Tied (Owned 2.50)

“I don’t have any friends,” the girl said suspiciously. “At least none that could have helped.”

“You hungry?” I asked. I wasn’t about to explain myself. I never did. The girl eyed me suspiciously.

“No,” she lied. I grunted my disbelief and left her. If she wanted to die of starvation, so be it. When I reached the kitchen I had every intention of making only one sandwich. Yet, as I prepared the ham, the cheese, and the lettuce for myself, I couldn’t eat it. I thought of the frightened girl in my bed.

“God fucking dammit.” I set my sandwich down, grabbed a glass of water, and walked back into the bedroom. “Here.” I shoved the sandwich at her, but she knocked my hand away.

“I don’t want it.” The girl was clearly starving. Her face was gaunt, black shadows marring the skin beneath her hypnotic hazel eyes, yet she refused to eat. She looked at the meal I gave her with disdain. I may as well have given her spiders.

I folded my arms, regarding her. “I don’t do this for everyone, you know.”

“Lucky me,” she spat, glaring at the sandwich.

“You want to starve?” I glared. “Because that’s what’s going to happen. Eat.” I gave her another chance at the sandwich, watching the machinations in her eyes. She was beyond starving, near death. She needed the sandwich, but she didn’t want to acknowledge my help. She’d given up too much already.

I could relate to that.

I placed the sandwich on the nightstand and left. I heard her scrambling as I shut the door.

* * *

I spent the night in the living room. I didn’t sleep, but then I rarely slept, and I wasn’t about to start when a girl under my protection slept in the next room.

When the sun came up I made breakfast. I always kept the safe house

stocked with the essentials: milk, eggs, bread, butter, etc. I scrambled the eggs, put the bread in the toaster, and when it was done I walked into my bedroom.

The girl was already awake, staring at the door as if she expected me to come through.

“I made you breakfast.” I gestured at the tray I was holding. She glared at me and my peace offering.

“Why are you doin’ this?” she asked. The blanket I’d wrapped her in was pulled around her shoulders, and I realized I hadn’t given her a spare change of clothes, or shown her to the shower. This was the first time I’d ever taken a target to my home. I wasn’t used to it, obviously.

“Do you need some clothes?” I asked, ignoring her question.

“Answer me,” she pushed. “Is this some kind of fetish? You feed me before you fuck me?”

I coughed, trying to hide a laugh. “Not exactly.” The girl glared at me again. I set down the tray of food, the same way I had the night before, and told her where to find a spare change of clothes. Before leaving, I explained how to use the shower.

I waited outside the door, feeling like a sentry. An hour later I heard the shower. I waited another thirty minutes before returning. I had thought she was mesmerizing before, I thought I was speechless before, but seeing her freshly showered in my clothes…it did something to me. It woke up some primal, caveman-like feeling.

Her hair was wet and dripping and it made a small wet spot on the shirt she wore—my shirt. It was oversized, at least four times bigger than she was, but she looked beautiful.

“What the fuck is happening to me…” I whispered to myself.

“Excuse me?” she asked.

“I said, do you want anything?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “Some fucking answers would be nice.”

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” I grinned. She frowned, looking away. Fuck. I’m a fucking idiot. I’m trying to be charming over here and this girl has been traumatized. “I mean, my name is Charlie.”

“I’m Vera,” she offered meekly. I could have said I knew that; Vic had given me all of Vera’s information. I knew her name, her mother’s name, I even knew her sign: Gemini. I didn’t, though, because it was a big step for her to tell me her name.

“Well, Vera,” I said. “What do you want to know?” I walked slowly to the bed, knowing if I sat down and acknowledged this, whatever this was, it would be catastrophic. I’d kept my distance from the girl. I’d played around with whatever was happening to me, but now I was calling her by her name.

Vera.