impossible. I heard John tell Stephan about the day the car came to pick me up, the day I met . . . Ian. Just thinking his name made my heart pound in my chest. It was almost painful. I held on to the one person who made me feel safe as I tried to remember where I was and that Stephan was here with me. My fingers held tight to his shirt, grabbing for anything that would anchor me to him.
He responded by rubbing his hand up and down my back, trying to soothe me. It helped. Air entered and exited my lungs a little easier with every pass of his hand. I wanted this to be over. I wanted it to be just him and me.
Stephan’s chest vibrated as a low sound rumbled in his throat. “And you didn’t think to file a missing person’s report when she never showed up to dinner?”
John was speaking again. He was saying something about not knowing for sure, hoping he was wrong, and then feeling guilty. Tears pricked my eyes as I realized that his guilt over what he thought might have happened to me had overridden the need for him to file a report. I had no idea if such a report would have saved me from everything I went through, but if no one knew I was missing, that I had been taken, how could I have ever been found? I suddenly felt cold, empty. I shuddered with the knowledge that if Stephan hadn’t bought me, I most likely would have been there, or with someone else like Ian, for the rest of my life, however long that may have been.
Stephan pulled away suddenly, catching me off guard. I almost lost my balance, since I’d been leaning into him. He steadied me. “Stay right here, Brianna.”
He walked to stand behind John and pulled out his cell phone. By the way he was holding himself, I could tell he was very upset. I wanted him back in front of me, holding me, touching me. He was too far away.
I stayed where I was, as he had instructed, keeping my focus on him and trying to ignore John. I could tell my father was watching me, but I was trying my hardest not to pay any attention to him.
“I could use some assistance. Mr. Reeves is ready to leave,” Stephan said to whomever he was speaking.
Stephan pocketed his phone and then knelt down to check the restraints. He didn’t untie them, but he did slip his finger inside each of the loops to check them. John twisted in his seat, trying to look at what Stephan was doing, but I didn’t think he could see much.
I was so wrapped up in watching Stephan’s hands that the knock on the door startled me. Stephan stood and went to get the door. Tom and another man I didn’t know were standing on the other side. As they entered the room, I instinctively took a step back, then stopped myself. Stephan ordered me to stay where I was, and I would obey.
Tom and the other man walked directly to John and stood on either side of him. Stephan knelt behind the dining room chair again, this time untying the ropes. As soon as he was free, John massaged his wrists. From where I stood, I could see the red marks where the ropes had bit into his skin.
I’d been in ropes a few times. Ian preferred cuffs and chains, but some of his friends liked to use rope. I knew from experience that pulling against the bindings caused marks and sometimes pain.
It also didn’t get you free.
Stephan removed the ropes from John’s ankles. He leaned back and stood as soon as John’s feet were clear of the rope. Before John could reach down and see the damage, Tom and the other man each took hold of one of his arms, pulling him to his feet. John began to resist.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I still owe you for earlier, and I’d love for an excuse to pay you back,” said the man I didn’t know. There was a devilish smile on his face. John paled slightly.
The two men practically carried John to the door. He looked back at me as they left. There was sadness in his eyes, all the anger from before gone. For a moment, I was reminded of the man from my childhood. The man who’d taken me
He responded by rubbing his hand up and down my back, trying to soothe me. It helped. Air entered and exited my lungs a little easier with every pass of his hand. I wanted this to be over. I wanted it to be just him and me.
Stephan’s chest vibrated as a low sound rumbled in his throat. “And you didn’t think to file a missing person’s report when she never showed up to dinner?”
John was speaking again. He was saying something about not knowing for sure, hoping he was wrong, and then feeling guilty. Tears pricked my eyes as I realized that his guilt over what he thought might have happened to me had overridden the need for him to file a report. I had no idea if such a report would have saved me from everything I went through, but if no one knew I was missing, that I had been taken, how could I have ever been found? I suddenly felt cold, empty. I shuddered with the knowledge that if Stephan hadn’t bought me, I most likely would have been there, or with someone else like Ian, for the rest of my life, however long that may have been.
Stephan pulled away suddenly, catching me off guard. I almost lost my balance, since I’d been leaning into him. He steadied me. “Stay right here, Brianna.”
He walked to stand behind John and pulled out his cell phone. By the way he was holding himself, I could tell he was very upset. I wanted him back in front of me, holding me, touching me. He was too far away.
I stayed where I was, as he had instructed, keeping my focus on him and trying to ignore John. I could tell my father was watching me, but I was trying my hardest not to pay any attention to him.
“I could use some assistance. Mr. Reeves is ready to leave,” Stephan said to whomever he was speaking.
Stephan pocketed his phone and then knelt down to check the restraints. He didn’t untie them, but he did slip his finger inside each of the loops to check them. John twisted in his seat, trying to look at what Stephan was doing, but I didn’t think he could see much.
I was so wrapped up in watching Stephan’s hands that the knock on the door startled me. Stephan stood and went to get the door. Tom and another man I didn’t know were standing on the other side. As they entered the room, I instinctively took a step back, then stopped myself. Stephan ordered me to stay where I was, and I would obey.
Tom and the other man walked directly to John and stood on either side of him. Stephan knelt behind the dining room chair again, this time untying the ropes. As soon as he was free, John massaged his wrists. From where I stood, I could see the red marks where the ropes had bit into his skin.
I’d been in ropes a few times. Ian preferred cuffs and chains, but some of his friends liked to use rope. I knew from experience that pulling against the bindings caused marks and sometimes pain.
It also didn’t get you free.
Stephan removed the ropes from John’s ankles. He leaned back and stood as soon as John’s feet were clear of the rope. Before John could reach down and see the damage, Tom and the other man each took hold of one of his arms, pulling him to his feet. John began to resist.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. I still owe you for earlier, and I’d love for an excuse to pay you back,” said the man I didn’t know. There was a devilish smile on his face. John paled slightly.
The two men practically carried John to the door. He looked back at me as they left. There was sadness in his eyes, all the anger from before gone. For a moment, I was reminded of the man from my childhood. The man who’d taken me
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