“No, of course not.”
“I knew you were smart!That’s why you have so many people at your little window every day.And I can’t fill a dining room on a Monday.”Carter ran his hands through his hair.
“Carter, what do you want?What are you going to do to me?”
Carter stood, bounced on his toes with his hands clasped behind his back.
“That’s a good question.I think I just want to keep you here with me.Until you agree to marry me.If you don’t then I'm just not going to let you go.”His gravely tone chilled her.
Why did she wave off everyone’s concerns about Carter?
She never thought he was a threat to her, not really.Never counted that he’d drag her to some…basement?Josie glanced around the room for the first time, trying to take it all in.She was on a couch, in a dark room.That’s all she could make out.It smelled musty.A brown rug covered the floor, and an old vacuum cleaner leaned against the wall.
“Where am I?”She squeezed out the words past dried lips.
“I can’t tell you that.But you can’t get out.There's a locked door.I did get you some magazines,” Carter pointed to a table in front of her that had a bunch of floral magazines on it.“You can’t get out.So don’t even try.Think of it as a holiday.”
“What happens if I say yes to marrying you?”She coughed, bile choking her.
“You’d make me the happiest man in the world!”Carter caressed her cheekbone, and she closed her eyes.He was not the man she wanted to be touching her skin.“But if you don’t, I will take what I want from you and keep you locked up.We’d have to move of course because I don't think your mother would buy that you love me.So I'd take us somewhere…warm.”
His stare grew blank.“I’ll figure it out!Don’t worry!I have you finally.Why did you have to keep saying no to me?”
Everything suddenly spun in her vision, and she couldn't help but slump down on the couch, closing her eyes.Something told her to keep Carter talking.
“I don’t feel good.”
“I told him that was too strong of a dose.Did you know he went to chemistry school?Answer me, Josie.”Carter slapped her face.The sound echoed in the room, it stung her, making her cry.“It’s okay.You’ll get used to it.Tell me why you kept refusing me.”
“I like you as a friend.Not as a boyfriend.”
It was the only thing she could think of to say.Instinct screamed at her to fight but her muscles were heavy, her mind too cloudy to move.
Wincing, she curled on her side, her face buried in the arm of the couch.
“A friend?A friend who you couldn’t even date?”
Josie bit the inside of her cheek, trying to recall her self-defence class.When she was thirteen her mother sat her down at the kitchen table and stressed to her that she might not physically be able to fight an attacker, but she could use everything else.She could lie.Tell them your brother is coming.Your boyfriend.Say anything to them if you have a chance.You have my permission to lie to get out of a bad situation.
“I was afraid,” Josie murmured.
“You were?Of what?”Carter put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her up.
She couldn’t get the words out.Her cheek burned from where he had slapped her.She held up a finger.“Water.Please.”
“Sure.Water.There are a lot of poisons you could put into water,” Carter held the cup to her lips.She drank.
“Of wrecking my business.”
“What?’Carter jumped to his feet, swiped everything off the coffee table.He ran across the room and kicked the wall.
That was definitely the wrong thing to say, Josie thought before she faded to sleep.
The freezing cold woke her up.She was shivering and couldn’t stop.
“Josie, it’s okay.Here, "Carter wrapped her in a blanket.“I lost my temper.I promise I will always say ‘sorry’ when I do.”
He kissed her and his sandpapery touch repulsed her.She choked down bile, couching so hard tears sprang to her eyes.
