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He lowered the weapon to his side and spoke in my language.
“I’m so happy to have found you, Kaja. Your father has employed people all over the country to bring you back to him. He has offered a great reward.”
Of course he had. Someone had stolen what was his, and now he was offering up even more money to get it back again.
“How did you find me?”
“There were reports of an English man going into a store not far from here. Then I checked the inside of the vehicle that was parked outside and saw the ropes across the back seat. I couldn’t think of any other reason for them to be there unless they’d secured someone to it, and so I waited and watched until a man matching the same description of the one in the shop appeared.” He gave a small laugh. “I thought I’d have to take on the man who kidnapped you to claim the reward money, but since it’s just for your safe return, and he isn’t here, this will be a lot easier than I thought.”
“You’re just going to take me back to my father and claim the reward?”
“Yup. Easy money. Rasmus is spitting teeth that someone just walked onto his property and took you. It made him look stupid, like he didn’t know what was going on under his own nose. He doesn’t like looking stupid.”
“So, I’m just supposed to get into your car and come with you? You could be anyone.” I figured it wouldn’t be out of order for me to be suspicious, considering what I’d just been through.
“I’m not, I promise.” He pulled a mobile phone out of his pocket. “Here, let’s call Rasmus and give him the good news.”
My stomach dropped. If he told my dad where I was, it would be game over. Half of Estonia would show up.
“Wait a minute! Have you told him that you’ve found me already?”
He frowned. “No, not yet. I wanted to be sure in case I was wrong.”
“Maybe it’s better if you keep it to yourself. If you tell him, he might tell others, and then word will spread, and everyone who wants the reward will try to intercept you on the drive back and snatch me, so they get to be the ones to claim the money.”
He hesitated. “You’ve got a point.”
How much longer would Leo be? I wasn’t going to be able to rely on him getting back. We’d be long gone by then.
The man looked me up and down. I’d at least put my pyjama bottoms back on, so I was no longer just in my knickers and top, but I still didn’t like the way his gaze ranked over me. He wouldn’t dare touch me, not unless he had a death wish. If he handed me back to my father and he’d raped me, my father would kill him. Unless he decided fucking me was worth more than the money.
It suddenly occurred to me that this man could tell me he was taking me back to my father and instead rape and murder me, and no one would ever know what happened. Leo would be the one who’d have the finger pointed at him, and while he had been the one to kidnap me, I didn’t think he was going to kill me. I hoped I wasn’t wrong about that.
Even if this man didn’t rape and murder me, I still didn’t want to go back.
“Come on, let’s get out of here.”
I hesitated.
He narrowed his eyes at me. “Go and get in the car.”
The poker hidden behind my back felt ridiculous. I was surprised he hadn’t already asked what I was concealing. He had a gun, and if I tried to hit him, he’d probably shoot me. Or would he? Would he risk killing Rasmus’s daughter?
There was nowhere I could run in the cabin. Leo had made sure none of the rooms had locks and all the windows were locked, too. But the rear of the cabin faced woodland and would give me plenty of places to hide.
I had to choose my moment. I needed for this man to put the gun down or at least take his attention away from it. If I tried to run while it was in his hand, he could put a bullet in my leg just to slow me down.
He’d have to put the gun down to drive. Would that be my moment, or would he secure the doors the second I got in?
He didn’t know I didn’t want to go with him. If he thought I was grateful, he’d be less likely to lock me in.
“When you banged on the door, I was frightened the man who’d kidnapped me was back,” I said.
He nodded. “That’s understandable, but you don’t need to worry now. In a couple of hours, you’ll be back home.”
“Thank you. I’m really grateful to you. You’ve saved my life. I’ll make sure you get that reward and I’ll tell my father how well you treated me.” I was gushing, and I’d never felt so fake in my life. I could hardly believe he would buy it.
He was still looking at me as though he was picturing what was under my clothes. He made my skin crawl.
