“Are you hungry? You always get grouchy when you’re hungry. Let’s see if we can get some food into you.”
“You asshole. I get grouchy when I’m kidnapped!”
Caleb has the balls to grin at me, like I said something cute. “I have a surprise for you, gorgeous,” he says, as if I didn’t bring up his possible felony charge. He goes over to a small sofa by the heating stove and puts a big, brown paper bag on the well-used coffee table. He reaches in and pulls out a to-go container. I instantly know where it’s from. I can also smell the bacon. That’s my favorite sandwich for breakfast from Winchell’s in Lexington. I frown as I continue to stare at it. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“That you’re certifiably insane?”
“No, you’re thinking that it’s almost two o’clock, and you’d rather have a sandwich from the Big Blue Deli. I did think about it, but you haven’t had breakfast yet. Isolde, you really shouldn’t skip it either. It’s the most important meal of the day,” he instructs casually, like we’re discussing the weather.
“Oh my God! Are you truly instructing me on being late to eat breakfast? Gee, Caleb, I slept all day because my psychotic boyfriend drugged me!”
“So, you admit I’m your boyfriend.”
My heart begins thundering in my chest as something else hits me. “Caleb? How do you know my favorite restaurants and what I eat there?” I ask softly.
He grins like this is the most normal thing in the world. “Like every good man, I pay attention to my woman.”
“You’ve been stalking me,” I whisper.
“I prefer calling it being proactive in our relationship until we get over this little issue.”
“Kidnapping and stalking are not little issues. You’re nuts. How did I not know that you belong in a looney bin?”
“Sweet, Isolde. You’ll grasp at anything to try to fight me, but right now, you’re just being silly.”
“No, I’m being mad as hell because you’ve stalked, drugged, and kidnapped me!”
He sits down at the end of the bed, still holding my food. He scratches his chin and sighs. “Okay, when you put it like that, I will admit it sounds bad.”
“It’s not bad, it’s criminal. It’s something they will lock you away in a mental facility for, Caleb.”
“Isolde, if I’ve gone crazy, you’re the one responsible. I love you. You can’t just end our relationship over something stupid. That’s not how adult relationships work.”
“I see. Do they, in the bizarre-o world of Caleb, work by kidnapping and committing multiple felonies?”
He leans in and kisses my forehead. I jerk back because it feels too good. I need to hang on to my anger. It doesn’t do any good. Caleb ignores me while unwrapping my BLT. It’s then I noticed he also carried in a drink, too. I see the blue C written on the white container and know it’s a Cherry Coke. God, he even knows what I drink.
He puts the sandwich to my lips. I should probably refuse to eat, but I’m hungry. I take that first bite and it’s all I can do to stop from moaning. I don’t want to embarrass myself. Sadly, my stomach does it for me by picking that moment to growl. He laughs, and I shoot him a look that could kill—but doesn’t. I eat the rest of the sandwich but make myself feel better by plotting Caleb’s murder.
After I eat, he lets his fingers move through my hair and cups the side of my face. I should tell him to stop, but I can’t make myself. “Fuck, I’ve missed you, Isolde. I’ve missed you so much. I’ve only been half alive without you.”
His words make me feel weak and special all at the same time. I try to hold on to my resolve to push him away because he’s turned into a stalker-slash-kidnapper, but I know I’m weakening. I know why. I love him. And as weird as it sounds, I know Caleb loves me, and that’s why we’re here.
“Caleb,” I murmur, not sure of what I want to say.
“Baby, there are things we need to discuss.”
“No, there’s not.”
“There is, but maybe you’ll feel more agreeable after I remind you how good the two of us are together.”
“Things are confusing enough. I’m not having sex with you,” I deny at once.
“Yes, you are.”
“If you force me, that’s rape. That’s another felony, Caleb, and something I will never forgive you for.”
I know instantly that I’ve said the wrong thing. There’s a flash of hurt that moves over his face, but it is quickly replaced with fury. Shit.
