Love's Arithmetic

XXVI: Nefarious

The first thing that registered in Garrett’s mind was the slight breeze over most of his body. He wasn’t cold, by any means, but he didn’t feel as optimally comfortable as he would like to be.


The second thing his mind registered was the pull in his arms. Trying to bring them down out of the position they were in caused him pause. They wouldn’t move, despite his struggles. Opening his eyes cautiously he looked up at his arms and discovered himself handcuffed to the bed.


Fear instantly coursed through his veins as he realized that he was helpless to protect Caer. His mind jumped to the conclusion that Toby had found them and somehow managed to get him into the bed and handcuff him. But why keep him alive?


How did I even get here? He wondered to himself as he wracked his brain for what had happened leading up to this moment. The last thing he remembered was unlocking Caer from the handcuffs and getting a neck massage. She had made him something to eat and had been so congenial even after what he had done to her. Especially after the bruises on her wrists.


“CAER!” He roared as he realized that Toby hadn’t broken into the house, instead he had been duped by a beautiful blonde woman with a mind much more cunning than anyone realized.


That same gorgeous blonde appeared in the doorway smiling sweetly. “Yes Garrett?” She asked moving toward the bed looking down at him. “Is there something you need?”


“To be released.” He growled out. “You’re in danger without me here to help you!” He shook the handcuffs reminding her of why she was there.


She smiled and reached down with her hand and ran her finger down his chest. His stomach tightened and he groaned as he tried not to think about it. “Danger?” She said quietly, leaning down close to his ear, her lips brushing his skin. “Who doesn’t like a little danger once in a while?” She ran her tongue along his jaw line. “Besides, there’s a nice detective sitting outside the door who is ready to protect me. And he’s not about to handcuff me for no reason.”


Fighting the sexual urges he was feeling, Garrett tried to stay focused, “Caer, a cop isn’t going to be able to protect you from Toby.” He opened his eyes and looked at her face. “Don’t you remember what he did to you?” He watched and hated himself as he saw the fear and the pain register in her face as she remembered.


“He’ll do that and worse if he gets you again. This next time when he finds you he won’t have someone to pull him off you. And there’ll be rage that you got away from him.” He looked her right in the eye, “You won’t die until the last moment. You’ll suffer beyond any comprehension you have of pain. You thought you were in pain when he hurt you before? Just wait, when he gets a hold of you it will make that look like a scrape on the knee. Let me go, I can keep you safe.” He hoped that his explanation would be enough to convince her to let him go.


Watching her face he watched as she contemplated his words, “A few months ago I offered to watch after my neighbor’s dog for a weekend. On the last day I was ambushed, my arms pulled behind my back, tied tightly, the entire lower half of my face covered in duct tape, pulling at my hair and my skin.


“I was threatened with a knife and then forced into the trunk of a car for several hours. When I tried to escape from this terrifying situation I was humiliated. I then spent the next while shackled to a bed. That left me vulnerable for an attack that I couldn’t combat. And guess who put me there?” The hand on his chest turned into a claw as she used her nails to scrape down the length of his chest to his stomach. “The very man who is professing to want to protect me.


“I’m going to protect myself. I don’t need your help Garrett. But don’t worry, I’ve got some people coming to help you.” She held up his phone a picture of him lying almost fully naked, handcuffed to the bed. “If they decide that you’re worth it they’ll be here soon I suppose. When they get here I’ll be gone. I’m going someplace I know is safe. A place that you can’t find me.”


She placed the phone on his stomach, out of his reach no matter what he did. The keys to the handcuffs she had strung from the ceiling on a hook he’d never noticed was there. “To taunt you like you taunted me. Enjoy the wait, duchess.” She mocked and pulled out a roll of silver duct tape.


Despite his desperate struggles she managed to tape his mouth. Caer put her hand to her mouth and then placed it on the tape that held his shut. “I never want to see you again.” She said quietly and walked away.


Garrett’s struggles intensified violently. She was walking into danger. He didn’t know where Toby was, but he did know that he was nearby and that he was ready and waiting for the opportunity to strike. If he got her the chances of him finding her were slim to none. Even if he did find her, she would probably be dead by the time he even managed to find out where she was.


The pain of that thought was almost too much to bear. Caer, with her green eyes that gave her away every time, her silly obsession with her hair, her constant perseverance in any situation. She’ll fight him, and he’ll enjoy it and it will only hurt her more.


Garrett closed his eyes and prayed with all his heart that someone would come and let him go so he could rescue the only woman he’d ever loved.


* * * * * * * * * * *


 


Caer felt horrible that she had been so mean to Garrett, but she didn’t want him around. She just wanted to escape to be left alone with no reminders of that horrible time when she’d been kidnapped.


Now she was running away in his car, using it to throw off confusion if Toby did happen to be watching her car. She didn’t know how good her disguise was, but surely Toby would be expecting her to come out with Garrett in her car. He wouldn’t expect a man coming out alone in a car that looked like Garrett’s with different license plates.


She had pulled on a baseball cap and stuffed all of her hair up in it. An oversized sweatshirt and Garrett’s own sunglasses completed her outfit. Someone would have to look hard to realize that it was her in the car and that person would have to be expecting her. Hopefully she would be able to get to Upstate New York without anyone knowing it was her.


She had no way of knowing someone already knew it was her and had no intention of her getting very far.