Tough Love

Chapter Thirty-Two

Chapter Thirty-Two

It has been a very restless night, but surprisingly, not as bad as previous nights. The only thing that is different is Eli started out in my room, rather than appearing after a nightmare. I did have nightmares, but they didn't seem quite so daunting if that's even possible. It's now 4am and I know I can't go back to sleep. I want to know what Eli has planned, but I'm also worried about it. What if he is taking me somewhere scary? What if it's somewhere I can't handle? I'm curious, but at the same time I'm scared. I have to trust that he's not going to allow anything to happen to me. As hard as that it, I have to trust him. I'm just sitting up in bed, not wanting to move and wake Eli up. I manage to stealthily get out of bed and I'm just about to leave the room, when Eli whispers, “Did I not wake up for your last nightmare?”

I yelp and jump, not expecting his voice.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you.”

“I thought you were asleep.”

“I was. I heard you get up. Everything ok?”

Does he have supersonic hearing or something?

“Yes sir. I was just going to run on the treadmill.”

“Will you have time? We need to leave in an hour.”

“I can do it when we get back... Eli...?”

I have to ask, but I'm worried about his reaction. He told me not to worry, but I can't help it.

He waits for a little while, but when I don't say anything more, he asks, “Yes baby?”

“Where are we going?”

“You're worried, aren't you?”

I feel my cheeks flush and I drop my head to cover the blush.

“I know it's probably asking a lot of you to trust me in this, but if I tell you now it's going to ruin it. I really want you to wait until we get there. I want to surprise you, but it's going to be ok. I promise it won't be busy. In fact, we'll probably be the only people there. Can you just hold on a little longer? Please?”

I nod a little, not really wanting to argue with him.

“Thank you. It'll be worth it, I promise.”

“Yes sir.”

“I'm going to let you wash up. I'll make a start on breakfast.”

“Ok.”

I wait until he leaves the room before I go into my bathroom. The whole way through my shower, I'm arguing with myself. I have no idea where we are going and that is an extremely dangerous thing. I'm not doing a very good job of protecting myself by just going along with this. I'm angry with myself for being so weak and not standing up to Eli, but I can't seem to put my foot down and make him tell me what's going on.

He wants me to trust him, but that is an exceptionally difficult thing for me to do. Even if I do go with him today, that doesn't really mean I trust him, does it? It just means that I'm too scared to go against what he's said. He may as well have given me an order, right?

By the time I get into the kitchen, Eli is already dressed, breakfast is made and I'm a nervous wreck. I try not to let him see it, but he's getting very good at reading me; even just little things like when I close my eyes or how long they stay shut for. He can gauge my mood or emotions from something so simple. Things I try to hide, but he can see them.

Eli snaps me out of my thoughts, “Dani, it's going to be ok, I promise. I know that probably doesn't mean a whole lot to you, seeing as you're afraid of the unknown, but it'll all be revealed in another 30 minutes. Just hang on a little longer.”