Sleeping in my new bed was better than a mattress on the floor. It felt a little less like a prison but I still woke up earlier in the morning than I would normally. I was used to being a night owl that seeing the sun rising rather than setting put me in a bad mood.
Despite the early hour, Sand was nowhere to be found.
I showered and went to look for him in the dungeon. I was shocked to find that the items I had vetoed had in fact been removed. I hadn't been expecting that, especially as he had seemed to totally ignore my wants the previous night.
"I decided it would pose more of a challenge, being creative with what I had left," Dominic explained when he finally came downstairs to get me.
I couldn't quite believe that this was the reason but I didn't want to risk him putting them back, so I didn't say anything.
We ate breakfast together upstairs and I realised he was dressed in a suit.
"Why so fancy?" I asked, feeling unsatisfied by the fruit and nuts I had been offered as my only source of food.
Dominic looked at his watch. "I have to go to Edinburgh for a meeting today."
"You can't meet here?" I said, dreading being left bored all day.
"No, sometimes I will have to leave you but I have a housekeeper who will feed you should I have to leave for more than a day."
"Like a house cat?" I said bitterly.
"With claws and all," he mocked and got up from the table.
"Can't you take me with you? Clients love me," my voice caught in my throat as he turned on me, his expression dark.
"Yes, I know they do," he said in a way that told me he did not like to be reminded of the men I had seduced.
"I only meant I will be bored on my own all day."
"You will get used to it and perhaps in a few months, I may see fit to let you travel with me."
A sick feeling settled in my stomach. "A few months? I thought this would be a few weeks, max."
He tilted his head. "Whatever gave you that impression? You are mine until I no longer require you."
My mouth fell open. "Just like that?"
He raised one eyebrow and grinned. "Just. Like. That."
It made me suddenly angry, especially as I hadn't been able to tell my friends and family where I was. What would they be thinking? That I had been kidnapped or murdered? How did he expect to keep them from looking for me?
I could maybe justify being gone for a little while but long term, there was no way.
"I'm not staying here. I need to go home. This was fine when it was only for a short while but this isn't a game."
Dominic stepped towards me so he was large and looming; trying to intimidate me.
"Must you force me to put you back in your cage, little sprite?"
"You can't keep me here indefinitely."
"I think you'll find, I can."
He grabbed my arms and easily lifted me over his shoulder. I squealed and pounded his back but it did nothing but amuse him.
"At least let me stay up here!" I pleaded, knowing I couldn't fight him.
"I know what mischief you are likely to cause if I leave you to your own devices. You will stay in your room until I am home and learn some patience."
I yelled for him to put me down and tried to hold onto the door frame in vain. He carried me down the stairs and dropped me unceremoniously onto the sofa.
I scrambled up again. "What if I get hungry!"
"Lunch is in your fridge and I will be back before dinner," he said, casually walking up the stairs, knowing I was sensible enough not to tackle someone so large on the stairs.
"What if you get into a car crash and leave me down here to starve when no one knows I am here!"
"Well, then, you will just have to expedite your escape plans if that should occur."
I scowled at his obvious mockery and flipped him the bird behind his back as he closed the door.
I listened as he walked across the floor and heard the garage door open and car wheels on gravel then I turned to look at the room full of its mismatched furniture and growled in frustration. At Sand and at myself for being so god damned stupid!
I had been playing his game, making nice so he didn't murder me. It had all seemed like a dream. Like a reality show that would have my friends jumping out of the cupboards and laughing at me for falling for it. But, without Dominic here, directing this little drama, I was forced to accept my sitatuon as it was. I was being held against my will by a complete phycopath and I had a sinking feeling that this game of his was not going to stay fun.
And his obvious disbelief that I could escape here made me angry.
I spent the next few hours roaming the room. Checking it top to bottom. The stability of the triple paned glass, the seals on the little bedroom window, the ceiling panels. I even considered tunelling out Shawshank Redeption style.
I couldn't help looking at the camera in the corner, wondering if he was watching me, mocking my attempts at finding an escape.
At midday I checked the mini fridge for lunch and growled in frustration when I only found a salad. I decided to watch a movie to calm my mind. The great escape seemed like a suitable idea as I absently chewed on my unsatisfactory lunch.
I wished my laptop had turned up but it was going to be another few days.
In the afternoon I read a book by the window and my mind wandered. How was I supposed to stay here for so long? I was a social person, used to being every night and meeting new people or messing around with my friends. I couldn't remember the last time I had had more that one day not being out.
I found myself dozing when a sound from upstairs woke me. I peeled my face off the glass and listened as the garage door opened.
It was still early but I wondered if Sand had come back early. Maybe his meeting had gone well?
I didn't want to seem overly keen but I did get off the floor and sat on the sofa with my book, planning on acting as if I hadn't cared that he had left me all day. I didn't need him.
I heard movement but not much else from upstairs so I sighed, put my book down and went to the door at the top of the stairs.
I pressed my ear against the wood and was surprised to hear the sound of a Hoover.
This must be the cleaner he was talking about.
I took a few steps downstairs and found myself forming a plan.
I'd show him who couldn't escape.
In hindsight, I really hadn't thought it through at this point. For one, I hadn't even put any shoes on. I didn't know where the nearest town was, I had no food and no survival equipment, so what I did next was impulsive and, you guessed it, bloody stupid.
If Sand had a housekeeper then there was a high chance she would come downstairs. I could probably take her and if not, I was pretty confident I could outrun her. Especially if I caught her by surprise.
While the hoover was still making noise upstairs, I quickly dragged my giant beanbag over to the stairs as close as would seem natural, turned off the lights, hid behind it then waited.
And waited.
Just when my legs had started cramping, I heard the door bleep and a shaft of light came cascading down the stairs. I made myself as small as possible, waiting for my moment and hoping the cleaner wouldn't see me.
I had to admit, I wasn't expecting it to be a man, an older man, perhaps mid-fifties. How sexist of me to assume the housekeeper would be a woman.
I could debate gender roles in society with myself later. Right then I was more concerned with outrunning him.
I thought I probably could. He looked quite fit for someone so old but he wouldn't be expecting me.
He carried the hoover down the stairs with ease and dumped it at the bottom. He flicked on the lights and looked around my living space. He was reasonaby attractive in a Sean Connery on steroids kind of way but he had what I imagined was a permanent scowl on his face. I wondered if he was related to Dominic. He held himself in much the same way. As if he owned everything around him.
I thought about perhaps revealing myself. Maybe I could plead with him to help me. He might know about this room and what Sand was into, but I couldn't imagine someone being okay with holding someone against their will like this.
"He let this one go pretty quickly," he mumbled to himself as he started picking the pillows off the floor.
My heart dropped. So, he did know what Sand was up to. Perhaps he even joined in on occasion. I felt sick thinking about being double penetrated by Sand and this old man who could, for all I knew, be his father or uncle.
My fear began rising and I couldn't sit anymore. I waited until he bent to pick up a blanket and dashed for the stairs.
"Hey!" I heard him yell but I'd reached the still open door and kicked it closed behind me. Having to enter the code would waste a bit of time. I considered kicking in the keypad but I didn't know how fast this old guy was or if that would work the same as it did in the movies.
I dashed for the front door, not thinking about much else than getting out. I especially didn't think about grabbing shoes until my bare feet seemed to cave in as each individual stone on the gravel driveway dug into my pads.
I swore like a sailor trying to ignore the pain and launched myself at the car that was parked in the drive. It was another stupid move when I thought about it. Just because he kept the door open in the secluded woods, wouldn't mean he kept the keys in the car. As it turned out, the door was locked.
I had expected to hear him calling after me so I would know if he had reached the front door, but as I started running towards the woods, my eyes watering at the pain of the stones, I was yanked back by my hair with such force, I fell full on my arse.
I put one hand out to catch myself and my palm received the same treatment as my feet. I could feel that horrible stinging sensation of the surface skin being scraped off.
I didn't have time to think about it before I was being dragged backwards by my hair towards the house. I screamed loudly and clawed at his hand which just made him pull on me harder and faster.
"Please, stop! You don't understand!" I pleaded between squeals at my back becoming bruised on each concrete step as he dragged me up the stairs and back into the house. He threw me inside and shut the door behind us, locking it.
I scrambled away, trying to ignore the pain my body was in and stood up with a hop, my foot feeling wet with something I hoped wasn't my blood.
"Get back here," I heard him growl before he grabbed my hair again. This time I managed to elbow him in the solar plexus.
He let out a wheezing breath but didn't let go.
"Please, I'm not who you think I am. I'm here against my will. Please help me," I tried again. He grabbed my wrist which had been trying to get his hand off my hair. He pinned it painfully behind my back, so hard I thought he might pull it out of its socket.
"What makes you think I care?" he growled in my ear. He had a heavy Scottish accent, his voice deep and rasping. So much more menacing than Sand's despite the age difference.
"Stop! You're hurting me."
"You don't know what pain is, girl, but you're about to find out."
AUTHOR NOTE:
Apologies for any spelling errors. My Grammarly has decided to die on me :)
So, pretty crap first escape attempt by Faye. Especially stupid not to take shoes but she was being impulsive.
How do you think Sand is going to react to her attempt? Or more, how will this stranger react?