"The egg salad went bad, so roast beef it is." He unwrapped a half of a sandwich and handed it to her.

She took a small bite then found that she could eat after all. She finished the half sandwich then took the second half that he offered her and ate that, too. "I'm thirsty," she said.

He frowned. "I forgot your cup upstairs. I'll get it later," he said before biting into his own sandwich.

She ate her second half more slowly to prolong the time until he would strap her down.

When she finished the last bite she looked at him with apprehension. He brushed the crumbs off his fingers onto his jeans then got up and walked to the shelf. He picked out several things before returning to her.

"Now for some fun stuff." He set the small pile on the chair he'd been sitting in. "Stand up and turn away from me."

Her stomach churned as she obeyed. She winced as he put metal handcuffs on her sore wrists, her hands cuffed behind her back. He took the ball gag and shoved it into her mouth again and fastened it. He turned her around by her shoulders so that she was facing him.

"You should be naked for this," he reached for the low neckline of her dress and she thought he was going to tear it open. "But that can wait." He gave her a grin. "Antic.i.p.ation is half the fun."

Instead, he caught her off guard by picking her up and laying her on her belly on the bed. He cuffed her ankles together and then showed her a couple of locks.

"There's no getting out of this," he said and her heartbeat quickened. He pulled her wrists back and locked her wrist cuffs to her ankle cuffs, hogtying her.

She whimpered behind the ball gag, one cheek against the mattress. Then he took a strap and put it around her arms and pulled the strap, drawing her upper arms back so tightly that her upper arms were nearly touching.

He put a strap around her head and pulled her head as far back as he could and fastened the strap to her ankles. She'd never been in such an uncomfortable position in her life. Her limbs and neck ached and her whole body hurt.

A wash of cold chilled her body. Was he going to leave her like this?

He walked in front of her and crouched so that she could more easily see his face while she was in the hogtied position.

"Beautiful," he said. "Bet you've never been hogtied before. You can't move, can you? Try."

She tried shifting to get more comfortable while testing her restraints. She tried to move her hands but no part of her could budge. She gave a helpless whimper and he smiled.

He rubbed his crotch through his jeans and her stomach turned. She wondered how she had ever found him attractive. She'd never been drawn to him in any way, but she'd thought he was a good-looking man with a friendly nature about him.

Now she knew his twisted side.

"How long to leave you like this." He tilted his head to the side. "Uncomfortable, isn't it?"

She whimpered again, pleading with his eyes for him to let her out. Her arms and shoulders ached from being pulled back so tight, and the cuffs caused her raw skin to burn.

"That's part of real bondage and domination." He leaned forward and brushed a lock of hair from her forehead and she would have flinched from his touch if she could have moved. "It's all about my enjoyment, not yours."

Tears burned at the backs of her eyes as he pointed up. She couldn't follow the gesture but she knew what he was pointing at. The huge hook in the ceiling.

"I have something else in mind now," he said.

He began unfastening the locks and straps, including taking the cuffs off her ankles, and soon she was able to relax her head and the rest of her body. He left only the cuffs on her wrists and the ball gag in her mouth. She slumped on the bed, every part of her aching.

He grabbed the back of her dress and jerked her to her feet. She heard something tear and felt cool air where her zipper had held the back of her dress closed.

"Oops," Harvey said, but she heard the grin in his voice. He took her by her upper arm and jerked her to her feet. Her legs almost gave out on her.

To her relief, he unlocked one of the cuffs on her wrists. In the next moment he was turning her around and letting his hands caress her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as he pushed her dress over her arms so that the material slid down her body and landed around her feet. She shuddered at his touch but he didn't seem to notice.

Her face went hot as she stood in front of him in her red bra and panties. He gave a low whistle. "s.e.xy," he said. "Are you ready to admit how much you want me?"

The ball gag still stifled her and all she could do was shake her head in the negative.

He narrowed his eyes and grabbed her wrists again, and this time cuffed them in front of her. "I've got time," he said. "And so do you."

He took her by her upper arm and led her below the hook. As he was walking her there, she thought about escaping. Maybe she could find something on the shelf to hit him on the head with, hogtie him while he was out, and when he woke, force him to give her the door code to get out of here.

The scenario was an imaginative one, but she doubted it had true possibilities.

When she was under the hook, he raised her arms and looped the metal chain that connected the cuffs over the hook. Then he went to one of the walls with shelves, and beside that, found a b.u.t.ton that he pressed. The hook rose until she was standing on her tiptoes, her arms straight above her head, her body stretching taut.

"I'll give you some more time to think about it." He started up the stairs again and glanced over his shoulder once and smiled. "I have an errand to run. I'll be back."

Tears burned at the backs of Tess's eyes. This was a nightmare and she wanted to wake up and find herself in Gage's arms. She wanted to take a chance and tell Gage how much she loved him, like she should have done while he was in the hospital, or right after he got out.

A crazy man had trapped her in a soundproof bunker, somewhere she likely would never be found. And she had no idea how she was going to save herself.

Chapter 37.

Gage dragged his hand down his face as he sat on the couch in Harvey's living room. He'd searched the house from bottom to top and then again from top to bottom. Under beds, in closets, in the attic, in the s.p.a.ce under the stairs, and everywhere else he could think of. There was no bas.e.m.e.nt as far as he could tell. The police had searched the same locations so all Gage was doing was repeating the same process.

He felt desperate, his skin too tight over his tense, aching muscles. It was almost to the point where he couldn't move his leg, much less his shoulder.

Was Harvey keeping Tess somewhere else? When Gage had peeked in the window, he'd seen Harvey in his kitchen. So where the h.e.l.l could he have gone?

Gage buried his face in his hands as he struggled over the facts that he couldn't find Harvey and Tess was missing. There had to be an explanation. Had to be.

The sound of sc.r.a.ping came from behind the couch and Gage saw that the wall was moving.

Heart pounding, he ducked behind a chair and braced himself on the knee of his good leg. Careful to stay out of view, he peered around the chair just enough to see a door swinging open in the wall.

Harvey stepped out.

He faced the wall and touched something and then the door closed.

Gage's throat grew dry. Tess had to be wherever that doorway led to.

He slowly reached for the pistol with the snake shot and got to his feet.

"Hold it right there, Harvey." Gage's voice was cold as he aimed the weapon at the man who went completely still. "Raise your hands and turn around slowly."

Harvey obeyed. To Gage's surprise, Harvey had a smirk. "Figured it out, huh?"

"Take me to Tess now, you sonofab.i.t.c.h," Gage said in a growl. "Tell me how you open the door."

Harvey gave a nod toward the wall. "Just press that knot. The medium-sized one."

Gage did his best to not show any weakness from his injuries as he moved closer. He trained the pistol on Harvey. "You push it."

Harvey slowly reached out and pressed the knot. Then there was a hard click as the center of the knot dipped in and the door began to move.

Concrete sc.r.a.ped concrete as the door swung open. Gage's heartbeat quickened. He nodded to Harvey. "Go inside."

Gage stepped in after Harvey. The first thing he saw was Tess. Relief flooded his heart to see her alive followed by fury at what Harvey had done to her. She was hanging by her cuffed wrists from a hook in the center of the room, wearing only panties and a bra, a ball gag in her mouth. Her eyes were wide and filled with terror as she stared right at him and Harvey.

As Harvey walked down the steps with Gage following, his gaze held Tess's. "It's okay, honey," he said. "I'm here."

Tess had hope in her eyes.

Gage had to struggle to get down the stairs and still hold onto the gun as he came down behind Harvey.

Just as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Harvey caught Gage off guard as he whirled around and hit Gage in his wounded shoulder. The pain was so intense that red lights flared in Gage's mind and his legs almost gave out on him.

He managed to hold onto the gun and he swung it on Harvey, but in a fast, easy movement, Harvey pivoted and looped his arm around Tess's neck.

"Come on, Gage, hands up. Then toss that gun onto the bed." Harvey showed the affable good ol' boy persona that fooled so many people. "We can have us a chat before I get my revenge." Gage didn't move. Harvey's jaw tensed. "Hurry up before I get tired and snap Tess's sweet little neck."

Gage raised his left hand and pointed the gun to the ceiling.

"Both hands." Harvey narrowed his eyes.

"I can't raise my right arm." Gage studied Harvey, the realization dawning on him. Now there was no doubt in his mind-Harvey had hired the man to kill him. "As you no doubt know, I was shot in my shoulder and my leg."

Harvey studied him. "All right. Toss the gun on the bed like I said. But if you try anything, she's dead."

Gage pitched the gun underhanded and it bounced on top of the mattress. He felt more frustration and anger-not to mention fear for Tess-than he'd ever felt in his life.

Harvey motioned Gage in the direction opposite of the bed so that he was far from the gun.

"If my memory is correct from all those years ago, and my memory usually is right on," Harvey said, "all you've got is snake shot in that pistol. Isn't that right?"

"Let Tess go." Gage tried to relax his stance. "I'm the one you want to get revenge on."

Harvey shook his head. "I've wanted Tess for a long time and you got in the way there, too. You just have to f.u.c.k up everything, don't you," he stated Gage let out a slow breath. "Please let her leave."

"Not happening." Harvey kissed Tess's cheek then grinned at Gage. "Tess has a thing for me and has for a long time. She's been enjoying her induction into real bondage and discipline play." He kept his grin pasted to his face. "It's because of her that I arranged to have you killed." His voice lowered to a growl. "Chess paid for his f.u.c.kup when things didn't go just right."

"So you killed him," Gage said slowly.

"His body is off in the Bradshaws. He'll never be found." Harvey shrugged, his arm now loosely draped over Tess's shoulders. "That's where I plan on taking you." He nodded toward the pistol. "I'll put that right over your heart and it'll take care of you."

Harvey nodded to Tess as he continued. "I'll just use her as my sweet little human shield as a little extra safety. I'll let her have it if you try anything." He kept his arm around Tess's neck and leaned over to push a b.u.t.ton on the wall with his free hand. The b.u.t.ton operated the chain holding the hook, lowering her back firmly on her feet, her arms still over her head.

Scenarios flashed through Gage's mind as he tried to figure out how he could save Tess and himself. Right now he couldn't think of a good one.

Harvey unhooked Tess and marched her to the bed, keeping her between Gage and himself. Her wrists were still cuffed in front of her and she was still gagged as he forced her to sit on the mattress. He picked up the gun and turned it on Gage. With his free hand he grabbed a pair of metal cuffs lying next to some other things on the bed.

Harvey tossed the cuffs and they landed at Gage's feet. "Pick those up and sit against that wall, next to that pipe." Harvey nodded to a wall with a metal pipe that ran from floor to ceiling. Gage went to the wall and slid down so that he was sitting up, his gaze focused on Harvey.

"Put one cuff on your wrist and the other on that pipe," Harvey said, waving the gun.

Metal clanked against metal as Gage did what Harvey told him to.

"I don't want any blood or mess in my bunker, so I'm going to dispose of you in another way." Harvey set the gun aside and turned to Tess. He dug a key out of his pocket and unfastened one cuff and hooked it to a bedpost. "Don't move," he said as he slipped the key back into his pocket. He unfastened the ball gag and tossed it aside.

"I want a kiss," Harvey said to Tess. "And I want you to show Gage that you want me. Touch my d.i.c.k."

Gage narrowed his eyes.

Tess licked her lips and then Harvey moved close to her and gave her a long kiss. It surprised Gage when he saw her move her hand to Harvey's crotch without the man having to tell her a second time.

Harvey was grinning when he drew away from Tess. "I knew you wanted me. I think I might just f.u.c.k you while Gage watches and then kill him."

Tess's face seemed paler but she said nothing.

Harvey left Tess and moved toward Gage, studying him. "I'll be back." Then Harvey turned and headed up the stairs, the pistol still in his hand. He entered a code on a keypad beside the door. It sc.r.a.ped open then closed behind Harvey as he left.

When they were alone, Gage's eyes met Tess's. "How are you, honey?"

"I'm okay," she said, her voice sounding a little high. It was then that he noticed her ankles and wrists had been rubbed raw. She actually smiled as she raised her free hand. "When he made me touch him, I got the key out of his pocket."

Relief whooshed through Gage. "You are something else."

She took the key and unlocked her cuff then slipped off the bed and went to Gage and unlocked his cuff, too.

"Now what?" she said. "He still has the gun."

Gage scowled. "He clearly doesn't plan on killing me immediately. We stay put until the right moment and then I'll take care of him."

Tess kissed him and he breathed in her scent and felt her soft body against his.

The door started to sc.r.a.pe open again.

"Go," Gage whispered with urgency.

Tess ran back to the bed and moved so that Harvey couldn't see that she wasn't cuffed anymore. Gage did the same.