Snare (Delirious book 1) (27 page)

Providence, Rhode Island – May 1
st
, 2013, morning

Of course, I didn’t win. There was no other logical conclusion. From the moment she moved her first pawn, I knew where the game would go, knew what piece I had to move to trap her and beat her at her own game. However, I wanted her to win. I wanted to see the glow on her face, the glint in her eyes, and the bright smile on her lips as she placed that last methodically selected piece onto the board. She needed to win, so that I can start helping her. I might come across as an arrogant, egotistical bastard, but I’m very much interested in taking care of her. After all … she
is
my captive.

She probably thought this was an easy way to pry facts from my mouth. She thought wrong. There is only so much I will tell her … little unimportant things about me, like the fact that I dislike spicy food, that I prefer suits over casual clothing, that I own a library, and that the love of my life is books. That I enjoy hunting and prefer anything black or white to color. But these are all insignificant attributes. They only show my likes and dislikes, but they do not show the truth about me. About all the horrible things I’ve done and will continue doing.

No, this little game was meant for her to learn to trust me again. Regardless of the fact that they are all worthless little bits about me, to her they make a difference, because I speak the truth. Truth means trust. And trust means obedience, which is exactly what I’m aiming for.

I’ve shown a few of my hidden qualities, and so has she. I’ve learned that she likes rose perfume, diet Coke, red lipstick, strawberry tea, the color red in general, and that she loves to go out. She enjoys the seasons, loves traveling, likes to take pictures of everything, wanted to become a photographer, and that she has a love of paintings. Her father died not too long ago, which is interesting, and she went on vacation to forget about it all. She refused to talk about her mother, though. I’m curious if I can get her to tell me, if I can make her face her past, so she can move beyond her trauma. It’s the only way to truly set her free again and make sure she’ll be safe … not just from me, but from whatever’s out there.

“So … when are you going to tell me more about yourself?” she asks, tidying up the chessboard and pieces.

“It surprises me you’re actually interested.”

“Of course. If I’m your prisoner, I might as well get to know my captor. Beats not knowing anything at all.”

“True.” I think she’s more intent on using it against me.

I swipe my phone and check for messages. Nothing. I guess they’re taking it slow today. What a relief.

When the bell rings, my eyes immediately zoom in on the door, but so do hers. Shit, he’s early. “Hide. Now.”

“Why?” she says, frowning.

I grab her arm and push her toward the room. There’s haste because, unlike her, I know I’m not the sole person who has entry into my house. I neglected to mention that fact purely for her safety. However, this man is no friend. If he were to see her, it could thwart all my plans. I won’t let it happen.

With force, I shove her into the room. “Hey!” she protests.

“Stay here,” I say, trying to close the door, but she keeps jerking on it.

“Who is that? You told me I could roam free, why are you trying to hide me?”

Shit, I have no time for this. In an effort to keep her quiet, I grab the cuffs from the cabinet and put them around her wrists. I struggle to keep her inside as she fights me relentlessly. Meanwhile, the doorbell continues ringing.

“Coming!” I yell.

“Let go of me!” she yells. “I’m not going to do this again.”

“Oh, yes you are,” I say, tugging her into the room. I throw her on the bed, reach for a towel hanging from the wall, and wrap it around her head within a few seconds. She squeals, but I stuff a bit into her mouth, muffling her sounds.

“Shhh … keep quiet. Don’t make a sound … or else.” I take the knife from my pocket again, flashing it close to her face in an attempt to calm her down. I wish this wasn’t the only way I could get her to listen to me, but I guess it’s too late for that now.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Carrigan, but rules are rules, and if you disobey them, I will tie you up.” I get off her, tucking the knife back into my pocket and taking out a key. “I’ll let you out when this is over.”

“Hmmm!” she groans through the cloth, tumbling off the bed. Her eyes follow me as I quickly close the door behind me and lock it. I walk to the front door and adjust my tie, making sure I look proper before opening the door.

“What took you so long?” he says, pushing right past me.

“Hello to you, too, Sam.”

I close the door and walk after him. “I’m not here for a long chat, Sebastian. Something came up.”

I stand across from him at the table, watching the door to the room Miss Carrigan is in. There’s a small slit between the door and the frame, and she’s peeking right through it. With my eyes, I threaten her.

Sam grabs a chair. “Listen, the hospital is in duress.”

“What’s happened?” I ask, planting my palms on the table.

“You know that lady who was constantly talking about you, Carrigan, the one I warned you about?”

“What about her?” My eyes flicker to the guestroom door for just a second, but it’s enough for me to spot her eyes through the tiny gap. I know she can hear the conversations through the door. She’s watching us, her eyes growing wider with every word.

“Listen, I don’t want to burden you with this, but … she escaped from the institution.”

“Really?” I say, frowning.

“Yeah, and since she has an outrageous obsession with you, I thought it’d be best to come to you first. I was going to check up on you, but it seems you’re fine. Has she come to see you? She has freckles, red hair, and comes across a little careless.”

I swallow, my eyes shifting back and forth between Sam and Miss Carrigan. Interesting. I guess this conversation is truly taking a magnificent turn. I can use this to my advantage … in an oh-so-bad way.

Accompanying Song:
“Animals” by Muse

A knot forms in my stomach. The man I see is none other than Doctor Bailey.

What is he doing here?

How does he know Sebastian?

Is this some kind of conspiracy?

I can hear them speak through the door. Sebastian’s eyes constantly find mine, his face darkening with every passing second. My heart is beating like a drum as I watch the men speak. Another human in this house means there is a way for me to escape, if only I could get out of these cuffs. I jerk and tug, shove and pull, but it’s no use. I can’t get this door open without the key nor can I get these damn cuffs to come off. I need to get out. I can’t listen to another word they say. What if Sebastian rats me out? I don’t want to go back to the hospital. Anything but that. If Doctor Bailey finds me here, I’m dead.

Fear rushes through my veins as I watch Sebastian’s lips creep up into a smile as he flashes his eyes at me and then back at Doctor Bailey again. Oh, no. What is he going to do? He knows … he knows!

“No, she hasn’t come to me yet. Are you sure she’s out?” I hear him say. My heart skips a beat.

“Positive, we couldn’t find her anywhere, and we locked down all the wards just in case.”

“That’s troubling news.”

“Indeed. You should be careful. You don’t know what she’s capable of.”

“She’s the one with the trauma history?”

“Yeah, I believe so. Are you sure you haven’t seen her anywhere? She might’ve been inconspicuous; she has a knack for making herself almost invisible. Always the quiet one.”

“No, I haven’t seen her yet, but if I do, I’ll make sure to let you know.” The way he says it is so fake, and yet so believable. And he uses that exact same voice on me, too. Jesus, I can’t believe I’ve fallen for it every single time.

“Well, I just wanted to let you know, just in case you see her, do contact me immediately.”

“I will.”

“All right, thank you.” Doctor Bailey … he’s just as stupid as I am, because he’s packing up again and walking out the door as if he believes Sebastian, too.

Well, not that I mind; I want him gone more than I want him here. If he sees me, he might drag me out of here and take me back to the institution. That’s the last thing I want. So I keep quiet until the door shuts again and the noises have disappeared completely.

After a while, the key is pushed into the lock. I step back. The rattling unnerves me, and when the door opens, I stop breathing for a second, waiting for the words to pass his lips. His head is lowered, his eyes watching me from under the hoods.

“I know your little secret, Miss Carrigan.”

I swallow, stepping backward. He comes into the room and softly closes the door behind him.

“Come to me. There’s nowhere to hide.”

I shake my head and attempt to speak through the cloth in my mouth. “How do you know Doctor Bailey? What kind of crazy game are you playing here?”

He steps closer. “He’s just a friend of mine. Not that it matters to you. I know where you’re from.”

My breathing becomes heavy in this rag, adrenaline shooting through my veins. “Don’t.”

“You think you could keep this hidden for long? That I wouldn’t find out you were that girl in the hospital, secretly pining after me?” He smiles. “Yes, I knew you ran from the institution. Sam’s a good friend of mine. He told me long ago there was a girl in the mental hospital he works at who was obsessed with me. I thought it was quite interesting.”

I spit out the cloth a bit. “And still you asked me?”

“I was testing your faith in me. You failed.” He frowns. “Such a pity you lied.”

“Stay away!” I yell, walking backward until I reach the window.

He laughs. “There’s no need to panic. I didn’t. I knew all along that you were
that
girl. Sam had told me about you long ago … how dangerous you are … Of course, that’s his perception. I think you’re a beautiful woman who’s lost her flame, desperately seeking for someone to ignite her fire again.” He holds out his hand. “And I can do just that for you.”

“No …” I murmur. “I don’t believe you.” My heart is almost beating out of my chest. I look over my shoulder at the window, contemplating whether I can pry it open and jump out, if there’s even a ledge.

“You should. You’re a danger to yourself and me, but I can help fix that. I will keep you safe. Hidden. Away from them.”

My lips quiver. “Why? What’s in it for you?”

His lips part, his tongue darts out, and he licks his lips slowly. “Control.”

My eyes widen and I turn around, jerking at the window with cuffed hands in a desperate attempt to flee. I squeal as he wraps his arms around me and shoves me against the glass. “You can’t run, Miss Carrigan. This house is sealed shut.” I kick, but it’s no use. I can’t reach him, and he has me in a corner. Shit!

“Stop fighting me,” he says. “You can’t win this.”

“What are you going to do to me?”

“I haven’t decided yet. Although, I am very curious about
why
you were in the institution to begin with. Maybe I can help you with that.”