If Only She'd Loved Him

Chapter 5

Thursday 1:42 am

Megan didn't want to wake up. It was dark here, soft and warm. She felt safe, her mind bundled in layer after layer of quilting. But something wanted her to wake her up. Pain pounded on the side of her head. Her hands moved to touch her face and were held firmly by metal. She was sitting still, but moving. Somehow her brain refused to register how this could be happening to her. Her mind still spinning, she forced her eyes open. They fought to focus. Bright lights, pinpricks, stars, danced in front of her skull but she couldn't see any shapes, any forms, then all she saw was darkness. Unable to bear not being able to see, Megan closed her eyes so her mind would have an excuse to think she was blind. Using her hands as leverage, she pulled herself up straight. Instantly her stomach reacted, twisting into sharp cramps, before becoming nauseous.

"Uhhh," she moaned, leaning her head against the cool window. "Where am I?"

A hand reached over and gently touched her arm.

"Oh good, you're awake. I was getting worried about you. You were breathing fine, but you shouldn't have stayed unconscious for so long."

For a minute, his gentle tone confused her. Questions surged through her head: Where was she? Why was she in a car, and why did her head hurt so much? Then she remembered the gun. She screamed.

He swerved the wheel to the side, pulling over. Instantly she felt his hand on her shoulder. "Megan, Megan, relax. I'm not going to hurt you. Shhh, sweetheart, shhhhh," he said, touching her cheek with soft fingers. "Shhh."

"Who are you?" she whispered.

No answer.

"Why won't you tell me who you are? I don't understand."

"You don't have to understand, sweetheart, all you have do is sit tight. Relax. It'll all be over soon."

"What are you going to do?" she cried. "Kill me? I wish you'd just do it and get it over with!" Sighing, he reached towards her, but she clung to the side of the door, pulling herself as far away from the sound of his voice as she could get. That voice that reminded her so much of Paul, but couldn't, absolutely couldn't be him.

Her actions annoyed him. His voice turned rough. "You've got a brain, Megan, use it. If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead already. I'm not going to hurt you, just take you away. I know you're curious. It's one of the things I like best about you. But I'm warning you this time your curiosity is going to get you in trouble. Some things need to be accepted, not questioned."

Filled with some small relief, she felt her spirit returning. "You're not going to get away with this," she replied. "Someone is probably watching us right now. They're gonna wonder why I'm blindfolded. They'll call the cops."

He snickered. "Somebody probably would call the cops—if they could tell you were blindfolded. But do you really think, after all this, that I would be so dumb as to let you ride in the front seat looking like a kidnapping victim?"

Puzzled, she turned her head towards his voice. "Then why can't I see?" she asked. "My head. You hit me on the head. You blinded me!"

"Hardly." His voice was dry as she felt his hands touch her face. His fingers pressed something hard and plastic into her temples.

Glasses! "I'm wearing glasses."

"Sunglasses to be precise. Somewhat modified, but since the sun is definitely blocked, the term still fits."

Megan shook her head hard, trying to fling them off her face, but they stayed put. With a small laugh, he snapped the band at the back of her head.

"That won't work, love. I've thought of everything. The best thing you can do now is just sit back and enjoy the ride."

"I'm not your love. And I'm not going to enjoy the ride. Are you completely insane? What loony bin did they let you out of?"

"That's enough!" His closed fist hit the seat, making her jump. "For a smart girl, you sure don't know when to shut up." She felt him lean over her, dwarfing her body with his. "You can enjoy the ride here or in the trunk, love. I tried to make this trip as comfortable as possible for you, but if you can't be pleasant, I'll be glad to toss you in the back."

"People would see," she whispered. "You can't."

"It's the middle of the night. No one would see. We've been driving for hours, sweetheart. We are far from your campus, your friends. By now, even if people are starting to look for you," he patted her knee, "and I wouldn't count on that thanks to that strange Game you play, by now, it's too late. Accept your situation. It isn't going to change."

Though his hands dug into her shoulders, her voice was strong. "You're wrong. They'll find me, or I'll escape. One way or another you'll get caught. You won't get away with this."

"How cliché, Megan, how trite. Well, allow me to be trite too." Reaching up for her face, he tilted her chin towards his mouth. "I've already gotten away with it." He kissed her with a whisper. "I have you, and you, unlike me, won't be getting away at all."

Trying to dodge his lips, she shrank back against the seat. "Why are you doing this? Why? Please, won't you just tell me why?"

For a moment he laughed. Then his voice darkened, deepened. His hands took both her cheeks and held them tight in his palms. His breath came hot and fast at her ear. "Why? You want to know why? Price of one word, sweetheart, and it's time for you to pay."