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Josh stood on the stoop, dressed in crisp pressed khaki slacks and a white button-down shirt. Georgie smiled. He reminded her of the day they met. That day he made her smile and laugh. How sad they ended up here, him wanting to own her and her not sure if he was even safe to be around.
“You look beautiful,” he smiled and held out his hand. “Can I take your bag?”
His open smile and polite manners caught her off-guard. This was the Josh she first met. It didn’t make any sense. He’d been so violent and hateful lately. Why the sudden change?
He didn’t give her time to ponder the question, and kept the conversation on things they’d done together in the past. Funny moments or adventures that had tested their courage.
Georgie was grateful to discuss those times. When she told him they were done, she’d remind him of those times they shared, and that she’d always remember them fondly. As she would remember him.
When they arrived, they checked in and took the elevator up to their floor. “Here,” Josh handed her his key card. “You take the suite.”
“No,” she was surprised, and a little uncomfortable. He was trying awfully hard. Maybe too hard. Accepting the trade might signal she was open to more than sharing drinks and a meal. “Thank you, but I’ll be fine. In fact, let’s freshen up and meet in the bar.”
“Sound good.” He agreed.
The moment the elevator deposited them on the correct floor, Georgie hurried to her room. She put the luggage on the bed, took her phone from her purse and composed a message to Naomie. It consisted of a photo of her keycard on the bed, giving clear evidence of where she was.All is well.She uploaded the file to the cloud storage and deleted all trace of it from her phone.
Feeling a bit of positivity return, she brushed her hand, grabbed her purse and headed downstairs, never considering that she’d left the keycard behind.
Josh was waiting, seated at a table in the bar. Two mixed drinks sat on the table. Georgie took a look at the red liquid and smiled. “Singapour sling?” she asked as she took a seat.
“You remember--?” He raised his glass.
“God, yes – well most of it.” She raised her glass in toast. “To the good times we shared.”
“And the good times to come,” he clicked his glass to hers.
Georgie let the comment pass and just listened as Josh rambling on about all the things he dreamed of for the future. For the two of them. She didn’t need to comment, just nod, “hmm” and drink.
So that’s what she did. She remembered being surprised her glass was empty and wondered if she should go back to her room. And that’s the last thing she remembered.
Until she woke to darkness. Total and completely void of light. Georgie sucked in air, eyes straining to see something in the darkness. Where was she? She lay on her side on a hard surface. Her shoulders ached.
Fear tore through her when she realized her wrists were bound behind her. She struggled to turn over and a wave of dizziness made her retch. She barely turned her head in time to keep from aspirating the vomit.
Where was she and how did she get there. The last thing she remembered was having drinks at the hotel bar.Oh God. It hit her. Josh drugged her and brought her… where?
Georgie had never understood real terror until that moment. She had no idea how long she lay there, struggling at her bounds and trying to figure out where she was. If only there was some light.
She prayed for it, over and over. Only when it finally came, she realized her mistake in wanting to see.
Chapter Twenty-One
At the squeak of the screen door, Riggs turned his head to look. Naomie stepped out onto the back porch, carrying two mugs of coffee. Russell followed, carrying one mug and manning the door.
“I thought you might be ready for a cup,” she said, setting a mug on the table beside Riggs’ rocking chair.
“Smells good. And Robby is – nope, he’s done.” He set the bottle aside and lifted the baby up against his body. “I swear this little rascal is a siphon.”
Robby let out a big burp, followed by a giggle.
“He does have a good appetite,” Russell commented.
“And is the happiest baby I’ve ever met,” Naomie added. “You’re doing a great job, Riggs.”
“Early days,” Riggs replied. “It’ll take more than three weeks to make me a good father. But I’m working on it.
"It's nap time." He stood and waveddismissively as Naomie and Russell started to rise. “I got this.”
