Claimed

Why hadn’t she realized any of this was going on? She would never have walked with him into that empty car garage if she’d had even an inkling of his twisted obsession. She shuddered to think how well he’d hidden it behind his tailored suits and bland smiles.

James whipped his head in her direction. His face, she saw, was half-covered with shaving cream. He gestured toward her with his razor. “You about done? When I’m finished shaving, you’re done bathing, so be quick about it.”

He turned back to the mirror. Kelsey’s skin was raw from scrubbing, but she still felt dirty and violated. She leaned back in the hot water, wishing she could somehow wash this whole nightmare away.

“Okay.” James turned to her, wiping a trace of shaving cream from his face with a hand towel. “I’ll shower when I get back. If you want anything to eat before I leave, you better hop to.” He clapped his hands impatiently as if she were some kind of trained animal.

Not daring to refuse him, Kelsey hauled herself to her feet. He tossed a towel in her direction. She climbed out, wrapping it around her body. “Come with me into the bedroom. I don’t trust you alone,” he ordered.

The gun was in the bedroom. If she could get to it before he did…

As she followed him into the bedroom, her eyes moved toward his night table, and the gun resting carelessly on top of it. She measured the distance between herself and the weapon. If she sprinted fast enough…

The moment was lost as James strode toward the night table and picked up the gun. He waved it at her and gestured toward the bed. “Sit down and don’t move while I get dressed.”

Kelsey moved toward the bed, keeping the towel clutched around her body. She watched him as he dressed. He kept the gun in one hand while he pulled on his underwear and pants. He placed the gun on top of the bureau while he pulled on one of his perfectly starched white shirts and buttoned it, his eyes never leaving her.

To avoid his gaze, Kelsey looked around the bedroom, taking in the literally dozens of pictures of her hung so carefully on every wall. Some had been taken while she sat at her desk or in the break room. There were some of her eating lunch with the girls on a park bench, one of her waiting at the bus stop, one of her standing at the mailboxes at her apartment complex. Even more chilling, she recognized some from her Facebook photo albums. These were only visible to her Facebook friends, yet somehow, he’d accessed them. What other parts of her life had he violated?

Her eyes returned to the gun, but James stood between it and her. Somehow, she had to get that thing before James left the house, as it was clear he didn’t plan to take her with him.

James dressed quickly, transforming into the well-dressed, mild-mannered loan analyst she’d thought she knew. Her heart sank as he picked up the gun and slid it into his jacket pocket. “Stand up,” he ordered. “Drop the towel and put your hands behind your back.”

Instinctively, Kelsey scooted back on the bed and away from him. James bent down and grabbed her roughly by the arm, pulling her from the bed and to her feet. “Damn it, Kelsey. Do what I say!” The towel fell to the ground. Still gripping her wrist, James reached for one of the neckties he’d used on her ankles.

Roughly he pulled her arms behind her back. Kelsey didn’t dare struggle too much. James might just be insane enough to shoot her dead, in spite of his freaky obsession with her. He forced her arms up high on her back and she winced with pain.

“Please,” she begged. “You’re hurting me.”

“Stay still and do as you’re told, and I won’t have to hurt you, Kelsey.” To her relief, he allowed her to lower her arms enough so that it didn’t hurt. He tied her wrists so they were resting one above the other, her forearms parallel to the ground. When he was done, he knotted another tie around her neck like a leash and gave it a tug.

“Come on. Let’s get something to eat before I go. I won’t be gone long. Just long enough to get our story in place at the office.”

Kelsey stumbled along beside James as he pulled her by the makeshift leash. He led her into the kitchen and pushed her down onto a chair, one of two at a small table set against the wall. She perched on the edge of the seat, trying to keep her balance with her arms bound behind her back.

James was staring down at her with hungry eyes. She felt incredibly vulnerable, with her bare breasts thrust forward by her position, and she flushed with furious embarrassment beneath James’ gawping stare.