Connor (The Kendall Family Series Book 2) (21 page)

They don’t exist
, she thought, as he returned to his cache, this time taking the hot dog with him.

After he came back to sit beside her, Seth grabbed the big spoon in the beans, scooped some up, and promptly stuck it in his mouth.

“Hot,” he said around a mouthful. “Burning my mouth.” He swallowed with an effort and chuckled a little as if expecting her to think his comment funny. Then he scooped some more and dumped it on her plate. “Oh, sorry. You need a spoon. Hold on.”

As he walked away, Sophia gave in to a look of disbelief that he’d stuck that spoon in his mouth, back in the beans, and then served her with it.
Was he raised by wild animals or something? I’m not a germaphobe, but c’mon.

When Seth gave her a white plastic spoon, she wordlessly stuck it in her beans, having no intention of eating them. Or the hot dog, but to put on a show of politeness, she took a bite of the bun. She was about to ask for something besides beer to again slow this down, but then he belched and seemed appreciative of the sound.

“You forgot to say ‘excuse me’,” she remarked, with mild disapproval.

“Gosh, Soph, you’re making me feel like an ape.”

“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to.”

“No, it’s not your fault. You’re right about all of it. I’m flying by the seat of my pants. I should’ve thought of everything myself.”

“Maybe you’ll remember for next time.”

He nodded enthusiastically at the idea there’d be another occasion. “Yeah, sure.” Then he began shoveling food in his mouth.

She watched him from the corner of her eye, trying to assess him; she’d sensed before that they were worlds apart. He was mad to think he had a chance with her, even before this week, but now? She felt a new fear that he might be far more off balance than his behavior had suggested before today. Such people were unpredictable and more dangerous for that. Her eyes strayed to the gun in his pants. A quick lunge and she could’ve taken it, but her nerve failed.

The minutes ticked by as she took her time eating, chastising him playfully about shoving food in his mouth like he had somewhere to go. She made sure to sound like it was friendly banter, not criticism, doing her best to charm him without seeming obvious about it. And it appeared to be working.

After he was done and stopped pressuring her to eat more, she had what felt like a stroke of genius on realizing she had to pee. He’d have to leave her alone, and if she did this right, she’d be running out of here in no time.

“I need to use the bathroom, Seth,” Sophia said.

He looked unsure what to say. “Sorry, I’ve just been using a bush.”

Acting indignant, she said, “I don’t pee in bushes.”

He laughed a little. “No, of course not. I don’t have a Porta Potty up here though. You’ll have to make do. Sorry.”

She feigned embarrassment, though actually peeing with him around would indeed have that effect on her. “This is no way to treat a girl, Seth. I expected better from you.” She rose and did her best to look uncomfortable with the idea, glancing around for somewhere to do it.

“I’m sorry, Sophia. It’ll get better, I promise.”

“Do you?” she asked skeptically.

He rose. “Yeah, I swear. I’ll give you everything you want, within reason. I might not be able to get you a mansion or something, but even I can get a place with a toilet.”

She looked sideways at him, then pretended it was hilarious and feigned laughter. His eyes lit up, and he laughed as well, for real. And Sophia knew he thought they were having a moment.

“So where’s this bush?” she asked, gesturing around them. “Should I use the one Jess uses or do I get my very own?”

He laughed even more. “You deserve the very best bush up here! Let me find you one.” He began looking over by the side opposite her planned escape route, so she objected.

“I think those don’t give a lot of privacy.”

“Well, the one Jess uses is over there,” he said, pointing toward the path.

“Okay. I’m sure she has good taste in bushes and won’t mind my using hers.”

He chuckled. “If you’re sure.”

“I am.”

She went onto the path and looked for a bush that might cover her escape, finding one that seemed suitable. Then a thought occurred to her and she called out, “Um, I might actually be a while, if you know what I mean.”

“Oh yeah, sure, take your time.”

“You have toilet paper, I hope? Please tell me you have some.”

He laughed. “Oh yeah, even I wouldn’t go without that.” He fetched it and then tossed it over the bushes, then settled in to wait. This was going better than he’d expected. She was being civil. Well, more than civil. Even nice. Maybe this would work out after all. He’d never really doubted it, but with all the resistance from her, he’d wondered when she’d truly come around. With more cooperation from Sophia, so much more was possible. He knew—had always known—that if she just spent more time with him, everything would work out for the best, and it was already doing so. He could hardly believe it.

They could make love tonight under the stars, naked as the day they were born. The thought made his little cock stiffen. He could show her just what kind of man he really was. He’d been fantasizing about it for so long that he knew exactly what he intended to do to her. With her.
For
her. He was sure that when she found out how great he was at sex, she’d never be able to get enough of him. They could move somewhere remote, get a double-wide trailer or something, and start making babies. A pretty little Sophia and a rugged little Seth running around would be perfect.

As he sat fantasizing, a startled cry and a muted thud broke his reverie. Seth jumped up, running toward the path and reaching for his gun, instinct telling him something was very wrong. “Sophia!”

He reached the trail and the bush she was supposed to be behind. No sign of her. Anger and suspicion flooded into him and he started down the path, going around a corner with branches slapping at his face. And there lay Sophia and Jess all tangled up together, their hair disheveled, scowls on their faces, dirt and leaves in their clothes. He could tell from their positions that she’d run right into them. Mark stood over them, helping them up.

Seth tried to process the scene. “What? What is going on here?” He looked at Sophia, who looked alarmed and worried as she got to her feet.

“Um,” she began, but he cut her off.

“How come you’re down here? You tried to run? Is that it? I don’t believe it. I thought we were having a good time!”

He strode toward her so angrily that she backed up. He yanked her by the arm back to the camp, cursing all the way and ordering Jess and Mark to follow. Once there, he shoved Sophia down on the blanket and started pacing.

“All this time, you were just
pretending
?” he yelled, shooting accusatory glances at her. “You played me for a fool. You lying bitch. I oughta smack the shit out of you. That’ll teach you to fuck with me. Who are you to
fuck with me
? I got a fucking
gun
!”

All the upset in Sophia suddenly roared to life and she rose, snapping, “You kidnapped me, remember? What the fuck did you think? That we were on a Goddamn
date
?”

His nostrils flared. He started toward her in such a way that Jess jumped in between them.

Chapter 19 – Death is in the Air

Jess put her hands on Seth’s chest to stop him from reaching Sophia. “Whoa, man! Back up. That’s not what you brought her here for, remember?”

“Get out of my fucking way.”

“Not until you calm down. C’mon, back up.” With an effort, Jess pushed him back until Seth relented and turned away, angrily kicking over the pot of beans, spilling them and sending the pot flying toward the cliff. It hit the ground and rolled so far that it went over the edge, banging a couple times. A moment of silence. Seconds later, it dinged a few more times, faintly, far below.

“That’s fucking great,” snapped Seth to Sophia. “See what you made me do?”

She swallowed a retort to prevent more escalation, surprised by Jess’s intervention in the beating she’d likely been about to get. To put more distance between them, she stepped off the blanket, farther away from Seth. Mark came forward and picked up the blanket, shaking it out to remove the beans, toppling the hot dogs in the process.

“Well,” Mark began casually, “I’m hungry and getting a dog. You want one, Jess?”

She opened her mouth to reply, but Seth snapped, “Get your own fucking food.”

Mark stopped short, eyes gleaming. “I bought the damn food so this
is
mine. Why don’t you get a fucking job and stop wasting my money?”

Seth stopped short in his pacing, startled. His eyes narrowed. “Watch it. I have a gun.”

“So do I,” replied Mark, lifting his shirt to show it, “and I’m a better shot, remember?”

Seth hesitated. “When did you get that?”

“Same time I got the one I loaned you.”

“Didn’t know you had two.”

“Now you do.”

Jess sighed. “Can I trust you two not to shoot each other? I want to talk to Sophia a minute.”

“So talk,” snapped Seth.

“It’s private.”

“You got no secrets from me.”

“Maybe, but I got secrets to
give
her, about you.”

Looking alarmed, Seth barked, “You don’t tell her shit. She’ll learn everything she needs to from me.”

Jess grabbed a reluctant Sophia by the arm. “I’m gonna tell her just what you like so she’ll know how to please you. You want that, right?”

“Yeah, sure,” he said reluctantly, still sore.

Jess left it at that and took Sophia back toward the path, passing out of sight, and more importantly, earshot. The time had come to set things right and get their captive out of here. She recognized that version of Seth she’d just prevented from hitting Sophia; it was the version which had hit her before. But never again. And he wasn’t laying a finger on Sophia. Jess would see to it.

This whole thing was her fault. If she hadn’t offered to befriend Sophia on Facebook, and then told Seth when Sophia was coming home, he’d never have known. None of this would’ve happened. If they were all going to hell now, Jess was to blame. Sure, Seth was really behind everything, but Jess had become an enabler of his stupidity and brutishness. She felt sorrier than she knew how to express. About everything. Connor. The inn. The fear-inducing violence directed at Sophia, whom Jess had to save.

She had never saved anyone before. Hell, she couldn’t even save herself. Mark had saved her, though. That much she knew. And if Mark could do that for her, and change her so much, then she owed it to Sophia to try and save the other girl from the same fate. Seth didn’t deserve Sophia. Or Jess. Seth didn’t deserve anything but a bullet in the head.

Jess lowered her voice. “You have awful timing.”

Tired of the bullshit from everyone, Sophia irritably asked, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Me and Mark want to get you out of here.”

Sophia snorted. “Like hell you do.”

“No, I’m serious. That’s why we came back, to stop him from, you know… I really wish you hadn’t run into me. I didn’t see you coming.”

Sophia wasn’t buying it. “Why the change of heart?”

Jess sighed. “Long story. Let’s just say I had my head up my ass for a long time about Seth and now I don’t. Mark, too. We know we’re screwed and going to jail and deserve to and all of that, but we want to stop him from hurting you. But he’s got a gun.”

“So does Mark.”

“I know. We need to think of some plan or something. Look, I don’t know, okay? Just don’t do anything stupid. Keep an eye out for an opportunity.”

Sophia wasn’t sure what to make of all of that but had a better idea. “You have your car keys? Give them to me and maybe I’ll start to believe you. I can just split now. You can deal with him being pissed about it.”

“Yeah, but they’re in my purse. I’ll sneak them to you and then try to distract Seth or something, so you can leave. Here,” she said, reaching up to one ear and removing the earring. “These are yours. I’m sorry I stole them from your house. I have other stuff of yours in my purse. I also have pepper spray. I’ll try to find a way to leave it near you without being obvious.”

Sophia didn’t give a shit about the damn earrings right now and almost wanted to throw them on the ground. But she put them in her pocket and followed Jess back to where she’d been, wondering how this would play out. Mark had started some hot dogs for him and Jess, and now went off to pee just off the path, which is where he stood while eavesdropping on their next conversation.

“So you know what I like now, huh?” Seth asked Sophia, looking for a fight. Sophia sensed it and decided to aggravate him.

“You don’t think I’m actually going to do something for you, do you?”

“You had fucking better.”

“Not a chance. I don’t even like you. Why would I do something for you? Let me guess, you want a fucking blowjob.”

He flushed and she knew that’s exactly what he’d been thinking. “Why do something nice for me? How about cuz I got a fucking gun?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, that’s rich. Is this how you romanticize a woman? Wave a gun and girls just do what you want? You’re pathetic.”

He smiled then. “You know, you just keep playing hard to get but you aren’t that hard to figure out. Or get. I got you here, didn’t I?”

Sophia snapped, “Kidnapping people is not what is meant by someone being hard to get.”

“You love it.”

“Shut up.”

“You love me, too. Admit it.”

“What the fuck is the matter with you? I do not love you. I never have. I never will.” She gestured in futile frustration, sick of being unable to get through to him, and it wasn’t for lack of trying. “You know that stupid incident you’re talking about years ago? I was just being nice, dumbass. Jesus, a girl is nice to you for five fucking minutes and you get it in that stupid head of yours that she loves you.”

“Hold on now,” Seth started, his face falling.

“What, are you so pathetic that a few minutes of sympathy is all it takes? No girl has ever even been nice to you, so you fall in love with the first one that does?”