The night is clear, the moon slowly waning in the darkness, and the stars bright, shimmering prickles of diamonds in the ink of the sky. I’m dressed, the car is ready, and I have everything I need. I’ve never done this before, stolen someone from their home.
In the past, I wouldn’t second-guess myself, but after learning about my father’s dirty dealings, I feel like I’m turning into him. Even though I’m trying to save her, Vera isn’t going to like the fact that I’m taking her without her permission.
Kidnapping.
Stalking.
All of this is wrong, but I can’t stop myself now. As I drive down the main road and toward her building, I play out in my mind all the ways this could go wrong. She could scream. Her neighbors could call the cops. She could try to run, hurt herself.
Or it could be as simple as walking in, injecting her with the drug, and sweeping her into my arms and walking out of her apartment without anybody noticing.
I watch her window from the street, and I wonder if she can sense me here in the darkness. But she shuts her curtain before turning out the light. I wait, inhaling a deep breath, focusing on the job at hand.
When my father sent me out on jobs, I would be confident, didn’t give a shit what happened to me, but this time, it’s not only my life on the line. Perhaps that makes it even more dangerous than it should be.
I head down to the car and start the engine. I planned this over the past few days, and me slipping through her window was a test to see if I could do it. So, I know my way up and the way down. I pull onto a small back road and stop right behind her apartment block.
Thankfully, it’s dark, and there doesn’t seem to be anybody lurking around. The rope and tape, along with the syringe, are all in hand as I ascend the steps. Nervousness sparks through me, and I silently ask for her forgiveness.
When I reach the second floor, I stop, listening for any noise from Vera’s neighbor, but it seems the apartment is dead-quiet. Pulling my lockpicking device from my pocket, I crouch and work the door until I hear the familiar click.
It’s so quiet I can hear my heart beating. The exhilaration of doing something wrong still sparks excitement in my veins. Inside the apartment, I make my way through the darkness, my eyes slowly adjusting to the surroundings as I move.
There’s a lamp shining from inside her living room, which casts the rest of the apartment in a yellow shadow. When I reach her bedroom door, it’s open, and there, on the king-sized bed, is my beauty.
She’s asleep, her eyes closed, her body draped in the sheet, and her chest rising and falling gently as she dreams. I wonder briefly if I’m in those dreams. Am I on her mind as she lies unconscious?
My cock hardens painfully against my zipper when I move closer. Her nipples are hard against the smooth white material of her tank top. I pull the syringe from my pocket and tug the cap off before testing a small squirt of sedative.
When I lean in, I catch her scent, vanilla, and pine. It’s an interesting combination, heady and sweet, yet so familiar I’m painfully aching to be with her, inside her.
The moment the needle enters her smooth, soft flesh, her eyes snap open, and her mouth gapes. But I’m faster, and my hand lands on her mouth, catching her scream in my palm. Her eyes are wide, fear shining in them as she tries to make out what is happening.
When she realizes it’s me, she halts all fight, but I put that down to the drug rather than her accepting it’s me about to steal her. Once her lashes flutter and she’s asleep once more, I scoop her up and take her through to the living room where I lay her on the sofa.
I move quickly, grabbing a rucksack from her closet and filling it with clothes, her laptop, and some personal items from her nightstand, including the bracelet I gave her. She may not forgive me right away, but one day, she’ll realize this is for her own good.
Once we’re in the car, it doesn’t take long for me to head out onto the highway and out of the small town she called home. The cabin is waiting, and I know soon enough, I’ll have to keep her locked up until she comes to terms with her new home.
I can only pray it’s enough to keep her safe.
9
Vera
A loud crash has me shooting up from the soft mattress I’m lying on, and my eyes snap open in shock. My head feels groggy, and my throat is dry as if I had a whole bottle of wine last night.