If only… I should have hidden. I should have run the other way. I could be safe in my own boring little life. That’s what I’d prefer, right. Right?
“It’s not so bad, lapochka,” he says, almost sounding regretful.
“Just… I didn’t get a proper chance to escape,” I plead. “This isn’tfair.”
He tilts his head to the side. And to give him his due, he doesn’t point out that life isn’t fair, or that it’s childish to think it should be, like this is a playground game. “In what way?”
“If I hadn’t needed to unlock the door to my house, I’d have got away. I’d be safe at home?—”
He snorts.
“And I was at the end of a long shift,” I finish pathetically. “I wasn’t at my best.”
“I apologise for not abducting you at a time more to your liking.” I can’t see his expression, but his voice is full of amusement.
“Yes. Well. Some notice would have been nice. I could have packed a bag, and it would have saved someone the hassle of finding clothes for me.” That’s as close as I dare to ask about the very convenient items left in this room.
“Kidnappers don’t wait for you to find clean knickers,” he replies dryly, leaning forwards slightly, as though he’s engaged with this discussion like I am.
How did we start talking about my underwear?
“Which is very rude.” My heart thuds with nerves. I’m pushing my luck. I’m yo-yoing between being scared when he’s not around to far too bold when he is. Like the idea of this masked killer is far worse than his actual presence.
“My apologies. But I bought you new knickers.White ones,” he adds, making it sound absolutely filthy. “Are you wearing them now?”
The air is stolen from my lungs, and my head goes floaty.
Is this… flirting? I’m not great at reading people, and this is a very unusual situation. But I’m pretty sure I should be more scared and have fewer warm tingles.
I didn’t expect this.
“You’re asking if I’m wearing your knickers?”
He chuckles, and I’m disproportionately pleased.
“I think they suit you better than me.” He looks me up and down. “You were good at running.”
I make a dismissive noise. Hardly. I drag myself to the gym sometimes, but I’m usually bored, tired, and scrolling on my phone rather than exercising after about fifteen minutes.
“Come on.” He stands and walks to the door, opening it with a card he scans so quickly I almost miss it. “You want to escape? We’ll play a game.”
8
KIRILL
We pause on the edge of the terrace and look over the sweep of neatly tended grass that gives way immediately to tall trees.
I point into the foliage. “This house is in the middle of a forest. If you go about a mile in any direction, you reach a wall.”
She slowly turns, taking in the trees and the paths.
“If you beat me to it, little prey, I’ll give you a single favour. Anything that’s within my power.” That’s reckless, but I have to make this worthwhile.
I think she realises I’m not going to hurt her, but neither am I going to give her up.
She’s mine.
Huh. I shake off the thought. That’s absurd.
