If Only She'd Loved Him

Chapter 10

"Good." He sat down on the edge of the trunk, flipping the knife between his hands. "We have a problem."

If Erik could have seen her face, he would have known that she considered any problem he had a very good thing, indeed. But it was too dark to see any expression.

"We're out of gas."

"So?" Megan retorted. Furious at being so close to escape, she forgot to be cautious.

"So, we need to get some," he replied. "But I don't trust you, not at all. You've just proved that I can't lock you back in that trunk." He kissed the top of her head. "The question is what do I do with you now?"

Hatred flowing, Megan stared deep into his eyes, refusing to answer, and in some way help him. He lifted her chin up with the blunt end of his knife.

"I'm afraid you've left me with only one choice."

Megan shrank back, her eyes wide and panicked. "Please Erik, I—"

He laughed at her reaction. "When are you going to learn I don't want to hurt you. I love you. And that is why I'm going to trust you."

Megan's eyes lit up. Shifting her hands, she kept the paperclip well hidden in her palm. Trust meant opportunity. "I am hurt, Erik. Please just let me go." She offered her wrists to him to examine. He frowned.

"Don't try to escape, and you won't get hurt, end of story." He paused, "Can I trust you?" he murmured, more to himself than to her.

"You can," she whispered. "I promise. You can." Her fingers pushed the paperclip deeper into her palm.

"I don't believe you for a minute," he said. "But I also don't have a choice."

One eye on her, he reached inside the trunk and coiled the rope around his shoulder. Megan watched him, not moving. Taking a firm grasp of her shoulder, he made her walk back to the passenger side of his car. There, he arranged the seatbelt across her body, momentarily trapping her hands below its strap. All the time he was concentrating on her, she was concentrating on the paperclip, keeping it well hidden from his eyes. Locking her inside, Erik hurried to get into the car before she could get free. But she didn't try to escape. He leaned across her.

"OK, sweetheart, I warned you before not to fight me. Don't disappoint me now." Reaching for her right hand, he unlocked it. Megan sat very still. Her palms were sweating so hard, she was certain she'd drop the clip on the floor and lose it all. But Erik didn't notice. Sliding the handcuff around the passenger side of the door, he reattached her hands around it.

"Good girl. If it hadn't been for that little lapse in the trunk back there, I'd say you're learning well."

Megan smiled back at him, but her hand felt the sharp end of the paperclip and relished its point. "Thank you," she paused, wanting to choke on the next word, but managing to get it out. "Sweetie."

Erik didn't notice the pause. He smiled back at her. "Maybe I can trust you after all." She felt a twinge of guilt as he smiled so innocently at her, but she blew it away by rubbing her hands together and feeling the metal scrape against her skin.

Erik started up the car and pulled back onto the road. "Now Megan," he warned her. "When I get gas, I'll be watching you the whole time. If you make a sound, or do something I don't like, innocent people could suffer because of you." His hand reached for her shoulder. He let it relax there, resting near her throat.

"You have my word of honor," Megan said, and meant it. "I won't make a sound while we're there."

"Good, sweetheart, that's wonderful to hear." He patted her on the knee. "But just remember how you act will affect others. I've gone to too much trouble now to let other people stand in my way. So you remember that. I'm not fooling around. Just sit quiet in the car, like a good girl, and nobody, including you, will get hurt." Megan half smiled and moved her body closer to him. Erik, not quite trusting, but still enjoying her change of attitude, slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She nestled as close as the handcuffs would permit her, laying her head on his arm.