Now the straps bound her to the bed by her wrists and ankles. The realisation dawned on her. He had her. She should have fought harder. Her fault again. The tape across her mouth tasted bitter, and she shook her head as if to free herself of it. What was he going to do? She stared wide eyed at him as he knelt by the side of the bed and ran the knife down her chest with an erratic movement. The metal dragged along her skin, and she wriggled to avoid it. She twisted her torso, and the knife cut into her skin.
“You know what, Alice? Best not to move.” He spoke so low, it was difficult to understand him over the noise of the radio, but there was something familiar about him.
She tried to keep still. But her heart pounded with great abnormal beats and she struggled to breathe. Desperate for any escape, she pulled again at her wrists. She thought she heard the Velcro give way. She pulled once more, but nothing happened. Then he ran the knife over her belly button and went further down. He slid it under the elastic of her underwear and cut. She felt the material give, and he cut the other side. Then he grabbed the elastic and ripped her thong off.
He laughed as he watched. Tears welled in her eyes and she sobbed. He sat on the edge of the bed and flexed his gloved fingers. She felt his hand tickle the sole of her foot. Then he stopped. She moaned through the tape and struggled against the restraints. He brought a finger to his lips again. “Shh…” But she couldn’t hear what he said.
His touch restarted at her ankles. Then he slid his hand up her shins, over her knees and along the inside of her bare thighs. She squirmed as his gloved fingertips brushed against her most intimate place. She moaned and shook her head.
“I’ve … you, Alice.” He voice was rough and garbled, as if he didn’t want her to hear him properly. “Ever since… …met. You’ve …. teasing …. on camera...” He adjusted his position and wrapped his other hand around her throat. She felt the pressure on her neck rise. “… you’ve … class.”
She shook her head and mumbled. It was difficult to breathe. She grew certain he would kill her. Choke her to death. She increased her efforts to struggle free. But she made no progress. Tears clouded her vision, and the light around her dimmed. Perhaps this was the end.
But then he let go of her neck, and she took great wheezing breaths through her nose. She watched as he climbed off the bed. He muttered something she couldn't hear, then he threw the gloves off and got back on the bed where he knelt over her chest.
Alice recoiled as he fumbled between her legs with clammy hands. When she felt his finger probe her, she flinched and bucked. One strap seemed to stretch. To take her mind off what was happening, she moved it a little more, and she heard the Velcro separate. The faint sound made her open her eyes. Had he heard it too?
He pulled back and Alice froze. “Bathroom…” He brushed the hair between her legs, whispered something about perfume. Then he swung off the bed and slipped the gloves back on. She recoiled as he put his mouth to her ear and whispered, “There are eyes on you.”
The bathroom door squeaked as he opened it. Cole pushed it back and forth several times to the rhythm of his thrusting hips and laughed. When he entered the bathroom, Alice pulled at the loose strap. She twisted her wrist and the loop loosened further. Her hand could almost slip through the growing gap. Another tug and it gave some more. She saw him through the bathroom door, hunched over the sink. He looked up at her and waved. She stopped.
When he turned away, Alice gave another determined pull and her hand came free. Her only hope would be the mace. She reached under the pillow and found the can. But what would she do? Keep calm. Think. Concentrate. Regain control. Stop crying. What options did she have? She could untie herself now and run. Maybe she'd get out onto the street. But he might catch her before she got to safety. And she was naked. Where could she run to?
She replaced the mace beneath the pillow, close to her hand. Then she looked into the bathroom to make sure he wasn't watching, and she loosened the restraint on her other wrist. Then she put her free arm back in the loose strap and waited.
Her heart still banged in her chest with a wild beat and her body shuddered. She fought the panic and put everything into making her plan. She’d only have one chance. It had better work.
67
Cole looked at himself in the mirror. The damn balaclava itched like hell. He leaned forward so Alice couldn’t see him and he rolled it up. Sweat rolled down his forehead. The tee shirt clung to him beneath the jacket. He peeled off one glove and filled the sink with cold water. With a shaking hand he splashed his face to cool down.
The door to the cupboard was ajar, and he peered inside. Makeup and other toiletries lined the narrow shelves. He selected random perfumes with his gloved hand and sniffed them. One smelled good, and he put it in his back pocket.
His cock pulsed and throbbed from
