnotseem possible, and part of me is concerned I may be incorrect in my recognition of the voice.

If that is the case, I’m definitely in a shit-ton of trouble right now.

Possible extreme danger aside, I’m mostly tickled with this quick turn of events. To think my sweet boy Clark is a devil in pastel clothing means the details I don’t know about him must be epic.

Putting aside my delight in the potential dark side of Dare, I take stock of my current predicament—gagged and tied in the trunk of a car. The gag in my mouth is a bit uncomfortable, but nothing I can’t manage for a great length of time. His rope skills, on the other hand, are a lackluster joke.

It only takes me a few minutes to squirm my hands free, then a few more to wriggle my feet loose in the cramped space. For once, I almost wish I was shorter or narrower or just smaller in general. The trunk of a vehicle is not a very forgiving place to be moonlighting as Houdini, that’s for sure.

I loosen the gag in my mouth a bit, stretching out my jaw as I ponder my limited choices. I have no idea where we’re going. I also can’t be one hundred percent certain Darius is the man who has taken me. I can take my chances and tie myself back up, or I can prepare for a direct assault in the hope I can give myself a big enough moment to escape.

Tying myself back up definitely leaves me at the mercy of my kidnapper with a very slim chance of being able to escape. But if I attempt to escape as soon as the trunk opens, I might be able to use the small window of surprise to my advantage.

Given that both options have no guarantee, I put the gag back into my mouth then adjust my body in the trunk so my unbound hands are not immediately visible.

Then I wait.

Dare

I pull into the clearing in the woods, circling around and coming to a stop at the crossroads of the paths. Most people know New York for the vast city, but they don’t realize there is wilderness within an hour drive.

And lots of questionable things go on in the wilderness.

I purchased this exclusive piece of property on the outskirts of the state park because I wanted seclusion and separation from the general outside world. I ended up having to buy several land parcels under a few aliases to get a sizable enough acreage to work with, but it was worth the hassle once my vision became a reality.

I glance around, then exit my car, strolling quietly to the rear while listening intently.

All is quiet.

---