Page 62 of Saved from Obsession

“We’ll find her,” Cole says. “When I was out of my mind with worry about Maya, you all had my back. And we found her. Just like we’ll find Georgia.”

I lift my eyes from my laptop to meet his gaze. “I can’t lose her, Cole. Ican’t.”

Cole opens his mouth to say something, but is interrupted by the rear car door opening. Rylan slides inside and says, “Bags are in the trunk. Let’s go rescue Georgia.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO

GEORGIA

If I thought Frank was crazy when I first woke up, that was nothing compared to now.

I’m not sure exactly how long I’ve been awake for—it’s dark outside and there’s no clock in here—but it’s felt like an eternity. While I’ve been trapped here, I’ve been treated to an array of Frank’s delusional fantasies.

He’s told me how I’ll look and act when he takes me to work gatherings—somehow magically convincing his bosses to promote him just by standing there and looking pretty. How he’ll do my makeup and hair to make sure my necessary but unsightly scar will be as unobtrusive as possible.

I’ve learned about our upcoming wedding and how all his cousins will be jealous and his parents will finally be proud of him for finding the perfect wife. A wife who will only speak when Frank says it’s allowed, will wear the clothes he picks out, and will never,everbe alone with another man.

And he’s outlined in great detail about our sex life. What positions he likes and how he likes to be pleasured. How he’ll punish me if I displease him, but not to worry, he won’t leave any lasting marks. Just enough to teach me a lesson.

I’m trying not to freak out, at least not outwardly. Inside, panic is thousands of birds trapped in a mine filled with poisonous gas, trying to break free. I can feel the panic attack simmering—it’s becoming more and more a struggle to keep my breathing steady. And I’m still fighting back nausea, made worse each time Frank tells me something awful he wants to do to me.

If my head wasn’t still foggy and throbbing, I might have a better chance of coming up with an escape plan. But I’m at a significant disadvantage. Not only being tied to the bed by my ankles, but Frank also has a gun tucked into the back of his pants.

And he’s on edge, erratic, his voice calm in one moment and the next a shout. His gaze bounces around the room constantly—from me, to the closet, the windows, the door—while he keeps reaching back for the gun, caressing it, almost like he’s reminding himself that it’s there.

And I never know how he’s going to look at me. One second, he’s smiling affectionately at me while the next, he’s glaring in anger. Then, his expression shifts to a hungry desire, soon transforming to paranoid suspicion.

Just a few minutes ago, Frank stormed up to me, shoving his face in mine, and shouted, “Where are the other trackers? Are they still tracking you? Is there one under your skin?”

“No!” I yelped, jerking back in fear. I’ve tried to stay quiet, but the idea of him stripping me naked and searching for a hidden tracker is terrifying. “It was just the earrings,” I told him, hating how my voice quivered. “Nothing else.”

Now he’s on another rant, this time about my routine when he gets home—me waiting at the door, wearing lingerie, holding a drink and slippers for him, three-course meal in the oven ready to be served—he’s not only crazy but he’s also apparently traveled back in time. I’m scared but I’m also pissed and I must have let a hint of that come through in my expression because he lunges at me, screaming, “Is this a joke to you?”

He grabs my throat and slams me down on the bed, red-faced and spittle flying. As he looms over me, his hand tight on my neck, his voice raises even louder. “Do you know how much MONEY I paid to get you?All the effort?How DARE you disrespect me!”

My anger is doused by a cold splash of fresh terror. “No,“ I gasp past the fingers tightening around my throat, “I’msorry.”

In a flash, his face smooths out and his hand releases, leaving me sucking at air. His tone goes silky smooth as he says, “Iwishyou wouldn’t make me annoyed, Georgia.“ He smooths his hand across my forehead, lingering for a second before pulling away. “I don’t like having to punish you, but if it’s necessary to train you… I will.”

As soon as Frank steps away from the bed, I shove myself back up again. My throat hurts—when I swallow it’s razor blades slicing—and I’m even more scared than before. What I saw in his eyes as he stood over me—

I didn’t think he’d kill me, but now I’m not sure. And I know I need to come up with a plan. If I can’t escape, at least a way to get help. I can’t sit back and assume Leo will come for me, even though Iknowhe’s trying.

Without the earrings, it’s going to take so much longer to figure out who’s behind all this. I never thought of Frank as a potential suspect. I didn’t even remember him. And I know Leo can work magic on the computer, along with his friends, Beth and Tex, but it still takestime.

And if I unintentionally anger Frank again, what if he doesn’t stop that time? What if hekeepschoking me?

I want Leo. I want him with such desperation I can barely breathe. My chest is carved out, aching, empty without him. I want to be in his arms, safe, loved, feeling his body curved protectively around me.

It’s not over yet. It can still happen. I can still be with Leo. But I need to be smart, use any little advantage I have. Like playing along with Frank’s psychotic plan.

I won’t encourage him—if he tries to touch me likethatI’ll lose my shit for sure—but maybe I can convince him I’m wavering. That I won’t fight him. That maybe I’ll come tolikehim,ifhe’s not screaming and threatening me. Maybe.

“Frank,” I start, making sure my voice is timid and uncertain. “Is it okay if I ask you a question?” I dip my eyes to the bed and look up at him through my lashes, pleadingly. “Please?”

“What?” His brows rise suspiciously.

“It’s just…” I pluck at the bedspread and bite my lip as I look back up at him. “I don’t really know you anymore. It’s been so long, and you keep yelling at me. It’s scaring me.”

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