Tease Me (Private Listing #4)

Anna should have left and gotten help, not waited for me. Who knows what the stalker would do with her? I should have insisted, but what if Hope needs medical attention?

I pull the gag out of Hope’s mouth.

“You shouldn’t be here.” Hope’s voice is hoarse and low. “He knew you’d come for me.”

“I wouldn’t leave you here by yourself.” I reach for the rope binding her wrist. “Yesterday I was worried about you, but I got attacked and forgot to follow up. I’m so sorry.”

She shakes her head. “He has my phone. He made it look like I texted in sick. I live alone, so anything could happen and no one would have known. Jason would check, if I didn’t show up after a few days.”

“I called him earlier. He said he would check on you.” I release one wrist and move to the next. “Do you know who the stalker is?”

Hope shakes her head. “No. He disguises his voice and wears all black. For all I know it could be a different guy every time he comes down. I’m not even sure where we are. He releases me to use the bathroom, but that’s it.”

If there’s more than one of them, we’re screwed. I might be able to get away from one guy, but for how long? When he chased me down the stairwell, he still had plenty of energy and I was burning mine out. And this time I’ll need to make sure Hope gets away too.

When I move down to her ankle, she sits up to rub her wrist. Footsteps walk overhead and we both pause and look up. My breath catches as fear grips my heart tight.

It sounds like he’s dragging something across the floor. Fuck, could that be Anna? My hands shake. A door opens and closes. Everything inside me freezes, waiting, worrying that his next trip will be down those stairs. The steps walk back across.

“Hurry,” Hope whispers and leans forward to untie her other ankle.

My phone buzzes and my heart clatters to a halt.

Unknown:

You’re not supposed to be trapped, little one.

Anger pours through me, hot and heavy.

Me:

You’re the one that trapped me.

Unknown:

I saved you, little one.

You weren’t safe at that company anymore.

Me:

The only threat to me is you

Unknown:

Poor little one. I’m not the one that chased you.

I don’t play those types of games

Not like your beloved Coop

He wasn’t the one chasing me? More lies?

At the mention of Coop, ice swirls with the anger coursing through me. He can’t get to them. Can he? Are the guys safe?

My heart aches with how fast it beats. With me here, the guys should be out of danger.

The footsteps recede again. Determination floods me as I work on the knot in the rope binding Hope’s ankle. The front door beeps as it opens and shuts. I blow out a breath. For now, he’s leaving us.