Chapter 24

TWENTY-FOUR

At the sound of the snowmobile, Carolyn got to her feet and stood hands on hips, chin raised, and stared at the front door. She had a few things to say to him for leaving her alone all night and then having water and cold beans for breakfast. She heard a key turn in the lock and a blast of freezing air rushed across the room along with a flurry of snowflakes. "Where the heck have you been all darn night?" She smoothed her hair and brought it over one shoulder.

"We need some rules." The man of her dreams removed his coat and shook out the snow before hanging it on a hall tree beside the door. He sat down on the small bench seat below and dragged off his boots. "First, don't ever raise your voice to me again or swear in my presence. It's not ladylike." His dark gaze hardened as he straightened and walked toward her. "I expected a more welcoming response from you when I arrived. I figured you might have been concerned about my welfare out in the snow all night, but no, all you care about is yourself."

Carolyn ran her hands through her hair, arranged it over one shoulder, and then curled the ends around her index finger. The move usually made men forget their names. She smiled and wet her lips. "I don't follow rules. If I did, I wouldn't have come out here with you, would I? Doesn't every girl's mother tell her not to get into a car with a stranger, and yet here I am, in a cabin in the woods with somebody I hardly know." Her thoughts went to how they'd met as it had only been a week and he'd swept her off her feet. He was everything she wanted in a man and, with money to burn, he was perfect. She walked toward him. "I missed you. Are you okay? Where did you stay last night?"

"Don't touch me." A sneer crossed his mouth as he held up both hands like a traffic cop and glared at her. "Look at this place. Is this how you live? Stop touching your hair and get this place cleaned up." He picked up a bag he'd dropped on the floor when he came in and tossed it onto the kitchen counter. "I'll get the stove going. You can cook, right?"

Annoyed, Carolyn glared at him. Was he joking? "I don't cook or clean. We have people to do that where I come from." She looked around the dust-laden cabin. "Look at me. Do I look like a cleaning woman?" She tossed her hair and rearranged it again, smoothing it on her shoulder.

"You look like a spoiled brat." He shook his head slowly. "I bet if I go into the bedroom, you will have cleaned a space in the dust on the mirror to look at yourself."

Shocked by his ice-cold expression, she took a step back when he came around the kitchen counter. He stood a few inches from her, glaring down at her. It was as if he'd changed into a different person overnight. She lifted her chin, refusing to cower before him. "Don't be a dumbass. You know I like to make myself look good for you. That's why I'm here, isn't it, so you can show me off to your friends like a darn trophy?" She snorted. "Don't concern yourself on my behalf. I'm used to it."

The open-hand slap came from nowhere. Carolyn rocked back and sat down hard on the floor. No one had ever hit her before. She lunged forward and grabbed him by the leg and sank in her teeth. When he howled and grabbed her hair, she bit harder. He had handfuls of her hair. The extensions were coming off in his hands as he dragged her from him. Pain shot through her scalp as he twisted his fists, she needed to let go but had tasted blood. When she spat the blood from her mouth, he lifted her up by her hair. Screaming, she went for his face, but he moved so fast, twisting her around and grabbing both her hands. Forcing her to her knees, he pressed one knee in her back. The weight of him pushed the air from her lungs. Agony tore through tendons stretched well over their limit as he wrenched her arms high up behind her. "Stop it, you're hurting me."

"Oh, I haven't started hurting you yet." Viciously, he dragged her to her feet and marched her into the kitchen. He went into his bag and took out gaffer tape and wrapped it around her wrists. "Get into the bedroom. Now." He shoved her hard in the back.

Sobbing with terror, Carolyn stumbled forward. Was he planning on raping her? She stared at him over one shoulder. She could twist guys around her little finger. She just needed to give him what he wanted. "Look, I'm sorry, all right? I'll clean the cabin if that's what you want. There's no need to get violent."

"Shut up. That's just become another rule. You don't speak unless I ask you a question. I can't stand the sound of your baby voice any longer. You sound like a two-year-old." He stared around the room and growled deep in his chest. "Move and I'll make you sorry."

Trembling, Carolyn stood in the corner. She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror over the nightstand and gaped at her swollen red eyes. Her hair was standing up all over and mascara tracked lines down her cheeks. She turned as he heaved the mattress back onto the bed, tossed on the linen, and then stared at her as if deciding what to do next. Without warning, he grabbed her and pushed her into the tiny bathroom and secured her hands to the towel rail. She stared at him. "I said I was sorry and I'd clean the house. Stop acting like a blockhead and untie me… unless this is your kinky side? If it is, I can deal with it."

"Really." He shook his head slowly. "We'll see, shall we?" He took a hunting knife from a sheath at his waist and cut her free from the towel rail. "Get onto the bed. Face down arms and legs spread like a starfish."

Convinced she'd won him over, she gave him a coy smile and climbed awkwardly onto the bed, falling flat on her face. "You can untie my hands now."

Instead, he grabbed each ankle and secured them to the old metal bed ends. He climbed onto the bed and sitting on her back, cut her hands free before attaching them to the head of the bed. Carolyn turned her head to look at him. He stood looking down at her, a faraway look in his eyes, then he turned away.

"Think about the rules, Carolyn." He stood in the doorway staring at her. "It's going to get cold, but as I'm a nice guy, I'll add more wood to the fire, but I might not be back for hours, maybe not until tomorrow. I'll see if you are ready to comply. When you've cleaned the house and cooked me a meal, I'll reward you by taking you out to look at a beautiful view."

Panic had her by the throat. She could hardly move and her face pressed into the filthy mattress. "You can't just leave me here like this. What if I need to use the bathroom?"

"I'm sure one more stain on that old mattress won't make any difference." He turned and walked away, stopping to collect his bag, put on his coat and boots, before opening the door. A freezing wind rushed into the room. "Don't die before I get back. You'll spoil all the fun."