AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He laughed. Not a snicker or chuckle, but a full belly laugh that pissed her off even more.
But he didn’t answer her question.
The car bumped along the lane until it widened, and a small clearing opened up. A cabin sat in a patch of sunshine. Rounded stones made up the walls, trimmed in a deep brown. The lawn boasted colorful flowers and towering trees. If she wasn’t trapped in a nightmare, the property could have been pulled from a fairytale.
But this was as far from a fairytale as she could possibly be.
Isaac parked the car at the front of the gravel drive. “We’re going to go inside now, and you’re not going to do anything stupid. You know I’m a good shot.” He wiggled the gun in her face before stepping outside, eyes fixed on her through the window.
She pulled in a deep breath. He was right. He’d spent countless hours hunting with his grandfather growing up, andstill snuck into the woods when he got a chance to take down a buck. Darting into the forest might sound tempting, but she’d be inviting more trouble. She needed a different plan, and hopefully there’d be enough time to formulate one.
A sharp knock on the passenger window jolted her back to the moment. Isaac stood by the door, the side of his mouth curved and brows raised. Unable to put it off any longer, she got out of the car. Her legs itched to run, to move, to get as far away from Isaac as possible. But she needed to be smart about every single decision she made.
Isaac scratched behind his ear. A softness fell over his features that made her more nervous than the sneer. “Listen. I didn’t want to do things like this. Didn’t want to escalate the situation more. I love you, and if you would have listened and come back home, I wouldn’t have had to take things so far. To be so drastic. You forced my hand, and now we need to make the best of things.”
Each word was like a slap in the face. “And how do you suppose we do that?”
“Well, keep an open mind. I tried really hard to do something special for you. For us. For our family.”
She struggled not to let her jaw drop. Pushing an old woman down the steps, not caring if she lived or died, was making this special for her?
He grabbed hold of her arm and hauled her up the porch steps to the front door. His grin stayed in place as he swept her inside. The living room flowed into the kitchen, an island separating the two spaces. Not much furniture filled the house, but at least it was clean.
“I know it’s not much now, at least not in here, but we can make it whatever we want. I haven’t had time to furnish everything, but there’s one room I really want you to see.”
He forced her down the short hall, her stiff limbs making her stride short and stilted. The scent of fresh paint assaulted her delicate senses and dread weighed her down.
Stopping in front of a closed door, he shifted to stand behind her and covered her eyes with his hands. The cold metal of the gun against her face sent shockwaves down her spine.
“Surprise,” he said in a sing-song voice that skimmed the back of her neck, causing goosebumps to erupt up and down her arms.
He removed his hands and her stomach dropped to the old wooden floor.
“Go on,” he said, pushing her forward. “Go inside and look.”
A fresh coat of light blue paint was on the walls, and soft cream-colored carpet covered the floor. A crib took up the far wall with a matching changing table beside it. A rocking chair was nestled in the corner, holding a giant white teddy bear.
A lump of conflicting emotion lodged in her throat. Seeing all the baby furniture opened a flood of anticipation but knowing Isaac had placed it in this house—this place where he planned to keep her and the baby all to himself—filled her with so much terror and rage she could almost drown in it.
“Well, what do you think?”
She turned to look at him, needing to see if his excitement was genuine or an act. The dopey look on his face confirmed he was as delusional as she’d feared, which snapped something inside her. “I think you’re crazy.”
The backhand across her face came so quick it stole her breath. She took a step back and lifted her fingers to her burning cheek. Blood pooled in her mouth until she was forced to swallow it.
“I did this for you and that’s what you say to me?” He screamed, spit flying from his mouth. “I love you, and I will have you. Forever. Don’t you forget that.”
Her body trembled as she struggled to find the right words to diffuse the situation. But nothing she said could make this better. Nothing would change him. The only way to survive was to get away from him, and fast.
A pounding on the door sent hope coursing through her veins. Had Cade found her?
A low growl rumbled from his chest. “Stay put and keep your mouth shut.” He stormed out of the room.
She moved slowly toward the hall. Maybe there was a back door. She could get outside and run for the road, staying under the cover of the bushes and trees until she found help. The wooden floors creaked as she tiptoed from the room. Her body trembled with each step. She kept her ears tuned, listening for his return. Tears threatened to fall, but she held them back—held back the panic and fear gnawing her insides.
“What are you doing here?” Isaac barked out the question, even though his tone was a bit softer than before.
“I think I need to be the one asking questions.”
