Creep - Jennifer Hillier [59]
Morris again. Sheila watched his jaw work in anger. Such irony in his words, considering he’d locked her away from civilization. “I’m sorry I implied that, Ethan. I don’t believe you should be locked away.” The lie almost stuck in her throat. “I’m just scared. You can understand that, can’t you? And if it makes you feel any better, Morris knows everything. I told him about my sex addiction, and the affair. There won’t be any happy little life, even if you do let me go.”
Ethan looked genuinely surprised. He hadn’t expected that. “Yeah, but you had an appointment to finalize wedding plans. He was still going to marry you.”
“I don’t know if the wedding would have happened.” She was being truthful now. “He was so disgusted. It would be a miracle if he forgave me.”
“Did you tell him it was me?”
“Of course not. I didn’t want him to be able to picture it. I’ve already ruined everything.”
Ethan’s jaw finally relaxed. “I’d tell you I’m sorry, but I’m not. The thought of you and him together—” He turned his head away again.
Sheila stared at him, incredulous. She waited a moment but he didn’t continue. “Ethan, you don’t want me to be with him? Is that what this is about?” She tried to process this new revelation. “I’m here because you’re jealous?”
He pulled something small and silver from the back waistband of his jeans and walked toward her. It was the gun. She flinched at the sight of it. She hadn’t realized that he’d been armed this whole time. Her wrists burned as she reflexively strained against the cuffs.
He frowned at her reaction. “Relax. I’m just taking it out so you don’t try anything stupid. You want answers, right?”
She nodded, afraid where this was going. “Yes.”
Ethan clicked the gun. “There. I just took the safety off. This gun has a particularly sensitive trigger. I’m going to uncuff one of your hands, so I suggest you don’t do anything to make me shake or jerk.”
“I’m not stupid.”
“No, but you’re desperate.” Ethan leaned in toward her, his face only inches from hers. “I’ll tell you what you want to know. Hell, I’ll show you. But to do that, I’m going to have to take the handcuffs off. Don’t do anything stupid. I won’t think twice about shooting you in the face.” His cinnamon breath wafted over her. To think she’d once found that alluring. Now it made her nauseous. “Do you believe me, Sheila?”
She nodded. He put the gun to her temple gently. The cold steel felt like fire.
“This is how we’re going to do it. I’m going to unlock your right hand first. Don’t move until I tell you. You do, and your brains will be splattered all over Anderson Cooper’s pretty face. Still with me?”
She was afraid to nod under the pressure of the gun, so she simply said, “Yes.”
“If you’re good, I might even let you take a bath and brush your teeth. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
There was a bathroom here? Then why the fuck was she in this diaper?
“Now where was I?” Ethan said. “Oh, right. After I uncuff your hand, you can do the other one, then you can do your legs. Once that’s done, we’ll walk over to the next room, and I’ll show you what it is you’re so eager to know. Capiche?”
“Capiche.” She was beginning to wonder whether she even wanted to see what was in the next room, but she sure as hell wanted to get out of this awful bed.
He pulled a key out of his jacket pocket, the gun never leaving her forehead. Leaning over her, he unlocked the cuff of her right hand. She could smell the cologne he always wore and couldn’t stop herself from shuddering.
Was it really only a few weeks ago she’d had fantasies about being draped in his scent?
“Take the key,” Ethan said. “Move slowly. No sudden movements.”
“As if I could overpower you.”
“The gun keeps you from trying. Which makes it easier for both of us.” He held out the key. “This ain’t my first time at the rodeo.”
It was something Morris would have said.
She took the key from him with an arm that was practically numb. Her shoulder muscles screamed when she moved her left arm toward her right. She bit her lip in pain.
“I guess I could