He opens the door to the basement. “Shit happens.”
Once we hit the bottom step, I feel sweat build in my palms and my head goes all dizzy. I stare at that wooden door. Although it’s a mere seven feet in front of me, it seems like miles. When Max slides the lock out and the door swings open, I want to scream. I’m desperate for anything but that solitude—the silence that forces me to think about all the things I don’t want to think about: about death and the parts of life I’ll never experience if I don’t leave here. About the fact that no matter how hard they look for me, the chances of anyone finding me are slim to none. That room is the epitome of what loneliness is.
“How many days have I been here?” I ask, attempting to stall him.
“Thirteen.”
“How many more?”
The lock clicks and he gives me a gentle nudge into the room. “Don’t know.”
Water drips down my back and it’s just now I realize I’m still in the towel, completely naked underneath it. He’s going to leave me down here like this. Naked. And the next time Earl comes in—I can’t let my mind go there. I can’t!
“I’m cold,” I whisper, fighting the desire I have to cry.
“I’ll get another blanket.” I hear the door click shut and Max moves in front of me. “Give me your wrists,” he says as he takes a knife from his pocket and cuts the cord, freeing my hands.
After tucking the knife away, he crosses his defined arms in front of him and grabs the hem of his shirt. His muscles bunch and flex as he tears the material over his head. My eyes trail over his tanned skinned, over his thick frame, his toned stomach and chest. Tattoos are scattered over his arms, mostly tribal, but one stands out: a raven on a knotted branch. Surely they stand for something? Max balls the shirt up and nods at me before tossing it at me. “It’s all I’ve got, but I’ll get you some more clothes. I didn’t exactly think that through.”
I narrow my gaze. “What? Think what through?” I just want to keep him in here. I don’t want to be alone.
“The bath. I just…” He drops his chin to his chest and rakes his fingers through his dark hair. “I felt bad for you, you know? You were fucking filthy, and I don’t trust Earl to not touch you or anything, so—I just didn’t think about having clean clothes for you.” He won’t look at me, and to be honest, I don’t want him to. He’s too real to me right now. Too normal. Too human to be the monster he must be.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
I drop the towel and slip the shirt over my head before sitting on the mattress and pulling the blanket over my lap. “Can you please find me something to put on my lower half before Earl comes back?” Max glances up and sighs as he heads to the door. He doesn’t say anything, just leaves, and I hear the lock slide into place. “Please,” I say again, loud enough I know he can hear me.
I sit in silence for several minutes, surrounded by the smell of the cologne on his shirt before the door opens again and he steps into the room. He tosses a pair of gray sweatpants to me.
“Thank you.” I force a smile.
“Welcome.”
And then he leaves again.
I slip the sweats on, securing the drawstring as tightly as I can, and lie back on the lumpy mattress, closing my eyes and somehow drifting off to sleep.
9
Max
Earl’s passedout in his recliner with both dogs sleeping beneath the leg rest. Bubba comes barging in through the front door, a crumpled paper grocery sack in hand. The sudden noise causes Bear to startle. He jumps out from under the chair, ears back, teeth bared, and growling.
“Aw, shut up now, Bear,” he says, pointing at the dog.
Earl grumbles from the chair. Bubba looks at me. “We gotta take that girl for drop off. Just got the money from the man.” He tosses the grocery sack down on the couch.
Thatgets Earl’s attention. He hops up, nearly tripping over Bear as he stumbles toward the couch and grabs the bag. His lips spread into a wide grin when he opens the top and peers inside. He inhales. “Nothing like the smell of money,” he says.
I push away from the wall and head to the cellar. When I open the door to Lucy’s room, she smiles and jumps up from the bed. “I missed you.” She reaches for my face, but I turn away from her touch.
“It’s time for you to go now.” I take her hand, but when I go to walk toward the door she remains still. I glance over my shoulder and arch a brow. “Come on, Lucy. I said it’s time to go.”
Her eyes water, her lip trembles. “You’re going to kill me, aren’t you?”
“No. I’m giving you a new life.” I smile and tug on her arm, but she still won’t budge. Turning around, I gently take her by the shoulders. “Lucy, do you trust me?”
