Stockholm Syndrome

40: His Offer

40: His Offer

As I curled up on the couch in front of the TV three weeks later, I heard Luke cuss in the kitchen. I turned around, my chest pressed to the back of the couch.

"What's wrong?" I called, just loud enough for him to hear me.

"I'm out of your freaking anxiety pills." Luke called back, his voice much louder. I collapsed, my back against the couch. The thought didn't fill me with as much horror as it would have weeks ago. I shook my head.

"It's ok." I know Luke could hear me but it was impossible to make out what I had said.

"What was that?" He asked, walking around the side of the couch and standing above me.

"Just try without them for a while." My voice lost a little bit of its strength. He took a deep breath, wiping his lips.

"Madeline..."

"You don't have much of a choice." I told him. He knelt next to me and I could tell he was going to change the subject before he even spoke. "Why haven't you left yet? The door has been unlocked for three weeks. You could go. You could report me." He said. When he continued, his voice got deep and quiet. "But you stayed." I nodded, flinching at his breath when it raced across my face.

"I know."

"Then why don't you go?"

"Go where?" I asked. "Back to the crappy apartment where the only socialization I get is with the rat who lives on the balcony?" I spoke quietly but firm. "God, I swear, sometimes it feels like someone who kidnapped me cares more about me than my friends." I snorted at the beginning of my sentence. Luke grunted, pulling himself closer to the couch but staying in his kneeling position.

"If I didn't care, what would be the point of taking you?" He said quietly, his nose dangerously close to my neck. I grunted, trying to ignore the way his breath billowed onto my neck and the side of my face.

"Sex, housework, you're mentally insane, there are millions of reasons why teens get abducted." I said, forcing my voice not to shake. He exhaled deeply, my answer was obviously not what he wanted me to think of him.

"Have I done anything to make you believe those reasons you listed?"

"You kissed me." I responded immediately, trying to ignore the tingling running up and down my body as I remembered. I sat with my back against the back of the couch. He raised himself a small amount but was not high enough to be eye level. But he still stared at me intensely. His deep sea blue eyes were crashing into my green ones in waves.

"Was that something I forced you to do?" He asked a rhetorical question, never letting his eyes stray from mine. I stayed silent, my eyes flitting downwards to the small space between my crossed legs and Luke's hands.

"I haven't had you doing any housework." He moved onto the next subject. I still didn't raise my eyes. "Is that true?" He was having me submit to him. He wanted me to tell him he was right. I nodded. He was silent. I knew he wanted a vocal response.

"Yes, that's true."

"I'll assure you I'm not mental." I glanced up at him.

"Are you sure?" I looked back down but I knew he didn't show a facial reaction.

"Hm?" He asked, forcing me to specify.

"Nevermind. You aren't mental." I gave in though I wasn't convinced. He was always so icy, just like his eyes, and I didn't know how. "Then tell me why I'm here." I kept my gaze down. Luke sighed.

"If you can look me dead in the eye, and say 'tell me why I'm here,' I promise I will tell you." The way he emphasized the word 'promise,' and the way I could feel his gaze burning into my lowered head, I knew he was serious. I nodded, but didn't have the ability to look up. I couldn't. I just couldn't. "I'll keep my offer standing." He informed me. Then he slowly stood and walked away.