Dark Obsessions Vol II

by Thompson, Claire

  “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. He walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. She followed, and 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 had access to 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,” he said, but 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 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.

  Finally he tore his gaze from her and moved toward the counter. “Would you like some coffee?” His tone was scarily conversational. “Sorry, I don’t have any cream. I take my coffee black. I didn’t realize you’d uh, be staying over or I would have been more prepared.”

  Staying over? Was this asshole for real? Kelsey didn’t reply, but James didn’t seem to notice. He pulled two mugs from the cabinet and busied himself with the pot.

  Kelsey sat numbly on the chair, desperately trying to come up with a plan. She had to get out of this surreal nightmare, but how?

  James opened the refrigerator and returned with a butter plate and a jar of preserves, which he set on the table. He slid four pieces of toast into the toaster and then poured coffee into the mugs. “Two sugars, right?” He looked positively smug.

  Kelsey wanted to scream. She wanted to spit in his face. She wanted to leap up and kick him as hard as she could in the balls. But her eyes were drawn like a magnet to the bulge in his jacket pocket, and she only nodded.

  She watched as he slipped into the chair across from her and added sugar into one of the mugs, again apologizing for not having cream. He stood again when the toast popped up. In spite of her fear, the toast smelled good, and Kelsey realized she was starving.

  She watched hungrily as James buttered the toast, wishing she could pick up her damn coffee mug and take a swallow, or better yet, hurl the contents in the bastard’s face.

  “You like jelly? It’s apricot.”

  Kelsey nodded again. James smeared the preserves over a slice of toast. He held it to her mouth. “Have some.”

  She took a bite, savoring the crunch of the toast against the explosion of melted butter and apricot preserves, startled at how good it tasted, in spite of her predicament. James took a bite from the same piece and then lifted his coffee mug to his lips. After he drank, he lifted the other mug and held it close. Kelsey parted her lips as he carefully tipped some of the hot liquid into her mouth. It was strong and sweet, and though she missed the cream, it, too, tasted much better than it had a right to.

  Thus he fed her, alternating bites with her, and sips of coffee, until all the food was gone. James glanced at his watch. “I better get going. I need to talk to Reynolds and get things settled with human resources. I won’t be long, though. A couple of hours, max.”

  “You’re going to leave me here alone?” Kelsey blurted, and then at once regretted the outburst. Better to be alone. Maybe she’d be able to escape in his absence.

  James patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry. You’ll be perfectly safe. I know just what to do with you.” He bent toward her and tugged at the makeshift leash around her neck. “Come on. No dawdling. We’re going downstairs. I’ll show you to your, uh, accommodations.” He chuckled as if at some private joke. With no choice in the matter, and mindful of the gun still in the man’s pocket, Kelsey allowed herself to be pulled upright.

  James led her down narrow stairs into a finished basement that contained various pieces of expensive-looking home gym equipment. He pulled open a door on a room no bigger than a closet. There was a large dog bed on the floor, and nothing else.

  “You’ll stay here while I’m gone. That bed belonged to Sophie, my dear, departed yellow Lab. She died two years ago and I never had the heart to get another pooch. Good thing I saved the bed, though, huh? You can sit on it while you wait for me.”

  Kelsey stared at the dog bed, a few stray dog hairs still evident on the fabric that covered it. He wanted her to wait in a closet in the basement? Was he out of his fucking mind?

  Of course, she already knew that yes, he was. Better in the closet than in his bed, with him rutting on top of her. “My arms?” she said. “Could you please untie my arms while you’re gone?”

  James pursed his lips, considering this. Finally he shook his head. “I don’t think so. You’ll be fine like that. The bonds aren’t that tight, and I won’t be gone long.” He pushed her into the closet with a firm hand.

  Before she could react, he slammed the door closed, plunging the tiny room into darkness. She heard the doorknob jiggling and then the sound of heavy footsteps receding as he climbed the basement stairs.

  Miserably, Kelsey moved cautiously toward the wall, stepping gingerly onto the thick, spongy dog bed. She lowered herself carefully to her knees and let herself fall onto her side. The bed still smelled of dog, a warm, welcoming
odor that brought back childhood. Tears rolled down her face and she sniffled.

  “My god,” she whispered to the dark. “What’s going to happen to me?”

  Chapter 4

  “I must say, I’m quite surprised, Jim.” Bob Reynolds ran a hand through his thick mane of silver hair, a serious expression on his tanned face. “Kelsey Rowan struck me as a serious young woman, not the flighty type at all.”

  James nodded soberly, ignoring the man’s persistence in calling him Jim, even after years and countless requests to call him James. “I agree, sir. You could have knocked me over with a feather when I got her message this morning. I’d have at least expected a little notice, even if we didn’t ask her to stay on for the full two weeks.”

  “Did she say where she went?” Reynolds pressed his hands flat on his huge, shiny desk. “First Savings & Loan’s been trying to steal away some of our lending officers.” He balled his hand into a fist and pounded his desk. “Damn it, did she take proprietary files with her?”

  “No, no,” James said quickly. “That was the first thing I checked, believe me. She didn’t take a thing from her desk, not even her personal items. She just said she’s quitting effective immediately and moving out of the state.” He leaned forward conspiratorially. “I’m guessing it’s something, uh, personal. You know, guy trouble. Or something worse. You never know these days. It’s a shame though. She was starting to really contribute to the team. And now…” James drew in a deep breath and let it out as a long sigh. “Now, in light of the other news I have to tell you, it’s especially unfortunate that we’ll be understaffed.” He pressed his lips together and looked down at his lap, blinking rapidly as if to fight away the tears.

  “What?” Reynolds demanded. “What do you have to tell me? Is there something wrong?”

  James drew in a deep breath, as if girding himself for what he was about to say. He looked up directly into Reynolds’ pale blue eyes. “Um. Well, in a word, yes.”

  “What is it, Jim? More trouble with your staff?”

  “No. It’s, uh,” James hesitated, and then plunged on, “it’s personal. I guess I’ve been putting it off—using work as an excuse to keep from focusing on the possibility something might be wrong. I—I finally went to the doctor earlier this week when the pain just got too bad. I got the results of the lab work yesterday evening and it’s really thrown me for a loop. It seems I have,” he paused and swallowed hard, putting a brave face on it, “a rare kind of cancer.”

  “Cancer!” Reynolds exploded. “But you’re so young!”

  “Yeah.” James gave a defeated shrug and, for extra effect ran his hand over his eyes. “My mom died of cancer. I guess,” he let his voice crack, “I guess it runs in the family.”

  Reynolds had risen to his feet. He stepped around the desk and came to James, clapping him firmly on the shoulder. “You’ll need a second opinion. Damn it, we’ll fight this thing. When’s the last time you had a vacation, anyway?”

  Perfect.

  “Gosh, it’s been a while, sir. Work’s been so busy and—”

  “Damn it, Jim. That’s part of your problem. Life’s too short. Haven’t you heard that old adage about all work and no play? You need to take some time off, man. Get that second opinion, rest up, figure out how you’re going to lick this thing.”

  “But my staff—”

  Bob help up his hand. “Forget about your staff. Forget about the damn bank. Take a week, two weeks, all the time you need. I’ll talk to HR. We’ll get that end sorted out. Your job will still be here when you get back, don’t worry. Your number one job right now is to get better. Got it?”

  “But my work—”

  “No buts. Now get the hell out of here. I’ll talk to your staff myself. Go on.”

  James stood, making a show of his reluctance. He felt almost guilty when Reynolds suddenly grabbed him in a bear hug and said in a strangled voice, “Hang in there, Jim. You’ll beat this thing. I know you will.”

  James drummed the steering wheel as he drove. His body felt light, his muscles taut with nervous energy. If he could have run home instead of driven, he would have been glad for the release. “I did it. I fucking did it!” he shouted over the pulsing beat of the song on the radio.

  It had been so easy. Laughably easy. He shook his head as he thought about the way Bob Reynolds’ face had crumpled with pity at James’ mention of the word cancer. It was one of those words that made people turn away, not wanting to probe too much, not willing to ask the questions that might make them think about their own mortality. He hadn’t even had to bring up the idea of sick leave or vacation—Reynolds had beaten him to it.

  It felt odd to be driving in the wrong direction, whizzing past the three lanes of cars inching forward toward the skyscrapers in the distance. He hadn’t been lying in that regard—it had been a long time since he’d taken any vacation, or even the occasional sick day. Shit, he could probably take off a full six months and still not use all his accrued time.

  Not that he was going back.

  There was no going back.

  He could never let her go. No matter what threats he made or promises he extracted, he could never trust that Kelsey would remain silent.

  The only way forward was together. Whether bound by hate or love, they were bound forever. For him, of course, it was love. He hadn’t meant to force her, but the passion behind the act remained pure in its essence. He loved her. He had loved Kelsey Anne Rowan from the first moment he’d seen her face. It was as if he’d been waiting all his life to find her, though he hadn’t known until the moment he saw her that he’d been waiting.

  He wasn’t foolish enough to think Kelsey felt anything close to love for him at this point. He would have to teach her about love. True love. The kind of love that made you willing to die for another person.

  He pulled into his driveway and slid the car into the garage. “Honey, I’m home,” he called out with a grin as he burst into the kitchen. Tugging at his tie, he pulled it from his shirt and draped it, along with his suit jacket, over a kitchen chair. He picked up the handgun from where he’d left it on the table. Pulling open the basement door, he thundered down the stairs.

  Reaching the storage closet, he turned the lock in the doorknob and yanked the door open. Kelsey was lying on her side. Her eyes flew open as he entered the space and crouched beside her. Her bare breasts looked so luscious. He couldn’t help it—he reached out and stroked the impossibly soft skin, his hand sliding to her nipple, which he rolled between finger and thumb. His cock strained in his pants.

  Kelsey whimpered at his touch, her eyes swinging to the gun in his hand. He followed her frightened gaze to the weapon. “As soon as you can show me you aren’t going to try anything stupid, we can put this thing away.”

  “I won’t, I promise.” He wanted to believe her. “Can you untie me?” she begged. “My arms are asleep.” Her eyes were red, her cheeks streaked with tears, her nose running.

  James felt a sharp pang of remorse at how he’d left her, but what choice had he had? “You promise? I don’t want to have to hurt you.”

  She struggled to sit upright. “I promise, James.”

  James.

  Even in her fear, she caressed the word with her throaty, sexy voice. She had never called him Jim.

  He set the gun carefully on the floor just outside the closet. Reaching forward, he helped Kelsey to sit and then hoisted her by her shoulders to a standing position. Tugging at the tie he’d left knotted loosely around her neck, he led her out of the closet and turned her body so he could untie her wrists. Her hands were purple and he made a mental note not to tie her so tightly next time.

  For there would be a next time. He found he was quite aroused by the sight of his girl bound in his neckties. Even if he had ruined them, it had definitely been worth it. It turned him on more than he’d expected to see her helpless and at his mercy.

  He had always enjoyed bondage and BDSM porn sites, even if he’d never before dared t
o incorporate that kind of play in real life. But the rules were different now. There were no rules, except those he chose to make! The thought made his cock throb.

  As the ties fell away, Kelsey’s arms flopped down to her sides. James shoved the ties into his pocket and reached for her arms, rubbing them gently for a few moments. Bending down, he retrieved the handgun and waved it toward the small bathroom he’d had installed in the basement so he could wash up after his workouts.

  “Go wash your face and use the toilet if you need to. Don’t dawdle.” Kelsey did as she was told, while James waited impatiently outside the open door.

  When she was done, he again gestured with his gun, this time toward the gym equipment. “Go over there and lie down on your back on the weight bench,” he ordered.

  “But—”

  “No.” He cut her off. “No buts. Don’t say a word. Do what I say. Do it now.” James pointed the gun at her, and Kelsey did as she was told. She lay on her back, balancing herself with a leg on either side of the bench, feet flat on the ground. She wrapped her arms protectively over her torso.

  “Don’t move,” James commanded, giving her a stern glare.

  Keeping his eye on her, he moved quickly toward the work area. He opened the tool cabinet and rummaged until he found a neatly coiled hank of clothesline rope. Reaching for his work scissors, he returned quickly to Kelsey, who looked incredibly hot lying naked on his weight bench.

  Sitting on the seat of the rowing machine, James rested the gun carefully in the water bottle holder. Kelsey was watching him with those lovely big green eyes as he cut several long pieces of rope. He stood and moved toward her.

  “Please, James,” she begged, hugging herself tighter. “Don’t do this—”

  “Kelsey,” James interrupted firmly. “I said don’t say a word, remember?” Bending down, he pressed two fingers over her pretty lips. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

  She whimpered, tears springing to her eyes, but she gave a slight nod. Satisfied, James removed his hand. “Good. Now, I want you to reach up and grab the weight bar. Grip it nice and tight.”