smiled.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “You’re safe with me.”
Somehow, his words actually seemed truthful and I felt a tiny bit of relief because of them.
I guess if speeding down the highway in the middle of the night with a stranger is something you consider safe...
We were only on the highway for a few minutes before he pulled off at an exit. My sister’s house was now miles behind us and I had no clue where we were.
“Sir, if it’s money you want, I have some,” I said, thinking about the five blank checks that were in my purse.
The man turned down a street and then into an alleyway, pulling the motorcycle into a garage.
“I don’t want your money,” he said. “Now come inside.”
He closed the garage door and then held out his hand, helping me off of the bike.
“Well, what do you want then?” I asked, with desperation in my voice.
The man firmly held my hand and led me into the house. It was dark, so I couldn’t see the outside, but once we stepped through the door, I was impressed by how nice the interior was.
There were immaculate wood floors, high ceilings and expensive artwork everywhere. This guy clearly had more money than I imagined that he would.
He sat me on a couch in the large living room and then gripped both of my wrists, pressing them into the cushions.
“I want one things,” he said. “And you’re going to learn very quickly that I get what I want.”
I swallowed my nervousness and sat silently, waiting to hear what that one thing was.
“That man you were dancing with...” he said, staring at me deeply with his piercing blue eyes. “Do you know him?”
I shook my head.
“No, he just asked me to dance.”
He continued staring deeply at me, as if he were trying to decipher whether or not I was telling the truth.
“Are you lying to me?” he growled, his face his inches from my own.
I tried to move my hands, but he was leaning all of his body weight into me, rendering me motionless.
“No, I swear,” I said. “I just came out here to visit my sister and I decided to go out tonight and have a drink. That’s all. I have no clue who that guy was.”
He was silent for a moment, his eyes never leaving mine.
“That guy you were dancing with is an undercover cop,” he said. “He thinks we don’t know, but we know everything in this town. So, you better tell me the truth right now, or else things are going to get very ugly.”
I closed my eyes and began to pray.
This isn’t happening.
When I opened them, his face was still inches from mine and he was waiting for my response.
“I promise you that I have no idea who he is,” I said, my voice wavering. “He was just some stranger that wanted to dance with me.”
Tears began to fill my eyes and I began to feel scared and frustrated. The man leaned in closer and I could feel his hot breath against my face.
“Good,” he said. “I trust you.”
Then, before I could even respond, he pressed his lips against mine. It surprised me so much that it literally took my breath away. I was hesitant at first and even pulled my head back, but then I found myself beginning to lean into him.
What in the hell is going on?
We kissed for a moment, before the logical side of my mind kicked in. I pulled my face away immediately.
“I don’t even know you,” I said. “And I have a boyfriend.”
He chuckled and responded immediately.
“I haven’t even met your boyfriend, but I’m already pretty sure I’d be better for you,” he said. “Who lets a beautiful girl like you out of their site?”
I smiled and looked down. He was right. If Justin was half the man that this guy was, then he wouldn’t have ever made me move out of our house. He would have wanted to me to live with him, so that he could protect me and keep me safe.
After a moment, I looked up at him. He then brought one of his hands up from my wrists and placed it on the back of my head, letting my hair slide between his fingers. Without any