Taken by Lies (Truth or Lies 1)

“My freedom.”

He ignores me as he always does.

“Actually…” I sit up straighter. “You can do something for me.”

His eyes grow big and an automatic smile forms.

“Can you arrange for blackout curtains to be installed in the room? And several locks on the door that can only be locked from the inside.”

He frowns.

“Westcott? Can that be arranged?”

“Yes, of course. Mr. Black wanted you to have anything you requested.”

“Except my freedom. I’m to stay locked in this room?”

“The door is never locked. You are not a prisoner in this room as much as you think you are. You are welcome downstairs or on the balcony or to visit the beach if you so wish.”

I smirk. I can go anywhere on the grounds where they can keep an eye on me.

“When is Enzo coming home?”

Westcott doesn’t answer me. But I think it’s because he doesn’t know, not that he was told not to tell me.

“Anything else, ma’am?”

I shake my head.

Westcott leaves me to try to muster down some of the food and drink. I decide to test the coffee and tea today. I should know which one I prefer. I taste both, and my stomach feels like hurling, the bitter taste they both leave in my mouth is too much for my bland tastebuds.

Gross, how do people drink either? I know some people want an IV of coffee hooked up to them, but I don’t understand why.

I sigh. I don’t like coffee or tea. I’m not sure I can like anything anymore.

I nibble more on the bacon. I guess I like the bacon.

I continue my best to eat, and within an hour there are men in the room installing curtains and more locks on the door. I try not to hide and shrink away when they enter the room, but I can’t help it.

They won’t hurt me, I repeat to myself. They won’t hurt me.

As soon as the men leave, I run to the door and close all the locks. Each one is different and uses a different mechanism to close along a different part of the door. Some high, some low, some in the middle. It would take a lot to get through the door.

Then I move to the curtains and close them tight. The room descends into blackness.

I smile.

Finally.

I might be able to sleep.

I go back to my corner of the room where it’s now dark enough to try to sleep even though it’s the middle of the day. And that’s what I do. I sleep.

My body is shivering uncontrollably in the tiny room the men left me in. It’s so fucking cold. I’m used to the cold. My body always runs cold, and our trailer doesn’t have heat. Not that we need it much in Miami, but we can’t afford jackets or blankets either.

I’m somewhere much colder than Miami.

I was unconscious when they brought me into the room.