The Coworker

Chapter 6

I decide to keep these questions to myself, but I am not going to forget about them. I don't completely trust Chase, but he did save me from Adam and Sean, so he is the best I can do at the moment. 

I woke up the following day with Chase having wrapped his hands around my waist. Not going to lie, I have imagined this before, but we weren't sleeping on the floor in an abandoned apartment complex. I scoot over to sit up, but he pulls me in closer. Honestly, I don't mind. It's freezing in here. 

I fall back asleep but wake up again to a phone ringing. My phone is still in my apartment, so I know it must be Chase's. He gets up and answers it, but I decide to try and go back to sleep. I don't pay much attention until he says, "Yeah, I've got her." 

This is followed by a pause which I assume is the other person talking before Chase continues. 

"No, she doesn't suspect anything. We'll be heading your way today. I'll see you later." 

He hangs up and walks back over. He rubs my back in an attempt to wake me up, so I play along and roll over and stretch. 

"Good morning," I say.

"Morning, how did you sleep." He replies.

"Fine, you?"

"Better since you were next to me." He says with a wink.

I can't help but blush. What is this man doing to me?

"I was thinking we would eat, then get back on the road?" He continues.

"That sounds good. Where are we going?"

"I have a friend a couple of towns over that we can stay with. It will be much nicer than this place but just as secure.

I nod, and he hands me another protein bar and water.

We finish eating, so we roll up the sleeping bags and pack up the car. I don't really want to go with him, but there is nothing else around here. I plan to ask to stop at a gas station or rest stop or something on the way, so it will give me an opportunity to escape around civilization. 

We have been driving for not even five minutes, and I am so tired. I just woke up, so there is no reason for me to be this tired. I lean up against the window and can no longer keep my eyes open. 

---

I wake up at the feeling of the car stop. Shit! I was supposed to escape on the way. I feel incredibly groggy, and Chase opens the door and flings me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He carries me into the house and lays me down on a couch before going out to get our stuff. 

I sit up and rub my eyes. 

"Oh, you're awake," Chase says, walking back in.

"Yeah, I got so tired all of a sudden," I say.

"That happens to me on road trips too, not this time, of course, because I was driving." He says, followed by a small laugh. 

I smile at him and look around. The house is nice, really nice. It is Victorian-style, and while it may be 100 years old, it has been taken care of really well and updated. I walk towards the window and lookout. We are surrounded by the woods. Usually, that would not be a problem, but obviously, it is far from ideal in this situation. 

Chase brings in the last bag and locks the front door. He plops himself into an armchair opposite the couch. 

"My buddy Jason who owns this place, should be here soon. He just went to the store to make sure we can survive out here for a bit." He says.

"Sounds good. It's cool that he is letting us stay here." I respond.

"Yeah, he's cool. You'll like him."

The best time for me to escape would be now. I figure running away from one person would give me a better chance than two. 

"Ummmm, is there a bathroom here?" I ask.

"Yeah, it's just around the corner down the hall." He points.

I nod thanks and get up. As I walk down the hall, I can feel his eyes watching me, but I try to act normal and pretend that I don't notice. I get into the bathroom and lock the door. I look around for an object I can use as a weapon, but there is no cupboard or medicine cabinet. Even the soap is in a plastic bottle. There is a small window just above the toilet that I may be able to squeeze through. I hear some faint voices, which must mean that Jason is home. I hear footsteps approach the door with a knock that follows.

"Alexa, you okay in there? Jason just got back, and I would like you to meet him." Chase says.

"Yeah, one sec!" 

I throw the window open, and an alarm starts blaring.

"Alexa!" Chase yells while pounding on the door. 

I stand on the toilet seat and get my head, shoulders, and arms outside the window. I am starting to pull myself through when I hear the door open and feel a hand on my ankle.