Page 94 of Sullivan

He stood so abruptly, I almost fell. He spun around and headed out the door. I grappled with the roll of the sleeve, praying I didn’t drop the device, then transferred it to the hand that was already tied up. I pressed the side button again. I pressed every button I could feel under my fingers. Then I waited. He came back into the room, handing me an old cup that had seen better days. I took it, trying to look grateful. I pretended to sip at the water, purposely taking my time. As I expected, he grew impatient and grabbed the cup away. “Enough.”

He bent over me once again, surrounding me in his putrid stench. I said nothing but started pressing the button on the side of the device again, praying it worked. Praying Evan would see it. Praying they knew I was missing by now.

Except my hand went numb, and the alert device slipped from my fingers, falling to the floor. I shut my eyes, knowing what was about to happen.

“What the fuck?” Calvin growled, standing. “What the hell is this?” He held up the small device.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know? You don’t know?” he screamed in my face. “Where were you hiding it?”

“I-I forgot. It was in my pocket—it must have slipped out. It’s a lifeline button for my aunt. It’s harmless.”

He stared at it then me. “What have you done, bitch?”

“Nothing,” I lied. “It’s useless.”

He bent down, his unpleasant breath hitting my face. “It is now.” He dropped it on the carpet, grinding it under his heel. I watched, feeling my one shred of hope fade. I had no idea if it had worked. If I was as alone as I felt, stuck here with a madman. But I refused to let him see me cower.

He leaned down, his face level with mine. “Tell me what you did.”

I snapped. “I called the cavalry,” I sneered at him, then in a move I didn’t plan and he didn’t expect, I lifted my leg and kneed him in the crotch. He was bent at the right angle, and I was angry enough to make the kick count. He shouted, falling over, rolling on the dirty carpet. I jumped to my feet, still attached to the chair, and tried to run. He grabbed my leg, and I went down, my shoulder absorbing the brunt of the impact. He stood over me, screaming, yelling, hurling obscenities, clutching his balls.

“I hope it hurts, you motherfucker!” I screamed back.

The last thing I saw was his foot as it flew toward my face. I turned away, feeling the force of his boot glance off my head.

And then blackness set in again.

I woke up, the pain levels in my head and body warring with each other. I was so cold the shivers were constant and painful. The simple movement of the tremors caused agony to ripple over my body. My shoulder where I’d fallen was on fire. My hands were tied tighter again, and now my legs were strapped to the chair legs. I opened my eyes to see Calvin watching me, an evil smile on his face.

“Wakey wakey,” he said snidely. “I’d say your cavalry isn’t coming. And I won that round.”

“Fuck you,” I muttered, suddenly not caring. Furious at him. At everything. “Wanker.”

“Is that what your English boyfriend has been teaching you?”

“God, you’re stupid,” I mocked. “He’s Irish.”

“He’s history, that’s what he is. I am the only man in your life.”

I hung my head, the pain too bad to hold it up. “Whatever. He is not going to be happy with you when he finds me,” I mumbled.

“He can’t find you. This place isn’t on a map. And I checked the little watch thing. It’s just a knock-off of some kind, like a Fitbit. So trying to scare me with your cavalry thing isn’t going to work.”

“Uh-huh.” Evan had added to its capabilities, and there was no brand name on the device. But it was way more than a Fitbit.

“But I don’t like this attitude of yours. So if you think you’re cold and uncomfortable now, just wait.”

I frowned, not understanding. I was having trouble following his thoughts. I was even more confused when he undid the ropes that tied me to the chair and yanked me out of it.

“Get up.”

I was barely able to stand upright. He hauled me down the short hall to the main room of the cabin. A rug was rolled up, and he let me go long enough to lift a trapdoor.

“The root cellar,” he announced. “Your home away from home until I decide otherwise. You earned it with that stunt of yours.”

I stared down in horror at the earthen floor and cement walls. I could feel the icy air that drifted up, its tentacles wrapping around my already chilled feet and legs. I watched a spider scurry across the floor and began to shake with untapped terror as well as cold. I hated spiders.