Stolen (Closed for MidnightWalk)

[EroticLily]

Janelle rummaged through her purse for the 4th time as she left the neighborhood coffee house in a flustered haste. Her cheeks were hot with embarrassment after she realized that she’d forgotten her wallet at home, leaving her with no means of paying for her caffeine fix. She murmured several apologies to the people in line behind her and got away from their dirty looks as quickly as her legs could carry her. Heels clicking noisily against cement as she paced several blocks in the direction of her apartment complex, Janelle tried to recall where she’d last seen her wallet while also trying to forget the scene she’d inadvertently caused. She still wanted her coffee, but there was no way she was going back to the place she’d just tucked tail and ran from.

Satisfied that she’d searched every nook and cranny of her bag, Janelle reluctantly admitted defeat and zipped it closed. She looked up as she crossed the street, coming up on the bank she always passed on her way home. The alley behind it was a shortcut she often used to shave a few minutes from her walk. She typically didn’t encounter anyone in the narrow passageway, but today was different. There was a unfamiliar figure in her path. Janelle habitually adjusted the handles of her purse on her shoulder as she approached; it wasn’t until she’d taken a few steps into the alleyway that she realized something was amiss.

 

[MidnightWalk]

Tobias walked quickly around the corner of the bank into the alley behind. He was careful not to run...running drew attention. The last thing he needed to do at this point was to draw attention. His plan had gone effectively flawlessly to this point and he was on the cusp of getting cleanly away. Tobias upped his footspeed. He needed to get to his car and get this ski mask off. Like running, ski masks drew attention.

The heist had gone off smoothly. The bank's one guard had been in a position to be easily cowed, there hadn't been many customers and as far as he could tell, none of the tellers had gotten off an alarm as they filled the bag he held in his left hand with cash. After he left was another matter, and he really needed to get moving.

He turned into the alley, heading for the old used car he'd bought just for this job, with cash, from a no-name used car lot a couple towns over. Coming up to the car, he threw the bag of cash into the open window of the car, reaching for the ski mask over his face. Just as he started pulling it over his face, he realized that there was a young woman paused just in front of his car. The mask came off, revealing his face to her as they stared at one another. In reflex, Tobias' right hand came up, holding the 9mm automatic he'd just used to rob the bank. He stared at the young woman a moment. "Oh shit."

 

[EroticLily]

Janelle slowed down as she entered the dingy alley, finding it highly unusual for a car to be parked in the cramped space. There was hardly room for her to squeeze by the man in front of her. When he turned to lob his bag through the open car window, he blocked her path completely. She couldn’t tell what was in the man’s bag as she wasn’t close enough when he’d tossed it and she was too distracted by the dark mask obscuring the stranger’s face. It wasn’t nearly cold enough for a ski mask, she thought, but his fashion choice wasn’t her business. Maybe this guy was just some type of weirdo. There were plenty oddballs around the city. In her experience, it was best to just move along and pretend she didn’t notice them. But when he pulled off his mask and looked her dead in the eyes, she stopped cold.

It wasn’t until that moment that she noticed the dark metal gripped between the other’s fingers. Janelle blinked nervously and let go of her bag straps, slowly but clearly lifting her hands in a submissive fashion. Her chest swelled beneath her cream-colored sweater as she realized this man wasn’t a run-of-the-mill weirdo, but someone who potentially meant her harm. “I don’t have any money—” she blurted, more remorseful about her lack of a wallet now than before. She was frozen in place; her brain screaming at her to run away, to yell for help but to no avail.

“Please.” Janelle swallowed hard, frantic as her gaze flickered between the man’s unfamiliar face and the menacing barrel of his gun. “Don’t.”

 

[MidnightWalk]

Tobias stared at the young woman briefly. This was a complication he did not need. Even if the bank staff hadn't tripped the alarm while he was present in the bank, they sure as hell had since he'd left. And now this woman came along at just the wrong time. If he'd seen her just a few seconds earlier...he could have...what? She still would have seen him. There were few good options here. But the most obvious thing was that the couldn't leave her here. She'd seen him. She'd seen the car. Even though he planned to ditch it, the connection to him would complicate things.

Glancing back down the alley, Tobias took a breath and made a decision. Keeping the pistol pointed at the young woman, he looked her in the eye. Keeping his voice low and even, he said, "Come over here and get in the car." He indicated the passenger side of the beater he stood next to. "Do it quick and quiet and there won't be any reason to hurt you. Now move!"

 

[EroticLily]

Janelle didn’t have time for self-pity. The unmasked man was commanding her to move before she could wonder what she’d done in life to walk into a situation like this one. She flinched as he gestured to the parked car, despite his subdued tone of voice. She had no reason to trust this man, this criminal; the very idea of stepping within arms’ reach of him was petrifying. Janelle shivered from fear, her teeth clicking together as she fought the miserable squeak of protest swelling in her throat. Getting into the getaway car seemed foolish to say the least, but given that the man was aiming a gun at her, it seemed even more foolish to disobey his request.

She kept her hands where he could see them, even though he didn’t ask that of her; it just seemed wise not to make any sudden movements. The frightened brunette shuffled further into the alleyway, approaching the passenger side of the run-down car. She bit her lip and squeezed by the unscrupulous stranger, no longer daring to look him in the eyes. With shaky fingers, she grasped the door handle and let herself in to the car. She slid into the seat without a word, tucking her useless bag between her stocking-clad knees. If she was lucky, he’d drive to the outer limits of the city and leave her on the side of the road somewhere. If she wasn’t lucky… well, she didn’t want to think about the alternative.

 

[MidnightWalk]

Tobias watched as the young woman complied with his instructions, moving past him and getting in the car. Shaking his head, he opened the driver's side and dropped into the seat. Shifting the pistol to his left hand, Tobias reached between her legs, grabbing her purse and tossing it into the backseat, with the bag of stolen cash. He kept the pistol pointed across his body at her as he inserted the key and started the car. It struggled to life, and he reached back to pull the seatbelt across his body. Last thing he needed was for the cops to pull him over for a seatbelt violation.

Looking at the young woman again, Tobias growled, "Put on the seatbelt." Without waiting for her to comply, he started down the alley, turning away from the bank, and onto a secondary road. Flicking his eyes from the road to the girl and back, Tobias could hear sirens in the distance. He made very sure to keep to the speed limit and stop fully at lights and signs. This was going to be a long trip.

 

[EroticLily]

Janelle stiffened as the man got into the car with her, slamming the door and sealing the pair of them inside the steel trap. As the vehicle creaked beneath the shift in weight, she closed her eyes to fight back the queasy feeling stirring in the pit of her stomach. She took in a ragged breath, steadying her trembling fingers on her handbag—until it was wrenched from her grasp. Feeling especially vulnerable without her possession, Janelle stared at the stranger with wide, panicked eyes.

She pressed her knees together quickly, fearful that he might not stop at taking her purse, regretting that she'd worn a skirt. The anxious knot in her throat seemed to grow the harder she tried to swallow it. She needed to get more air into her lungs, but she was afraid to breathe too loudly. Janelle flinched in her seat when the man ordered her to fasten her seatbelt; she pulled the frayed belt across her chest as the car lurched forward. Clicking the buckle as swiftly as she was able with her shaking hands, Janelle frowned and bit her lip. She heard the sirens just when he did and her pulse raced. Though she assumed he wouldn’t do her any favors, she asked anyhow.

“Please. If you just let me out—I swear I won’t say anything to anyone.”

 

[MidnightWalk]

Tobias glanced at her as she asked to get out, making her promise. "Right. Because you're just that nice. Quiet!" He started on the pattern he'd worked out weeks earlier, making his way across town by the most circuitous route possible, being careful to keep all of his movements legal. The absolute last thing he needed was to be pulled over with the bank bag, a gun and a ... hostage...in his car. That would be a quick way to a bad end.

After 20 minutes, Tobias pulled up in front of a junkyard on the edge of town. Earlier today, he'd called to arrange to drop a junker off to them. That should make it more difficult for the police to follow his trail. At least, he hoped so. The only complication to his plan so far was sitting next to him.

Turning to face the young woman, Tobias hefted the pistol in his hand. "Here's what's going to happen. We're gonna get out of this car. We're going around the corner to take a little bus ride. You'll be by my side the whole time. You won't talk to anyone, you won't look at anyone. I will be your entire world while we're on the street or on the bus. I'm gonna put this gun away, but if you do anything to mess me up, you will get hurt. Are we clear?"

Without waiting for a response, Tobias stepped out of the car. Looking up and down the road, he shoved the automatic into his waistband, pulling his jacket over it. Reaching back into the car, he pulled a large bottle of acetone from beneath the front seat. Opening the bottle, he poured the fluid over the steering wheel and control surfaces. Dumping more onto the driver's seat, he moved around the car, gesturing for the young woman go get out and step back before emptying the bottle over the passenger seat.

Grabbing the bank bag and the woman's purse from the backseat, he shoved them both into a backpack lying on the floor and shouldered it. Looking back at the girl, Tobias grabbed her right hand in his left, tugging her down the sidewalk. "Let's go, 'sweetheart', we have a bus to catch."

 

[EroticLily]

If she wasn’t fearful for her life, Janelle might’ve snapped at the felon for his rudeness. What right did he have to presume she wasn’t a decent person? He’d been the one to take her hostage after committing a robbery; neither of those acts were glowing endorsements for his character. She held her tongue however and kept her hands in her lap as they cruised down the street. She recognized the sights they passed as she’d lived in this city for several years now, but she had no idea where he was planning to take her.

Her gaze darted back and forth between the windshield and the side window as the man drove. She squirmed in the passenger seat, the seatbelt snug between her breasts and pressing uncomfortably into the side of her neck. If only she could focus to think of an escape plan.

When they parked at a seedy junkyard, Janelle groaned in dismay. If a junkyard wasn’t a perfect place to ditch a body, she didn’t know what was. Stiffening again when the criminal pointed his weapon at her, she listened to his instruction. She would do what he said. It seemed that he’d let her live as long as she didn’t try to make any moves. What else could she do? He had the upper hand. She wasn’t relieved when he tucked his gun away, though the immediate threat was gone; she didn’t know what this man was capable of and she didn’t want to find out by testing him.

Janelle clambered out of the car when he started pouring fluid over everything. Her stomach churned as he took her hand into his and pulled her along with him, as if she was a child who would stray from their parent in a department store. She maintained a natural stride though her limbs were quivering. She didn't know how she was supposed to do this--to act like everything was perfectly fine once they boarded the bus. She'd have to try.

 

[MidnightWalk]

Holding tightly to the woman's hand, Tobias led her over a couple blocks to a nearby bus stop. His schedule being hurried just a little by the unplanned hostage-taking, the bus took a bit longer to arrive than he wanted. They stood there at the stop, Tobias looking around, smiling in a friendly manner to others waiting nearby, most of whom paid no attention. That was the one advantage to public transit - most of the people using it were lost in their own worlds.

Finally, after nearly 14 minutes, the bus arrived and Tobias ushered the woman on ahead of him, paying both of their fares, and guiding her to a seat near the middle of the bus. He sat her against the window and slid into the seat next to her. "Just relax and keep cool. We're almost out of this," he whispered to her. He kept his eyes flicking around, inside the bus and out as it drove down its route, stopping every couple of blocks or so.

When it pulled up in front of the Madison Central Hotel on the edge of downtown, he stood, reaching down for the girl's hand. "This is our stop, honey." Tobias led her off the bus and stood gazing for a moment at the facade of the posh hotel. Then he began walking...not toward the front doors, but around the hotel, to the block behind it. Across the street from the hotel's backside stood an old apartment building whose face was neatly painted but showing some signs of wear and tear. Checking the street both ways, Tobias pulled the young woman across the street and into the foyer of the apartment building.

 

[EroticLily]

Waiting for the bus to arrive at the stop was torturous. Janelle agonized over each moment she spent pretending that nothing was wrong—being a good little captive. She was scared and silently berating herself for letting this awful man take her hostage. If only she was more daring, then maybe she would’ve wrenched her arm from his grasp and run away while he was paying their fares. If only the other riders weren’t so self-absorbed, then maybe someone would’ve noticed how tightly he’d been clutching her hand. Maybe just one person would’ve realized that something was amiss if their eyes weren’t glued to a smartphone screen.

What-ifs filled her head for the duration of the bus ride, distracting her from the danger of her situation. When her captor’s breath encroached upon her ear, she squirmed closer to the bus window. Unfortunately, she couldn’t manage to phase through it via osmosis. Instead, she denied the man eye contact until the bus coasted to a stop in front of a towering hotel.

She opened her mouth to ask what they were doing there, but she was led away from the gold-embellished revolving doors before she could murmur the question. She trudged toward the apartment building with a proper frown on her face since no one was around to witness her distress. “A-Are you gonna let me go now?” she exhaled, her voice wavering as it echoed in the unfamiliar building’s outer lobby. “I’ve done what you asked. I don’t have anything to gain by calling the cops. I just wanna go home.”

 

[MidnightWalk]

Stepping into the rundown foyer, Tobias looked around, making sure that no one was about. He'd picked this building because it wasn't in much use. Most of the "residents" were squatters. In fact, he assumed that the facade was only maintained due to the proximity to the very nice hotel across the street. Ditto with the water and power remaining turned on. Probably a tax write-off to the owner. Still, it worked out.

He looked at the young woman as she made her plea, shaking his head, blue eyes stern. "You don't have anything to gain, but I have everything to lose. So...you can stay with me a bit longer." Tobias tightened his grip on her hand, leading her up three flights of stairs to a hallway of apartments. The hallway, like the stairs, were rundown - worn carpets, peeling wallpaper, the smell of dust and decay. Tobias pulled her down the hallway, past open doors, to a closed door, which he unlocked, pressing her inside.

The apartment consisted of a single room...an efficiency. The single internal door stood open, showing a sink..an apparent bathroom. Two windows opened on the outside world, but were covered by faded, battered curtains. A kitchen area stood opposite the door, refrigerator, stove, sink and some cabinets. A worn sofa sat along one wall, and a wooden table and three chairs were near the kitchen. Like the hallway, the carpet and wallpaper in the apartment showed signs of wear. Unlike the hallway, the apartment seemed to have been cleaned, or at least dusted and swept.

Turning on the lights, Tobias pushed the girl toward the wooden chairs. "Have a seat." He locked the door behind them, and moved to drop the backpack and its contents on the wooden table. Leaning against the table, over his ill-gotten gains, he let out a deep sigh, shoulders sagging.

 

[EroticLily]

Janelle’s face fell from disappointment when her request was abruptly denied. His words felt like a punch to the gut, but the coldness of his gaze stopped her from wheezing out loud. She didn’t have much hope that she’d encounter a good Samaritan in this place. She regretted being too afraid to defy her captor, not running into the hotel and pleading for assistance the moment they stepped off that bus. It was too terrifying to think that she might’ve blown her only chance to get away from him unscathed, so she simply refused to consider it that way. She’d bide her time and when she had another opportunity, she’d take it. Next time.

Putting her free hand out to the wall for balance as the man guided her up the stairs, Janelle tried to keep up so he would loosen his grip. Something moved beneath a tattered bit of wallpaper and she recoiled almost as soon as she’d touched the dirty wall. They made it to their destination without further vermin sightings, but the stench of mildew followed them from the stairwell. The interior of the tiny apartment was depressing, nothing like the comfortable, furnished, one-bedroom co-op she rented, but she didn’t dare nitpick. She didn’t plan on staying here long anyway.

She pressed her lips together, muffling a grunt when he nudged her toward a chair. Maybe if she behaved herself, he wouldn’t feel the need to tie her up. Janelle sank into the hard seat, cringing inwardly as the old wood creaked beneath her. She looked to the floor, her back not quite touching the back of the chair as she couldn't make herself relax. She lifted her eyes to the man when she heard him exhale, but she didn't say anything.

 

[MidnightWalk]

After a moment, Tobias straightened. The adrenaline coursing through his system was starting to ebb. That would have been fine, but now he had an unanticipated 'guest', so collapsing onto the sofa just wasn't going to work. Might as well see what he'd gotten himself into. Reaching for the backpack, he dumped it out onto the table. The bank bag and the young woman's purse both thumped on the wood. He saw her eyes flick to the purse, and he smiled, shaking his head. "No."

Tobias reached out, drawing the purse to him. He then pushed the bank bag toward the woman with the back of his fist. "You can help by getting started counting." He picked up her purse and opened it, upending it on the table. Sorting through the contents -- gum, lip balm, granola bar, hand sanitizer, feminine hygiene products, keys, makeup, odds and ends. He frowned as he picked up her cell phone and keys and pocketed them. He looked up into her startled eyes. "No wallet? Empty your pockets." He pointed at the table.

 

[EroticLily]

Janelle sat stiffly on the edge of her chair. She wouldn’t permit herself to blink, to lose sight of his creep for one second. She fought the reflex off even when the corners of her eyes began to burn. She noticed that her captor also refused to relax, though he looked like he could use a rest.

Committing crimes had to be exhausting: scheming, planning getaways, covering your tracks, constantly looking over your shoulder, etc. Maybe she’d be able to escape this rat-hole when this guy fell asleep. Judging by the sparseness of this hideaway, it didn’t seem he had a resume of successful thefts. This observation worried her more. She presumed he was more likely to make brash decisions, to get rid of her if she proved too big of a problem to manage.

When he instructed her to count the money he’d stolen from the bank, her mouth fell open with indignation. That last thing she wanted to do was help him. She didn’t argue when he dumped her purse out, though it felt like yet another violation. But she frowned pretty hard. She placed her hands on the table, apprehensively fingering the band around a thick stack of bills.

“I told you when you abducted me ‘I don’t have any money’—” she retorted, making no move from her seat. “I guess you weren’t listening. But you have plenty here.”

 

[MidnightWalk]

"And I don't want your money," Tobias growled. "I told you that earlier." He looked her over, eyes flicking over her amply filled out sweater, and down to her skirt, noting the absence of pockets. He riffled through her purse's contents, moving them around, making sure he hadn't missed anything important. He sorted everything from biggest to smallest, mostly to make sure he noticed everything, from the tampons to a stray quarter. Shaking his head, he looked her in the eyes again. "Get started counting that money."

Walking away from the table, he went to a closet, and pulled out a laptop from the storage room. Bringing it back to the table, he set it up, taking a seat opposite the young woman. Logging into the computer, Tobias typed in his password, careful to keep her from seeing. Once in, he began checking local news services for word about the crime he had just committed. Only one story so far, mentioning the robbery. No information about the presumed culprit or a description beyond 'white male'. So far, so good.

After a few minutes, he looked up again at the woman. His eyes narrowed. "I've told you twice to start counting. I'd rather not have to tell you a third time, miss....? What is your name?"

 

[EroticLily]

Janelle was quickly rebuked. If she’d had a tail, it would’ve retreated between her legs the moment her captor’s voice thundered. She shut her mouth, but took notice of the way the man’s eyes inspected her figure. His keen attention made her spine itch. Only for this reason did she lean back into her seat, to rub against the hard back of the chair as subtly as possible. Her skin prickled with heat as he sifted through her personal effects as if she wasn’t even there.

The captured woman reluctantly scooted forward when she was instructed for a second time to count the cash on the table. She pulled the dirty band off one bundle, her gaze flicking toward the apartment door briefly as he stepped away. He wasn’t gone quite long enough for her to feel good about making a run for it. When he caught her failing to attend to her task, she drew in a shaky breath and looked down at the thick wad of bills in her hand.

“Janelle.”

Not wanting to know what would happen if he had to ask a third time, she began to count aloud for him to hear.

 

[MidnightWalk]

Tobias nodded as the young woman...as Janelle...began to count. He hadn't wanted a hostage, but if he had to have one, might as well put her to use. He watched her for a few moments, to make sure she was doing what she was supposed to, then turned back to the computer, expanding his search of news articles. He had to keep on top of the news or he just might find himself surrounded by the police without realizing it. He flipped through news articles, using the key words he'd preset.

After a while, Tobias leaned back, nodding to himself. He looked over at Janelle, counting the take from the bank. It was racking up quickly, and he was starting to get a buzzing in the back of his head. He might get away with this and come out of it with a fair pile of cash. Of course, he had her to deal with, and that wasn't going to be easy. He hadn't planned on having someone here and he had no precautions in place. He ruminated on that, considering what he should do.

After giving it some thought, Tobias stood, walking over to the window and taking out his pocketknife. He quickly cut several strips from the bottom of the curtain. Walking over behind Janelle, he leaned over her. "Put your hands behind your back. Now!" Tobias put that extra snap into his voice to get her immediate obedience. If he wasn't in control, he was in trouble.

When she complied, Tobias tied her wrists together, then tied her upper arms to the back of the chair. And for good measure, he bent down and tied her ankles to the legs of the chair. Standing, he tested the knots. "These are for your own good. I have to go out. And I need you t be here when I get back. And, I wish I could trust you, but..." shrugging, he tied a dusty piece of the curtain across her mouth, gagging her. "No one would likely hear you, but I can't take that chance." Stepping away, he took his keys out, heading for the door. "You be good and I'll be back shortly."

Tobias unlocked the doors, stepping int the hall, closing the door and locking each one in turn, leaving the young woman alone in the apartment.

 

[EroticLily]

It was some kind of irony that Janelle found herself counting through stack after stack of bills. Whatever total amount lay before her on the table now was certainly more than she’d seen at once in her whole life. The fact that she’d left her apartment without a cent and ultimately landed here… it was almost enough to make her laugh. Almost. Her counting quieted as her captor tapped at the keyboard of his computer, the position of his body obscuring her vision of the laptop screen. What could he be doing on that thing? Updating his twitter feed? Checking the stock market? Buying a one-way plane ticket out of town?

Her gaze tore from the man and she resumed counting loud enough for him to hear when he looked in her direction. She’d already counted past four thousand. And that number only accounted for the first two stacks she’d picked up. When he walked to the window she followed with her eyes, her lips moving automatically, nimble fingers sorting crisp bills with minimal effort. “Four-thousand-nine-hundred.” Her voice wavered on the “9” when the gleam of his pocketknife caught her attention. She swallowed hard and felt her stomach churn when he destroyed the curtains just to make restraints. What exactly was to become of her once she finished counting his money?

“Okay.” She murmured, quickly putting the cash down and following orders. What else was she to do? Janelle bit her lip and remained still as he went about the business of tying her down. She couldn’t help the tremble of her slender frame as he fastened her ankles to opposite legs of the chair, making it impossible for her to press her knees together as she would’ve liked to do. Her chest rose beneath the rich material of her blouse as she drew in a deep breath. She’d only been tied up once before and the circumstances had been totally different; she certainly hadn’t been gagged the last time. Janelle scrunched her nose in disgust as the filthy strip of curtain covered her mouth.

She glared at the back of her captor’s head as he left the apartment, but she dared not move for a good 5 minutes. When she judged the coast to be clear, Janelle tried to squirm down in her seat. Her intention was to get her arms loose but the binding of her ankles prevented her from making any progress. All she had managed to do in the process of struggling for 10 minutes was tighten her restraints and scuff the floor. She thought about breaking the chair to free herself, but it was sturdier than it looked. Janelle had no clue how much time was passing as she tried and failed to loosen her bonds, but she was starting to panic.

 

[MidnightWalk]

Tobias put key to locks, opening the door to the apartment. Opening the door, he slipped inside, shutting and locking up behind him. He looked around the small room, noting the continued presence of the young woman he left there. She seemed to be slumped down a bit, but they way her eyes snapped to him, she didn't seem hurt. Tobias moved into the room, dropping a canvas bag on the table with a thump. Grasping the bottom, he upended it, turning out three sets of handcuffs and a half dozen bandannas.

"Didn't mean to take so long. Hard to find what I needed without drawing attention." He wasn't sure why he was explaining himself, though he had no intention of frightening the young woman, Janelle, more than he needed to. Just had to get through a few days and then he could release her on his way out of town.

He moved around behind her, loosening the gag and pulling it away. Tobias then crouched down, untying her wrists, and then where her arms were tied to the chair. For the moment, he left her ankles secured to the chair. Harder for her to run. He looked down at her again, admiring the swell of her cream-colored sweater. "I need something to drink. How about you?"

Tobias walked to the refrigerator, opening it. Reaching in, he pulled out a soda, looking back over his shoulder at Janelle. "Something?"

 

[EroticLily]

Janelle’s body tensed when she heard the soft scraping on the other side of the apartment door. Her captor was back and she hadn’t made any ground in getting free nor made a viable plan for escape. It was a small relief that he’d returned from wherever he’d gone to alone. But she wasn’t comforted by his presence in the least. She took in a deep breath, or she tried to, but the gag over her lips made it difficult to accomplish in her anxious state. She watched the man closely as he emptied his bag on the table. Her brows creased with worry when his efforts revealed a stash of proper restraints.

When the criminal spoke to her, she looked him in the eyes but made no effort to speak or move. Her fingers twitched despite herself when he moved around behind her, gradually removing the dusty strip of curtain from her mouth. Finally, she could take a proper breath without tasting mildew. Then he began to undo the ties on her wrists. She was perplexed but hopeful, uncertain if it was wise to question his motives.

Janelle looked up at the man with inquisitive eyes when he stopped short of undoing the ties on her ankles. She noticed his eyes on her chest and did her best to hunch from his heated gaze. When he offered her a beverage, she was even more confused. Was she a hostage or a house guest? Could she leave now, if she just asked politely enough? She wet her lips and answered cautiously. “I’m …a little thirsty. I guess.”

 

[MidnightWalk]

Tobias pulled a second can of soda from the refrigerator, walking over and setting in front of Janelle. He then took the seat opposite her, eyes dropping to the pile of cash between them, and the handcuffs off to the side. Stretching, he sipped his canned beverage, before looking at the young woman. He studied her carefully, looking her up and down. He took in the neatly styled dark hair, her dark eyes, the understated, subtle makeup. Pretty girl, and a bit younger than he'd thought, a bit younger than he was, in fact. And he could see the concern in her eyes.

Sighing, "Listen. I have no intention of hurting you. But I can't take the chance that you might go to the authorities, not until I'm ready." He held up a hand. "I know, you'll promise you won't go to them. But things happen. So, I can't let you go right now. And as I say, I don't intend to hurt you, but if you try and get away...I may have no choice. Do you understand that?"

He sipped his drink again, looking at her, waiting to see how she'd react. He'd never had to take a hostage before..this was uncharted ground for him, and he didn't much care for it. But he'd have to make the best of it.

 

[EroticLily]

If only her ankles weren’t tethered to the chair, then Janelle might’ve considered beaming her captor in the head with that very same can of soda he offered. An uncomfortable silence fell between them as he joined her at the table. She raised her hands slowly toward the table and curled her fingers around the cool can to pull it closer. She could at least take comfort in the fact that he was drinking the soda, which probably meant it wasn’t tampered with in some way. It was unsettling—the way he kept looking at her, like he was sizing her up for dissection. She tried not to look him in the eyes as she popped the tab on her beverage. Naturally, she opened her mouth to promise she wouldn’t report him but he halted her before she could say so.

Her fingers clutched the sides of the can more firmly, in an effort to prevent her nerves from showing as she lifted it to her mouth. She nodded to concede, taking a small sip of her soft drink. The tiny bubbles tickled her nose and her lips betrayed her true feelings with a smile she quickly snuffed out. “You don’t have to handcuff me. I’ll cooperate.”

 

[MidnightWalk]

Tobias nodded. "I wish I could believe that. Can't take that chance, though." He looked at the pile of cash, oddly satisfied, even though the job wasn't really done. This girl was complicating things. It would have been much simpler if she'd never entered that alley. But that was water under the bridge.

He stretched, yawning. "I've been awake for a long time. I need to catch some z's. Obviously, I'm going to have to cuff you before I hit the hay. Do you need to use the facilities before I crash?" He gestured toward the open bathroom door, moving behind her, making sure she could see the pistol still tucked into his waistband. "Or do you plan to wait a couple hours?"

 

[EroticLily]

Janelle hadn’t been overly optimistic about her captor opting not to restrain her again, but it’d been worth a shot to ask. She sighed and nodded that she understood his decision though she honestly didn’t. None of what he’d done since they met in the alleyway had made sense to her and it probably never would. She tried not to think too hard about her situation though. She had to keep her wits about her by keeping herself somewhat numb to the danger. Janelle sipped her soda and tried to convince herself that there would be other opportunities to escape.

When the man asked if she needed to use the bathroom, she figured she should just say ‘yes’. Surely, he had a sliver of decency to leave her alone in there. “Okay. I’ll go now.” She said, leaning toward the table and setting the nearly-full soda can down on the edge of it. “Would you at least tell me your name? I told you mine.”