"Yes..." The word is drawled out as he arches an eyebrow.
"Ooh, can we please go? Andthenwe'll get real food afterward. Let me grab my shoes and I'll be right back."
"Wait." He grabs my wrist and rakes a hand uncomfortably through his hair. "Mercy, I'm not taking you out yet."
He's kidding, right? "Come on... I'm hungry. Let's go!"
"No, Mercy!"Why is he raising his voice at me?"I said not yet. It's too soon. And you don't need it with your condition."
Too soon? And mycondition?"What do you mean? It's lunchtime, maybe even later."
His grip tightens, his mouth sets in a straight line. "I told you on your first day here that I wasn't going to let you leave. I've got to be able to trust that you won't run off. And after just three days, I don't think we're there yet."
He's not kidding. My heart jolts, a strange pain lancing through my chest at the realization. "Amos, do you even hear yourself? You expect me to give in to you after only three days and yet you won't bend on something as small as this?"
His expression is resolute.
Trust. The hurt running through me morphs into anger, sending spikes of adrenaline to my extremities. Fingers trembling with the force of it, I scoff. "After what we just did this morning—after I let youspankme when I told you I was smacked around as a child—you say you can't trust me? I trusted you to do that to me and you can't extend me the same courtesy of believing me enough to take me somewhere to eat?" I yank my wrist from him, my blood boiling and pounding in my ears. "Toeat, Amos. That's all I want to do—eat! But you know what? Let's get down to the root of the matter—why I'm here. This wouldn't even be an issue if you'd asked me out like a normal person."
The source of this new-found bravery unknown but not unwelcome, I throw my hands up in frustration and let my words spew out in a quavery voice. "But that's in the past—let’s talk about now. You want to keep me in this house like a prisoner and I’ve gone along with it. I've given so much of myself to you. It's alwaysMercy, give in to me. Mercy, let me do this to you.OrMercy, do this to me. It's all about you. Whatyouwant. What's best for Amos Shay."
His jaw clenches. Too bad. I'm not done yet.
My finger shakily pokes at his chest. "What about what's best for Mercy Callahan? Have you thought deep and hard about that, Amos? Sure, this weekend has been great if we don't count the rough start, but is this all I have to look forward to? All my life, I've been walked over. Hungering for every scrap of tenderness and affection I could find. I'm tired of not being good enough for basic human decency. Tired of it, do you hear me?"
Ohmigod. Am I really doing this? Is this really me?The high emotion of the moment brings angry tears to my eyes, and I furiously wipe one away as it escapes. "God, Amos... It's just likeFrankenstein. Do you even remember what happens to the female companion the monster begs his creator to make for him? She gets destroyed. Destroyed by the scientist, just like you're doing to me. You can't make me love you, Amos! Just...just go!"
I don't mean to yell my last words, but it happens anyway in a long overdue outburst.
Amos's voice hardens. "You want me to leave? Fine. I'll leave. But you know what, kitten? I'll be back. And your sweet little ass will still be here when I do." He storms off barefoot down the long hallway.
Dazed, I put an unsteady hand on my heaving chest and fall against the wall as I sniff and rub my wet eyes with my sleeve. Did I really do that?
I did. I yelled at him. Iyelled. That spanking did more than just break down my insecurities.
Through my tear-blurred vision, Amos emerges from the bedroom with boots on. "While you’re at it, make sure you think aboutthis." He jerks me to him and devours my mouth before kissing away the wetness covering my face. With a harsh nip to my lip and a firm squeeze of my ass, he backs away. "I love you, Mercy. You're mine. And Iwillmake you love me. Remember that."
When he gets to the front door, he turns around. "And be sure to eat something." The door slams shut behind him and soon after, I hear his truck start up.
I can't believe it. The wall is the only thing holding me up as the engine noises get further away.
I'm alone in the house.
I'malonein the house.
I run to the front door and pull on it. Locked.Of courseit is.
That's okay. Check the other doors, Mercy.
All locked. Even the windows.
Think, Mercy. Think.
I’m back where I started. Looking closer at the door handle, I see there's a keyhole just underneath the biometric plate. I'll bet just about anything the door can be opened with just the key.Otherwise,that wouldn't be safe in the case of an emergency.
The bedroom! Maybe there's an extra set of keys hidden there.
If I were Amos, where would I hide the keys? Hmm. The closet, maybe? I dig through his clothes, tossing them out on the floor. Nothing.
