You chuckled to yourself as you could just imagine what Sade would say about all this. But as you were thinking about it, you felt a warm pair of arms circle your waist and a warm pair lips kiss along your neck.

"Well good morning to you, too," you mused and rubbed his arm affectionately. "Didn't wanna disturb your sleep."

"If this is what it was going to be, I would never mind the disturbance."

You turned and wrapped your arms around his neck.

"Maybe I just wanted to wash off last nights activities. Alone."

He laughed softly, prompting you to caress the lines by his eyes.

"Where's the fun in that? You're not the only one who got dirty. Wouldn't wanna waste your hot water."

"Hmm, I feel like it would be all gone if we continue said activities with the hot water running the whole time."

"You raise a good point," he said as he caressed your lower back and looked past you to eye the knobs. "What if we just didn't use the hot water?"

You didn't even have time to question what he meant before he switched positions so that his back would be facing the water, turning off the hot water and turning up the cold water.

You gasped and laughed at the absurdity of the situation, ending up back in his arms--to shield you from the cold, of course--and his hand loosely wrapped around your throat as he took the liberty of slipping himself inside. He shushed you as your back arched instinctively and leaned back on his shoulder.

"Steve..." you mewled at how slow he was dragging against your walls. It didn't occur at all that he was casually letting ice cold water beat against his back with barely any reaction. All his focus was on you and pressing your back against his chest as much as possible.

This was crazy. Crazy! A second round with a man you just met not even a week ago. Sade is probably blowing your phone up as we speak, but you were, uh...busy!

"You always sound this pretty in the morning?"

"You always...this slow, in the morning?"

"Ooo, message received. Haven't you heard about couples hitting their sexual prime when they hit their 40s?"

He increased the pace of his hips, the sudden, sharp movements forcing a loud groan from your lips. In his mind, this wasn't just sex; he was studying you. He's been studying you since you met up with him at that bar last night. Your tics, habits. What makes you react certain ways, and this was enhanced once he got the alcohol in his system and made it back to your apartment. It's almost too easy.

One arm tightened around you and the other hand that was on your neck slid down to squeeze your breasts. Your climax arrived quicker than you anticipated and when your walls clamped down on him, he groaned and pulled out in the knick of time. His hold didn't loosen as you two caught your breath.

"So," he began after a moment of quiet. "About that hot shower."

Later that evening.

"You're sure you don't want any of these really good ribs? I'll feel bad if I eat them all by myself," you said while licking your fingers clean of sauce. Steve waved off the offer with a small smile.

"They look good but you go ahead. I don't eat animals."

"Oh."

You playfully sulked as you stared at the rib you literally just picked up.

"Now I feel bad."

"No, no, please, don't feel bad, it's just a me thing."

"These are, like, my favorite food ever..."

"You can eat whatever you want."

You stared at it more before dropping it back in the styrofoam container it came in and going to wash your hands in the kitchen with a dramatic huff. Steve watched you from the living room and ran a hand through his hair as he cleared his throat.

"So, have you, uh... have you told anyone about me?" He called out. You turned around coyly as you dried your hands and came back to the living room with a drink in hand.

"I might've," you replied. He nodded and let you continue. "Just my best friend, Sade."

"Mhm... and what did you tell your best friend, Sade?" He asked with a chuckle to soothe his nerves.

"You know...that I met a nice guy. And I might kind of like him. Just a little."

"Ah, tell me more about Sade."

You sat next to him and gave a summary of how you two met and how close you are now.

"She's basically my sister at this point. We're like this." You held up crossed fingers and smiled at the thought of her. And at the phone call earlier where she was hyping you up but also telling you to be careful. Sade always looked out for you.

"Yeah?"

"Mhm. Only thing separating us is blood."

Ding!

You glanced at your phone screen on the table lighting up.

"I don't like how we ended things."

Your breathing pattern skipped. Damn it.

"Can we talk?"

"Who's that?" Steve asked as he sat back on the couch so it didn't look like he was prying.

"Nobody," you shrugged it off, but he could see how your shoulders got stiff. Steve said your name once and you sighed heavily, taking a sip and flipping your phone over after putting it in silence.

"My ex... it's not fresh...necessarily."

"Necessarily?"

"I dunno, is a month and some change a fresh breakup?"

"Depends. How long were you together?"

You hesitated. He noticed.

He said your name again.

"Four years."

"Jesus."

"In my defense, I was the one who broke up with him. He was crazy."

"Define crazy."

"...well..."

A month and a half ago.

"Shane," you exhaled a tired sigh and held up the blocky object to his face. "Why...the hell is there a tracker on my car?"

He snatched it from you and checked to make sure it was still operating properly before going back to his work bench. "Why do you think?"

"Because you're an insane person?"

"Because I don't need you coming home to me talking about how you almost got took. And when that happens, don't be mad that I told you so."

"Shane- Okay, I understand you're on edge because of the sudden influx of missing persons reports. A lot of them are women. I get it. Really. But a tracker? On my car? You can't just, I don't know, check up on me every once in a while like a regular person?"

"I work patrol almost all day in the damn woods. I don't have time for that shit. You know this."

"So make time! Seriously, this is the third time you've done some elaborate weird tracking scheme and still you haven't even gone this far before. Even if I were to get kidnapped, why would they steal my car?"

-

"You raised a good point," Steve chimed in.

"I know, right?"

-

"I can't keep dealing with this."

"What does that mean?" He looked up from the bench with actual concern in his eyes. The most concern you've seen in four years.

"It means... that we're done...I'm sorry. And, please, do not follow me this time."

-

"That's the last thing you said to him?"

"I mean, there were some other things, but that's the last time I've ever spoken to him. He, for some reason, randomly decided to text again after all this time, but, I can assure you we are through. I'm moving on from him and, hopefully... someone new. Normal."

Steve pursed his lips together and hummed to himself.

"Block him."

You blinked. "Block him?"

"Block him," he repeated. "If he's not involved in your life anymore and is pestering you at this point, block him."

He had a point...you think.

You grabbed your phone and tapped the text notification.

"I don't like how we ended things.

"Can we talk?"

You stared at the texts. A small wave of guilt hit the pit of your stomach before glancing at the man across from you. Anticipating. You looked back down at your phone and bit the bullet in swift motions.

"Are you sure you want to block this caller?"

You nodded to yourself like it was asked out loud. Didn't even question the logic of blocking someone you've known for almost a decade.

"It's done," you showed him your phone screen then turned it off with a bit of discomfort on your face, but he didn't comment on it.

"I know it wasn't easy to do that," he said with a softer tone. "But it shows your commitment to...this. Us."

"Yeah," you whispered and drank some more. Steve was watching you again. Like he could physically see the cogs moving around in your head.

"This might sound crazy," he continued. "Just hear me out."

"Okay...?"

"I think...we should go away together. Cute little road trip over the weekend."

You gave him a look of surprise before chuckling with uncertainty.

"I... I don't know. Seems a bit sudden."

"I know, totally get that. I just think it would help us get closer, you know? Learn more about each other while cozied up in the mountains or something."

"Wow," you laughed. "Mountains, huh? Didn't peg a guy from Texas to be into 10 inch snow."

Now he laughed. You got him there.

"It's been this dream of mine since I was a kid. Made this weird promise to myself that I'd go to the mountains with someone I cared about. But, again, I get it. We haven't even known each other a week. That'd be... weird. Right?"

Oh, you were too nice for your own good. He knew.

"It's not weird."

Gotcha.

"It's not?"

"No, it's...kinda sweet."

You sat there and contemplated the options. Honestly, when was the last time you went on a trip with Shane? That didn't involve hunting or sitting out in the blazing heat. Sure, there have been genuinely great dates or a memorable trip or two, but it wasn't like this. Some surprise nice gesture just because.

"...can I DJ?" You added.

He laughed and nodded. "Of course you can. We can even take your car."

Apparently there was really bad traffic on the way to this mystery vacation destination so he offered staying at his place overnight and leaving in the morning. You were hesitant once more but he reassured over and over again, even showed you the shitty traffic to prove he wasn't lying.

On the way there you took in the sights, taking a picture and sending it to Sade to keep her updated. Even sent her your location. Well, tried to. The service was only getting worse the closer you got to his place.

The inside of his place was gorgeous. Real artsy and matched his personality. He offered to make you his version of an old fashion and you watched him make the drink while sparking up conversation about his house.

You checked your phone, still no service. He handed you the drink and you had some while holding your phone up.

"Do you have wifi?"

"Shit. Must've gone out again."

You put the glass down while walking around the living room, mumbling to yourself about how the data on your phone won't even work. It started to make you nervous so you glanced over your shoulder and cleared your throat.

"I'm gonna check to see if I can some better service outside."

Your eyes quickly landed on the door and you started heading towards it without a second thought. The sound of him putting his glass down put some pep in your step.

But you just weren't fast enough.

You felt a warm pair of arms circle your waist the second your hand touched that door knob, pulling you back and making you drop your phone.

"I didn't want to have to do this," he grunted as he moved one of his arms to put you in a headlock. You flailed as much as you could to get loose, shifting your weight to maybe get some traction, but he was stronger. The last thing you can remember is scratching at his forearm before everything went dark. When you fell limp, he finally let go as he caught his breath.

You woke up with a stretch, bright lights in your eyes and muscles a little sore. You turn over and see the man you slept with on the first date. It's been years since you've done such a thing.

...this isn't your room.

He's sitting in a chair all the way across the room and looks a little annoyed. You sit up just to realize your movements are limited as you look down to see your wrist cuffed to the ground. You look back up at him. He doesn't look happy.

"Steve...?"

"You are one tough cookie," he said with a soft humorless chuckle. "Never told me you knew how to almost flip someone over."

"What's going on?"

He didn't respond immediately.

"Did you...are you gonna...?"

He watched you curl into yourself as he caught what you were implying.

"I did not," he said. "And I'm not going to. Not really my style," he paused. "Unless you're bad."

Your whole body felt like you jumped head first into a cold plunge.

"That was a joke," he added with a lighter tone but the sentiment didn't reach his eyes. "It's bad for business."

"Tell me what's going on, Steve."

He sighed. "I'm gonna tell you, but you're gonna freak out.

"Steve," you began. Voice calm but unsteady. "Can you take these off, please?"

"Can't do that."

"Steve," your voice got a little louder. "Take these off."

"Can't do that."

"Take. This. Off."

"I. Can't. Do. That."

Your head starts to shake in denial when you look back down at your restraints. Mumbling 'no' repeatedly. This isn't happening. This... this is not happening.

"This isn't happening..."

"Yeah, it's happening."

"No, no," you ran your hands down your face and looked around the room you were being held captive in. The room you were being held captive in. "This... this is not happening."

"Yes. It is."

He stood up once you started to panic.

"Look, why don't you just try to calm-"

You to scurried to the corner and held your hand up.

"Don't you fucking dare," you gritted through the tears that began to fall. He put his hands up in defense.

"I'll stay right here."

Every muscle in your body tensed up as the tears kept falling. He slowly came closer and your heavy breaths only got worse.

"Please," you swallowed thickly. "I don't understand what's going on. Steve."

"I like you," he said your name all soft-like. Just as tender as the night you shared together lord knows how long ago at this point. "I like you. Okay? Now, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Are you listening?"

Your eyes were shut tight and you kept panting in fear. He didn't like that.

When he suddenly shouted your name you froze and opened your eyes slowly. His flat expression was lifted once he saw your eyes.

"There you are," he said with a little smile. "I'm gonna tell you now. I'm gonna sell your meat. And your hair. And weird shit like that. People pay me a lottt of money for it. It's a thing, so," he chuckled. "I'm not gonna kill you...right away. Because the fresher the meat, the better, so I'm gonna keep you alive as long as I can," he paused again with a chilling smile. "Unless you're bad."

You swear your heart stopped.

"But listen, until then, I'm gonna take care of you. Even cook for you! I'm actually a really good cook. You just don't know it yet. As long as you're good, nothing bad has to happen, right? It's not so bad, huh? Look around,"

Steve turned around to talk about the pretty paintings on the cold gray walls of your cell. You got the idea to take that as opportunity to get up and run at him...the cuff didn't quite reach far enough to grab him. He turned and watched you try to break free, attempting to placate you for like half a second before deciding to grab and wrestle you to the ground.

You gasped and laughed at the absurdity of the situation, ending up back in his arms. His hand loosely wrapped around your throat.

You were trapped in his arms as you flailed like you did upstairs. One hand covering your mouth as he shushed you, but the last thing you could do was calm down.

"Relax," he whispered. You only de-tensed by a fraction because you were using up so much energy. "Stop being so dramatic...there you go."

After a moment he sighed softly and abruptly let you go, grumbling to himself as he walked out and shut the door.

Ding!

"Hey, girl...just checking in. You're kinda freaking me the fuck out...call me. Or text me. And I wanna hear about where this surprise vacation was."

Buzz.

"We're in Cottage Grove! I'll try to call you later but the service isn't great."

Sade stared at the text from you. Really stared at it. Another message came and it was a photo of a waterfall. She narrowed her eyes at it for a few seconds then thought, hey, maybe she's tripping.

Two days go by. Radio silence. Sade opened the text again, staring at that photo.

"Something ain't right," she muttered to herself. "Google...reverse image...search..."

The photo "you" sent was on the front page of that cottage website.

"Shit. Shit!" She got up from her desk and started pacing the room. She knows what she has to do even if it's going to be a pain in the ass.

The chimes at the door of the bar rang as she quickly stepped in. There wasn't time to try to look cute for that hot bartender she's been eyeing the past few weeks. 6:30 p.m. Right on schedule.

"Shane."

He looked over while taking a swig. Eyes tired and his hair a bit messy. He clearly hasn't shaved in a week too. Maybe longer. Sade and him didn't get along. He thought she was a bad influence and she thought he was crazy. But, nonetheless, she needed his help.

"Why are you here?"

His sharp, asshole tone stopped fazing her years ago. When she said your name, he froze.

"She's missing."

Shane tapped the neck of the bottle--probably his fifth beer.

"How do you know?"

"Have you tried calling her?"

"Why would I call her?"

"Okay, fine, have you tried texting her?"

He hesitated.

"Shane!"

"She blocked me."

Sade's head tilted. You... don't block people. She sat down at a stool adjacent to his.

"She doesn't block people."

"I know. It was after I, uh... texted her."

"Did you say something that would make her block you?"

"No, I just- I wanted to talk. That's it. Look, it's not my problem anymore. She's probably off somewhere having the time of her life. You know she likes her phone-free days."

"This is different," Sade said as she pulled up the texts between "you" and her. "She sent me her location and it stopped around here. First red flag. Then she texted me the other day telling me she was at Cottage Grove but couldn't call me because there wasn't service. I found it a little weird that her texting seemed off but chalked it up to me being paranoid. Second red flag. I looked up where this photo came from that 'she' sent," Sade switched tabs to show him where the picture came from.

"She's in danger, Shane. You have to find her."

Shane stared at her phone with a tight jaw and put the bottle down before he broke it with sheer force. Fuck. Fuck! This is exactly what he was warning you about. The two locked eyes as he stood up and grabbed his jacket.

"I'll handle it."

One week later.

Honestly, if you were talking to yourself a week ago, you would never believe the whole "good behavior gets rewarded" thing was real. Because now, you were having dinner with the man you slept with on the first date. Your captor. Your jailer. The man who threatened to kill or sell you alive after that one time you tried to knock him out and escape. The man who punished you by carving off a thin layer of the skin on your ass and kept it for fun.

You put on a smile and pretended to be someone who's curious. Someone who wasn't about to vomit from knowingly eating what was once Veronica. The texture alone could bring a grown man to tears.

You really put on a show. Crying to make it look like you felt so bad for not feeling bad. Steve cradled your face and kissed your tears away as you planned your grand exit. Even offered to slow dance to cheer you up. When he held your hands at the end of the song, he laughed to himself.

"I forgot to cuff you," he murmured.

Then he led you to his room. Two pecks on the lips before you went to the bathroom to make yourself "look better". You came back with the dress he gave you slightly open to show off your cleavage. He licked his lips and you sank to your knees in front of him. He assisted in pulling down his pants and boxers...You wrapped your lips around his shaft and...

He screamed.

You bit down so hard that it drew blood. You smeared toothpaste in his eyes and bolted out the room as his cries became a distant sound.

God damn it this house is fucking massive.

The twists and turns you took finally landed you in the kitchen but he caught up to you. Since you weren't off guard this time, you could fight him off just enough to impair him and finally escape.

You whacked him with a pan and took off to the front door.

Locked. Okay.

You took off to the back door.

Even bigger backyard. Okay.

It was so damn dark you could barely see anything. You ran out to the nearest tree in the distance and hid. Out of breath.

Gunshot. You've gotta be kidding.

He screamed your name as he held his nearly bitten off dick. Shooting anywhere that looked like it could be you running around.

"I thought we had something!" He yelled. He was getting closer but you didn't know where to go without him seeing you. "I'm sorry about the threats, baby! I didn't mean it! I swear!!"

The next gunshot was so close you flinched and covered your mouth with both hands.

"I told you what would happen if you were bad! You didn't fucking listen to me!!!"

Steve stopped walking and lowered the gun for a moment. He was standing right in front of you. Back facing you. Maybe, just maybe it's too dark for him to notice...

He whipped around and managed to catch you after shooting you in the side. Skin wound. He didn't know that. You cried out in pain and his hands wrapped around your neck as he pushed you up against the tree so you definitely had nowhere to go.

"I'm going to kill you," he practically growled. "And I'm going to sell every single part of you at a markup price. Some of my clients like the ones who fought back. Makes the meat tougher. Did you know that?"

You weakly pulled at his fingers as everything started to go dark again. And darker...and darker...

Fwip!

Your half opened eyes watched a bullet go through his head.

That...was a sniper.

Steve's body fell to the ground with a loud thump, making you flinch again. You slowly looked over to see the familiar gleam reflecting off that scope from 20 feet away. When the gun lowered, you could've cried a pool's worth right there. There was no mistaking that silhouette slinging it over his shoulder and running towards you.

Once he got close, you could faintly see his face because of the moonlight.

"Shane..."

The lack of voice you had to even say his name made his heart shatter into a million pieces. Even worse than when you dumped him. You wanted to smile in relief but your lips started quivering and the tears began to flow. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. The second that shaky inhale registered in his ears, he took a step towards you with open arms. Holding you like he never intended to let you go ever again. In more ways than one.

You laid against his shoulder and just sobbed. Having just enough energy to weakly hug him back. When you were together, you almost never cried. You could handle Shane's harshness because you could deliver it back if it was needed. It was why you were together for so long.

If you did cry, he didn't see it. But he knew. Never said anything because that was your business. So seeing you like this? Bawling your eyes out in his well missed warm embrace? If he had the power to revive this fucker from the dead and kill him over and over again until he got tired, he would. In a heartbeat.

He took you back to his place per your request. You were curled up on the living room floor by the fireplace and a had cup of tea, looking down at your hands that Shane cleaned of blood. It was still under your nails. He came and sat with you in silence.

"You tracked my phone, didn't you?"

Your quiet question held certainty. You didn't need to ask.

"I did," he confirmed. "I know I shouldn't have done that in the first place-"

"Thank you," you said. You looked over to him with such exhaustion, but also such gratitude. "I would be dead right now if you hadn't tracked me down and killed him."

He went quiet for a few seconds.

"I won't take all the credit. Sade came to me and put the tools in my hands. It would've never occurred to me to come running since you, you know... blocked me."

"Fuck," you winced. And it wasn't at the wound he patched up. "I am so sorry about that."

"I probably deserved it."

Now you went quiet for a few seconds.

"...you don't have to sit so far."

He glanced down at the space he gave you.

"You're asking me to sit closer."

"I'm telling you to sit closer."

There it was. That banter. It was good to know that prick didn't break you.

Shane scooted closer and you almost immediately laid your head on his shoulder, curling your fingers around his arm.

"...you can say it."

"Say what?"

"That you told me so."

He scoffed.

"I'm not doing that."

"I'm giving you permission to."

"I'm not doing that," he repeated slower. "You're here. You're alive. That motherfucker is dead. Those other women are free. That's all that matters. You are all that matters. Is that clear?"

You closed your eyes and held his arm tighter. He interlaced his fingers with yours and gently leaned his head against you. You just nodded with a small smile. The first real smile you've worn in what feels like forever.

"Crystal."

-