Page 23 of Craving Sin

“No, but she would pretend she was. The number of times I worked on a stubbed toe would surprise you.” I smile. “She was great like that. She would do anything to make me happy. She loved nothing more than being a mom.” She always told me there’s nothing I couldn’t do, that I would be the best doctor in the world, if for no other reason than my heart was so big and I loved so much, that I would put people at ease. They would know they could trust me with their lives.

I remind myself I need to use that now with Rian, need to use it for as long as I can to get him to trust me, believe in me—to find out as much as I can about him, so if I am able to escape, if I can get him to let his guard down with me, maybe I can get even more dirt on him so this man spends the rest of his life behind bars.

“She died,” I say, hating that I’m giving him this, the most important person in my life, in hopes he actually sees me as a human being. “When I was sixteen.” I look away. “She was murdered. Someone decided her money was more important than her life. Who knows, maybe it was you.” The jab slips out, but I don’t find myself wanting to take it back.

“I don’t rob people, and I don’t kill women…unless I have to.”

“Why would you ever have to? You don’t have to kill anyone.”

“You don’t know me. You don’t know my life. Judge me all you want, but it’ll never be more than I’ve judged myself. I know who and what I am. Get the fuck away from me.”

“I need to hold pressure to your injury,” I argue.

“Get the fuck away from me before I shoot a hole in your head,” he threatens, making my heart jump. “Back to the chair. Lock yourself up.”

I tease with the idea of arguing again, but whatever curiosity was in Rian’s eyes earlier is gone. He’s shut down now, closed off, the coldness oozing off him, making a chill barrel-roll down my spine.

Do what he says. Make him think you’re not going to try to escape again.

I stand, walk over, and attach my handcuffs again, watching Rian’s face until they click closed.

“I miss her,” I say after a moment and realize I’m telling him not just because I want to humanize myself to him, but because, for a reason I don’t understand, I just need him to know.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Rian

I put pressure on my injury as I watch the doc across the room.

I can’t believe I almost let him get away earlier, that I hadn’t been more prepared for him to run. It’s a mistake I won’t be making again. But then he helped me inside…took care of my wound again, talked about his mom.

He’s playing me. I would have to be an idiot not to know it, and if there’s one thing I’m not, it’s dumb enough not to see when someone is playing me. But the pain in his voice when he spoke about his mom was real. He loved her, loves her, and he misses her. She was important to him.

I know because I have the same sadness in me…and I have the same love in me for a person I lost, as well.

We don’t speak for a while—me on the couch, the doc in his uncomfortable kitchen chair. He watches me, and I do the same with him—both stubborn…and maybe curious about the other person we’ve found ourselves in this predicament with.

I’m hurting, my body feeling weaker by the moment. Our little wrestling session earlier didn’t help, but I refuse to let myself pass out.

“You need rest,” the doc says, as though he can read my thoughts.

“I’m fine.”

“Jesus. I hate that macho shit.” He rolls his eyes, and I can’t help but quirk a brow at him. He’s interesting, and I can’t remember the last time I found anyone or anything interesting.

“I’m not being macho.”

“What would you call it?”

“Watching the man I kidnapped so he doesn’t try to escape again?” I try, and I could swear, he almost smiles.

“I won’t…and I’m handcuffed.”

“Yeah, well, I can’t trust you anymore, now can I?”

“Anymore?” he asks, just as the same question filters through my head. Why had I said anymore? It’s not as if I ever did or could ever trust him.

I ignore that question, and the doc doesn’t probe any further.