Can't Forget You (Psychological Suspense Thriller) Summit Lake Series

by Kristen Middleton

  He lowered his revolver. “Luckily, loving someone also means forgiving them, even if it almost kills you to do so.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “But, you can make it up to me by stripping and putting that sexy little nightie on.”

  My stomach dropped. “Please…”

  “Do it!” he growled.

  “Patrick—”

  He fired the gun, hitting the wall next to me and making me scream. The sound was so loud that my ears began to ring.

  “Sophia, I’m not asking you again.”

  Shaking, I walked over to the dresser, pulled out the nightgown, and then looked at him. “Do you mind?”

  His lip twitched. “Mind what? Seeing you naked? I’ve seen almost every inch of you already.”

  “That’s right. While I was having sex with someone else. Nice,” I snapped in disgust.

  “I actually didn’t see much. It was too dark. Fortunately, the lights in your bathroom are bright enough to see everything.”

  My eyes widened in shock.

  He smirked. “Did you know they make cameras so small you can hide them just about anywhere?”

  I felt violated. Disgusted. “You’re absolutely pathetic, you know that?”

  His expression turned cold. “Strip. Now!”

  12

  SOPHIA

  I TURNED MY back and started removing my clothes, reminding myself that I was doing this for Marcy. So what if he saw me half-naked? Like he said, he already had seen everything anyway. But, I wasn’t that naïve. I knew it was going to eventually lead to rape if things kept progressing.

  Unless I killed him first…

  I stole a glance at Patrick as I was changing and shuddered. He had his hand on his crotch and was massaging it.

  Oh, hell no!

  “Do you mind?” I snapped.

  His face turned red and he removed his hand. “Mind what?”

  “Not jerking off.”

  “I was doing no such thing.”

  I looked away.

  Patrick changed the subject. “So, what do you think of my new look?”

  I didn’t reply.

  “If you didn’t notice, I shaved and ended up getting Lasik.”

  “Good for you.”

  “So, you don’t like it?”

  I gave him dirty look. “I don’t like you. Period.”

  He grinned. “You’re even more beautiful when you’re angry.”

  I rolled my eyes.

  “You know, I’m doing this for us.”

  I clenched my jaw. “Right.”

  “You’ll see. In time.”

  I knew there was no use arguing with the creep. I finished changing and then glared at him again. “Happy now?”

  He pointed the gun toward my feet. “No. Take off the socks.”

  Sighing, I removed them.

  His eyes swept over me with satisfaction. “God, you’re sexy.”

  Although the nightgown covered quite a bit, I still felt naked and vulnerable. I put my hand over my chest, the pleasure in his gaze making my skin crawl. “And you’re disgusting if you think I’m going to let you rape me.”

  Patrick looked horrified. “Rape you? No, I would never, ever do that. I just wanted to see you in the nightgown.”

  “Fine. You’ve seen me. Now can I add more clothing? It’s cold outside and I’m not going anywhere dressed like this.”

  He pulled his phone out. “Fine. Just let me get a couple of pictures of you first.”

  I glared at him. “You’re kidding?”

  “No. Move your hands away from your breasts,” he ordered.

  Clenching my jaw, I did what he asked.

  He nodded in approval. “Good. Now smile.”

  I gave him a dirty look instead.

  He clenched his fist and stomped his foot like a toddler. “I said smile!”

  I forced a grin to my face.

  “That’s better.” He took a few photos, murmuring things under his breath, and then asked me to turn around and bend over.

  “Absolutely not!” I snapped angrily. “You have your pictures. I’ve done what you asked. But I’m not letting this get any raunchier than it already is. If you have any respect for me at all, you’ll let me get dressed.”

  He stared at me for a few more seconds and then nodded. “Fine.”

  Grateful, I slipped my jeans back on and pulled the sweater over my nightgown. As I was putting my socks back on, I noticed him typing on his phone and smiling. I was about to try and make a run for it again but he looked at me.

  “Well, that should take care of that,” Patrick said, looking like a cat who’d just swallowed a canary.

  “What do you mean?”

  He raised his phone. “I just sent your little boyfriend copies of the photos. Now he knows we’re back together again.”

  The guy was truly a wacko.

  Patrick’s phone started to ring. “Oh, look it’s him calling back.” He answered it and I could hear Mitch hollering at him on the other end of the phone.

  “No, she’s safe, idiot. I’d never hurt her. She’s here with me now. Enjoying herself.” Patrick began to pace the room. “Did she look like she was being held against her will?”

  With his attention on the phone call, I began backing away slowly toward the doorway.

  “I just wanted you to see that you weren’t enough man for her, Lumberjack. I’m the only one who can truly satisfy Sophia.”

  I turned and fled out of the bedroom. Instead of leaving the cabin, which I imagined he’d check first, I raced downstairs, into the dark basement.

  Unfortunately, he caught on right away and started chasing after me. He tried to turn on the light switch, but I had yet to replace the bulb that had gone out.

  “Not cool, Sophia.” He turned the flashlight on in his phone and began walking down the steps. “What in the hell are you doing? I thought we were past the games?”

  Crouched down behind a shelving unit, my heart raced as I considered my options. I wanted to save Marcy, but was terrified of getting into a car with the maniac. If only I could get Patrick’s gun away from him and somehow force him into telling me where she was.

  “Sophia! Come on out. You want to see your friend alive, don’t you?”

  He drew closer and I hunched down even lower. Fortunately, he turned and headed in the opposite direction, toward several boxes of items I’d been meaning to take to the Goodwill. Taking a deep breath, I stood up and crept over to the staircase. As I began climbing, the creaking of the stairs gave me away.

  “There you are.” He leaped after me, grabbing my ankle before I could reach the top.

  I fell to my knees, but managed to kick him hard in the shoulder.

  Swearing, he let go.

  I scrambled up the last few steps, slammed the door and locked it.

  Thank God.

  Releasing a shaky breath, I grabbed my phone and key fob from the kitchen counter.

  “Sophia!” hollered Patrick, trying to open the door. He jiggled the handle and threw his weight against the door. “Open this fucking thing or Marcy is dead! I mean it!”

  I paused, frantic that I might be making a horrible mistake. But I had to wonder if he was lying again and had already killed her.

  I couldn’t trust him.

  There was a loud splintering noise as the door began to give.

  Frightened, I quickly fled the cabin and ran toward my car. As I was about to get in, I heard pounding from Marcy’s trunk.

  “Help!”

  “Marcy?” I raced over to the car and tried opening the trunk. Of course it was locked. So were the doors. “Shit!”

  “Sophia, is that you?” she cried out.

  I hurried back to the trunk, relieved that she was okay. “Yes, I’m going to try and get you out of here.”

  “Where is that lunatic?”

  “In the cabin.” I looked toward the shed, where I’d put the ax Patrick had brought with him the last time. Thank goodne
ss I’d kept it. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “To get an ax.”

  “Be careful!”

  As I headed toward the shed I heard the screen door bang as Patrick stepped out onto the porch.

  “Sophia!” he hollered, scanning the yard. “Get back here or your friend is a goner!”

  I looked back over my shoulder and that was when he noticed me.

  Shit.

  He flew down the steps and I ran like hell to the shed. I flung open the door, grateful I’d procrastinated about getting a lock for it, and went inside. Inside it was so dark, that I could barely see a foot in front of my face. Fortunately, the ax was exactly where I’d left it. Brushing away a few spider webs, I picked it up and turned around to find him standing in the doorway.

  He eyed the ax and smiled coldly. “Well, well. What are you planning on doing with that?”

  I gripped it tighter. “I’m saving Marcy.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. She can’t breathe in the trunk.”

  His lip twitched. “Ah. So she woke up.”

  “Yes. She’s claustrophobic,” I lied, “and freaking out. We have to let her out.”

  “She’s alive. She’s fine.” He pointed the gun at me. “Dammit, woman. You’re making things difficult. Almost too difficult. Don’t make me regret something I don’t want to do.”

  I raised my chin. “Like what? Kill both of us?”

  “I don’t want to. I really don’t. But, things aren’t working out like I’d hoped and your resistance is getting very fucking annoying.” He rubbed his shoulder where I’d kicked him. “And painful.”

  I eyed his gun. Even with the ax, I couldn’t beat him. But, at least I could save Marcy and worry about escaping him later.

  I took a deep breath. “Let her out and I’ll go with you.”

  He looked unsure.

  “I just want her safe and then we… we can be together, if that’s what you really want.”

  Patrick thought about it for a little while and then nodded. “Fine. First, put down the ax.”

  “After you let her out. There’s no other way.”

  He studied my face and then relented. “Fine.”

  We walked out of the shed and back over to Marcy’s vehicle. Watching me carefully, he pulled out the key fob and opened the trunk.

  Marcy climbed out, her eyes swollen from crying and her dark hair disheveled and sticking up everywhere. Her face was streaked with mascara and she had on her Halloween costume—a Playboy Bunny outfit I’d helped her pick out. Our eyes locked and I could tell what she wanted—for me to act. Before I could even consider my next move, Patrick grabbed her and held the gun against Marcy’s cheek. “She’s out. Now, put the ax down or she’s dead.”

  Not wanting to risk her life, I did what he asked.

  He nodded toward the ax. “Move away from it.”

  I took a few steps back.

  He motioned to the trunk. “Get inside.”

  I looked at him in surprise. “Me?”

  “Yeah.” He cocked the gun. “Now.”

  Marcy and I looked at each other.

  “Don’t do it,” she begged. “Don’t trust him.”

  “If she doesn’t, you’re both dead,” he growled. “Sophia, I’ll give you to the count of three. One…”

  I had no other choice. He’d already killed John. He’d probably also killed the other woman he’d stalked, Leah.

  He clenched his jaw. “Two…”

  “Fine.” I started climbing into the trunk.

  Panicking, Marcy broke free from Patrick’s hold, reached for my arm, and tried pulling me out. “Don’t do this. You know he’s a killer. You’ll never get out of this alive.”

  “If I don’t, we’re both dead. At least he’s giving us a chance.”

  “You can’t trust him. Why would he let either of us go?

  Patrick jerked her away from the car. “Shut up, bitch. You’ve already caused enough trouble.”

  I watched in horror as he raised the revolver and hit her in the head with it.

  “No!” I screamed as she collapsed to the ground. I tried getting out of the trunk, but he shoved me back inside and slammed it shut. “You asshole! You didn’t have to hurt her!”

  “Paybacks are a bitch.” He slapped the trunk and let out a celebratory whooping sound. “It’s just you and me now, Sophia, and… the world is ours.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “Yeah. That too.” He chuckled. “In time.”

  13

  SOPHIA

  I HEARD HIM get into the car and start the engine. A few seconds later, we were headed down the dirt road and I could feel every bump. Groaning, I closed my eyes and started plotting an escape plan. All I had to do was get him to trust me.

  Suddenly, he slammed on the brakes. I heard him get out of the car and then the sounds of two men arguing.

  Mitch!

  I screamed his name. “I’m in the trunk!”

  “Get the fuck away from the car or I’ll shoot you,” Patrick growled.

  “Calm down and put the gun down before someone gets hurt,” Mitch replied.

  “Fuck it. I don’t have time for this bullshit.”

  I heard the gun go off. Horrified, I cried out.

  Had he killed him?

  “Next time you’ll be at the other end of the bullet. Not your tire,” Patrick snapped.

  I breathed a sigh of relief.

  “You killed a cop and they won’t stop looking for you. Look, if you let her go, you might still make it out of Summit Lake in one piece. Kidnapping her is going to make things ten times worse.”

  He snorted. “Sorry, chump. She’s mine now and I’m not ever letting her go. Now get the fuck away from the car before I put a bullet in your head.”

  “Listen—”

  “You know, the only reason why I haven’t killed you is because I want you to know what if feels like to lose her. Like I did.”

  “You never had her.”

  “Because you never gave me a chance, Mr. Big Shot. But soon she’ll realize that we are meant to be together. See, we’re soulmates. You… you were just a distraction.”

  “Fine. You’re soulmates. But I can tell you that if you kidnap her, she’ll never trust or love you. That’s definitely not going to win her over.”

  “She’ll forgive me. In time. Now back the fuck off!”

  “Fine.”

  I heard the car door opening, then some swearing, followed by a scuffle.

  “Stop fighting!” I called out, deathly afraid of Mitch getting shot. I then heard the sound of the gun going off again and my heart stopped.

  “Mitch?” I squeaked.

  Nothing.

  I kicked at the trunk. “Hello? What’s going on?”

  I heard the car door slam shut and then the vehicle began to move. Closing my eyes, I began to sob as I imagined Mitch lying on the road, dead. All I could think about was being in his arms and staring up at his tender smile. I loved him so much and the thought of never seeing him again broke something inside of me. I vowed that whatever it took, I wouldn’t just get away from Patrick, but I’d make him suffer for what he’d done.

  14

  Five Weeks Later

  PATRICK

  MY ALARM WENT off but I was already awake and anxious for what the day would bring. It was my thirty-sixth birthday and Sophia had mentioned a special surprise for me.

  I hit the snooze button and closed my eyes, thinking back to the last few weeks. She was finally coming around, which I knew would happen. Still, it was such a relief. I had almost thought that her stubbornness would ruin everything. But it looked like the psychic had been right all along. This woman was definitely the one.

  I got out of bed, took a quick shower, and then made breakfast. Sophia loved her eggs over easy and her toast almost burnt. She preferred bacon over sausage and hated cow’s milk but loved almond. She did have a sweet-tooth, which was why I pou
red her a large glass of orange juice and dropped a couple of chocolate kisses onto the TV tray. I then headed down the hallway to the cellar door, and flipped on the light.

  “Rise and shine, beautiful,” I called down as I descended the staircase. We were staying at an old house I’d been renting for the past year, about two hours north of Summit Lake. It was in desperate need of repairs, which was why my rent was so low. Plus, the old broad who owned it never paid any visits. She was in a wheelchair and didn’t get out much.

  Before bringing Sophia to the house, I’d installed a giant, makeshift metal holding cell in the basement, which also enclosed a small three-quarter bathroom. I wanted her to be comfortable, so I’d also purchased a nice full-sized pillowtop bed, a thirty-two-inch television, a comfy reading chair, and a bookcase. I remembered how much she loved reading and had filled it with several new releases before she’d arrived. Fortunately, I’d inherited money from a great aunt several years ago, and was able to afford a few luxuries for my girl.

  Sophia stood up, yawned, and stretched her arms. She had on an old red T-shirt of mine and a pair of gray boxer shorts. Even with bed-head and no makeup, she was radiantly beautiful. She’d actually lost a few pounds after refusing to eat the first week, but had since gotten back on track. Not only had her appetite returned, but she was making a conscious effort to get herself into better shape—not that I thought she needed to. She’d even started doing pushups and burpees, so her arms and shoulders were toned and lovelier than ever.

  “How did you sleep?” I asked, unlocking the cell door.

  “Wonderful, thank you. I still can’t believe you bought this bed for little ol’ me.” She sat on the edge and leaned back on her elbows. “You’re so good to me, Patrick.”

  I set the tray down on the nightstand, next to her bed. “You’re the love of my life, beautiful. Everything I do, I do it for you.”

  She smiled. “Whitney Houston.”

  I raised my eyebrow. “Who?”

  Sophia gave me a strange look. “Uh, she was a singer. Those were lyrics from one of her most popular songs.”

  “Oh.” Had I heard the song? Sometimes my memories became a bit cloudy. Ever since that bitch friend of Sophia’s, Marcy, had hit me in the head with a damn rifle. It had taken all I had not to shoot the woman. But I knew Sophia would have held it against me and decided not to. Even though the cow had deserved to die.