I clenched my jaw. “You didn’t have to say it like that.”
“Yes,” he said quietly. “I did.”
I exhaled hard through my nose. He wasn’t wrong, and that might’ve been the worst part. Because I always thought I was protected.
Another silence stretched between us.
“I should hate you,” I said eventually.
His eyes didn’t leave mine. “You can.”
“I might,” I added.
“Fair.”
I snorted despite myself and immediately hated that too.
My stomach growled.
Loudly.
I froze.
Lock’s mouth twitched. “I’ll take that as a vote for food.”
I rubbed a hand over my face. “I can’t remember that last time I ate. I didn’t even know how long I’d been out.”
“I figured.”
He stood again. “I’ll bring something up.”
I hesitated. “You’re just… leaving me here?”
He paused at the door. Looked back at me.
“The door stays unlocked,” he said. “Bathroom’s through there.” He pointed at a door to the left of the room. Living room through there,” he pointed at the other door.
“And if I do?”
“You won’t get out of here,” he said evenly. “But I’d rather not chase you down.”
I nodded slowly.
He left.
The door closed behind him but there was no locking sound.
I stared at it for a long second.
Then I looked around the room again.
Nothing screamed prison. No restraints. No locks. No cameras that I could see.
I wasn’t sure what I expected but definitely not this.
Still I didn’t test it.
I stayed where I was, leaning against the window frame, watching men come and go, like nothing was out of the ordinary.
