Safe with You (35 page)

His hands clench the steering wheel. “You used to be.”

“Exactly, that was over two years ago. I don’t know why you have this idea that we are getting back together. I’m with J and I love him.”

Zack’s jaw twitches. “You kissed me. Remember that?”

“I didn’t kiss you, it was the exact opposite.”

“Don’t say that, Cassie. Please, just don’t,” he murmurs, sounding pained.

I throw my hand in the air in frustration. “Why not? It’s the truth. Why won’t you accept it?”

“Because I can’t live without you. I love you, Cassie.”

“You’re going to have to let me go. We were never meant to last. Right now, J is my future. And who knows, some day we may decide to split.” Lord, I hope not. “My point is, you have someone you are meant to be with and it’s not me.”

“I don’t want to be without you, Cassie. There is no one else for me. You are it and I’m going to prove it to you,” he vows and a sick feeling settles in the pit of my stomach.

I don’t know what to say to that. If he hasn’t gotten the hint by now there is no point in wasting my breath anymore.

Thirty minutes later, Zack parks his car in front of a tall building. We are in New York City, a place I’d never thought I’d see in my life. And I have no intentions on staying here either. Surely, I can get away from him at some point. Zack is crazy if he thinks he is going to hold me hostage with him for the rest of our lives.

I take a look at my surroundings trying to plan. Even if I can just sneak a phone call or text to J’s phone I’ll be okay until someone arrives.

Zack pulls the handcuffs from the glove department and pockets them. I don’t know why he would need them. Now, I have scary thoughts running through my head.

Per usual, Zack has a firm hold of my hand as we walk into the lobby. We still have our hats and sunglasses on, like we are just a normal couple.

My plan is to build his trust a little more. If I try to build his trust again soon. The problem with that is I don’t know how long it will take. I’m getting impatient. I need out of here, away from Zack.

Zack pulls me into the elevator and puts in a code on the keypad. He stands behind me, my back to his front with his hands resting on my hip. Inside I’m cringing. We are whisked up to whatever floor we are going to. When the elevator opens a spacious living room comes into view.

“Who lives here?” I ask as we step out of the elevator.

“My parents own it. Nice isn’t it?”

I hear a little bitterness in his voice. Maybe I can get him talking again. That seems to calm him down a little.

“Yeah, it’s beautiful.” The place is very spacious, very open. You can definitely tell by the decor a woman decorated it.

“Too bad we are only going to be here for a few hours.”

Alarm bells are going off again. I don’t like where this is going. “Where are we going after we leave here?” I ask tentatively.

“I haven’t figured it out yet.”

“Zack, we can’t just keep running. I’m sick of it. First my parents and now you! I won’t do it anymore!”

I turn and make a run for the elevator door, which was stupid since I would have to wait on it to arrive, but it was the only way out I knew of.

Zack’s arm shoots out, his fingers clamp down on my arm, jerking me to a stop. His other hand grasps my other arm in the same motion. He turns me so I am facing him.

“You are not going anywhere without me, got it? Here is how it’s going to be. First, we are going to eat, then we are going to take showers, and then we will sleep for a few hours before we hit the road again. Everywhere I go, you go. Do you understand now?”

“No, I don’t understand why you are forcing me to be with you?”

“I’m not forcing you, Cassie. You want this with me.”

Good grief, he is delusional.

I shake my head, giving him the same response I do every other time.

“We’ll sit and talk about this over dinner. We’re both hungry.”

He pulls me along behind him towards the bar in the kitchen.

“Sit,” he orders.

I roll my eyes and climb up on the stool. I pull off my shades and the cap that probably has given me hat hair by now.

I run my fingers through my hair, trying to get the tangles out. Yeah, I’m going to need a brush.

Zack sits beside me and pulls out his cell phone from his pocket. “What do you want to eat?”

I ponder on it for a moment. I don’t want to order something expensive, in case we run out of money. Speaking of. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Within reason.”

“How are we going to keep running? I mean, we would have to have a lot of money to do it.” Here’s to hoping we either run out or someone finds us before we make another move.

“Don’t worry about money, Cassie. We’re set.”

That is not what I wanted to hear.

“How?”

“Don’t ask questions you really don’t want to know the answers to. Now, what do you want to eat?”

Fine, I’ll ask later then or maybe I will save all of my questions for the boring drive that’s coming.

“A burger and fries.”

He nods and dials a number.

Twenty minutes later, the food arrives and I’m relieved. The last twenty minutes consisted of Zack staring at me and caressing my cheek. The first time, I batted his hand away he threatened to bring out the handcuffs.

I don’t even want to know what he has planned for those.

I scarf down my food like I haven’t eaten in a while. The drive was exhausting so I’m ready to wash away the grime, but only if I can shower alone and with the door locked.

“Um, I don’t have any clean clothes or anything to take a shower with.”

“My mother keeps this place stocked so we will find something.”

Well, I guess that settles it then.

I wipe my hands with a napkin after my last bite and push my plate away.

“I guess I’m going to take a shower.”

He nods and I hop off the chair.

“It’s down the hall, second door on your left.”

“I need clothes.”

“I’ll bring you some.”

Heck no. “I can get them.”

“Fine. Last door on your right is the master bedroom.”

I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding as I make my way down the hall. Once I’m inside the master bedroom, I immediately search the bedroom closet. I grab the first shirt and pants I can find. Surprisingly, his mother has clothes for downtime and not all dressy, expensive crap. I walk over to the dresser and pull out the top drawer then shut it back, deciding that even though I need clean underwear, I’m not about to wear someone else’s.

I notice there is a bathroom attached to the bedroom so I figure I can just use it instead. I lock the door behind me and strip off.

I start the shower, letting it get warm. I didn’t have to search for shampoo or body wash since it is all sitting on the built in shelf inside the immaculate shower. I grab a couple towels and a washcloth, laying them on the counter so I will have them when I’m done.

When the water is hot enough I step in. In no time, I’m freshly showered and I feel clean. After I dress, I quickly brush all the tangles and knots out of my hair. Satisfied, I unlock the door and walk out.

Zack is still sitting at the bar, only this time he looks freshly showered himself.

“You’re already showered?” How did he do that so fast?

“Yep, I figured it would be best since we need to get some sleep before we leave.”

I really hope he will let me sleep in a separate bed. It may be my only chance of escaping. Or heck, I’d even sleep on the floor beside the bed as long as I didn’t have to share a bed with him.

“Where am I sleeping?”

“With me, where else?”

Crap, I knew it. “Zack, please, can I sleep on my own tonight?”

Zack throws his head back and laughs. “Good one, Cassie.”

He thinks I am joking? “I’m serious, Zack. I want to have a bed to myself. I sleep better that way.”

His laughter dies as his face grows serious. “No, I don’t trust you enough yet. You’ve already tried to leave me once.”

He stands and steps in my direction, his eyes never wavering from mine. “You need to get it through your pretty little head that letting you get away from me again is not an option.”

Zack is relentless about me being with him for the rest of ours lives. It’s official, Zack is insane. He holds out his arm in the direction of the bedrooms. I inwardly sigh and start walking. Zack follows right behind me, right on my heels the whole way. When we are close, he grabs my elbow, steering me toward the master bedroom. At least the bed is huge so I won’t have to be right up against him.

I throw back the covers and climb under the softness of the sheets. Then, I grab one of the gazillion pillows piled on the bed and place it in the middle of the bed behind me. I am not about to let him touch me more than he already is. The hand holding is too much to begin with. I don’t even want to think about how I will feel is he touches me elsewhere.

I cringe when I hear the bed shift behind me. I keep my back turned to him and the pillow wedged between us. I hear him chuckle softly, almost like he is laughing to himself. It must be because of the pillow.

I hear movement, then I feel him hovering over me. “What’s wrong, Cassie? Are you afraid of how you’ll feel is I touch you? Afraid it will bring back memories you’re trying to forget?” He runs his hand up my spine and I shiver, but not the good time. I shift, uncomfortable with him touching me and how close he is to me.

“Definitely not, Zack. I told you I don’t feel like that about you anymore.”

He laughs gruffly in my ear. “Keep telling yourself that, Cassie. I bet if I remind you of how it used to be you’d change your mind. I remember every detail from our nights together. They’re my most favorite memories of us.”

Zack moves his hand from my spine to my arm, gliding it down to my wrist. I feel the cool metal of the handcuffs snap around my wrist.

I gasp in shock. “W-WHat are you doing?” I stutter the words, my mind fumbling.

“Making sure you don’t try and run,” he states as I hear the sound of the other cuff snapping together.

Tears well in my eyes. Zack is always a step ahead. If I can just get a moment alone to be able to call 911 or send a text to J or Bo, I’ll be as content as possible until someone comes to save me from this nightmare.

I send up a silent prayer that all of this will be over soon and my life with J and his family will return to normal.

I wait until I hear Zack snoring before I close my eyes.

Chapter Forty- Four

Cassie

I feel someone roughly shaking me.

“Cassie, wake up. We have to go.”

“What?” I ask groggily.

More shaking and murmurs. “Cassie, we have to go, now,” the voice, my brain registers as Zack, whispers harshly.

It takes a second before it clicks and my eyes fly open. I look around the darkened room, noticing it is pitch black outside as well. We couldn’t have slept more than a couple hours. Surely, we aren’t leaving now?

I glance at Zack, barely able to make out his features. “Cassie, get your ass up and do not make a sound.”

I open my mouth to ask him what is going on, but he silences me with his finger.

Zack moves and I realize our wrists are still cuffed together when the metal pinches my skin. He doesn’t even give me time to slip on some shoes. He walks hastily to the elevator. As we wait for the elevator to arrive, I almost jump out of my skin when I hear loud yelling and banging coming from somewhere. Freedom. My heart spikes up in hope that the people shouting are here to rescue me.

Zack curses under his breath and bangs on the button.

When the doors glide open, Zack grabs my hand, tugging me with him.

The doors close as I hear the sound of wood splintering. “When we reach the ground floor, we run, understand? They’ve found us. I’m not sure how, but they are going to take you away from me, and I can’t have that, Cassie.”

Sighing, I try to plead with him one last time. “Zack, you need to stop all of this. Please, understand I don’t want this life and I don’t want to be with you.”

He ignores my plea, gripping my hand tighter.

“Zack, please let me go. I’m not worth it.”

He backs me in the corner, his eyes hardening. I lower my gaze to his arm which is currently lifting up his shirt.

My eyes widen when they land on the sleek black metal of a gun poking out of his waistband.

“W-When…h-how?” Fear clenches me, stealing my breath.

“It turns out you’re a heavy sleeper.” He lowers his shirt, covering the weapon. “Now, are you going to cooperate or will you continue to spout nonsense about how you don’t want to be with me?”

“C-Cooperate.”

A wicked grin slinks across his face. “Thought you’d see it my way. Remember to run.” My frantically beating heart thumps hard against my rib cage. This is so much worse than I feared. His obsession is taking a turn for the worse.