He followed her for weeks. He knew her every move. He knew what time she got off every day - 10 p.m. He knew how she liked her coffee - Soy Vanilla Nonfat Latte - she was cutting calories. He knew she had a cat named Walter. He knew her only family was a mom who lived two hours south and they spoke on the phone every Sunday morning. He knew she hadn't had a boyfriend in 2 years and her last one left her for a stripper named Ginger.
Every night when she left the hospital he would pass by her just to see her, smell her scent, maybe sometimes get a smile or a nod. He wished he could just talk to her, maybe get to know her, maybe ask her out, but that hadn't worked for him in the past. Girls ignored him and when they didn't, they were downright bitches to him. He had to take what he wanted. He wished it could be different with Kelsey, but he knew it never would be.
She took notice after the third day. He wasn't classically handsome or pretty boy cute, but good looking in the rugged extra 15 pounds, works with his hands, drinks beer after work, has a black lab named Jake, has never danced or worn slacks in his life kind of way. The kind of guy girls say they want until he's hitting on them in a bar. The kind of guy Kelsey definitely wants. She knows he can't possibly work at the hospital, so he must have family or a friend here. She wanted to talk to him but her last breakup two years ago left her burned pretty bad and she now has a difficult time approaching men or flirting at all.
On the fourth day she smiled but he just stared blankly at her. She felt so stupid.
Her smile caught him off guard. What if she likes him. Should he try to talk to her? She must have been smiling at someone else.
She imagined his name was Trevor or Chris or Matt. She wondered if he was a gentle lover or if he liked it rough. She wondered at night in bed with her hand rubbing her clit if he would eat her pussy. She'd only been with one guy and he refused.
He wondered what her face looks like during an orgasm. If her eyes roll in the back of her head, if she cries out, if she bites her lip. He wondered what her eyes look like when they're scared.
On the 23rd day he wasn't there. She was disappointed. His family member must be better.
On the 23rd day he was running late. He couldn't find a parking spot. He jogged through the parking garage and when he came around the corner he ran straight into her knocking her off her feet.
"I'm so sorry!" He said. It wasn't supposed to happen like this. He felt so stupid.
She smiled her perfect smile at him and said "Oh that's okay Tre-...I'm fine." She almost called him by his imaginary name. "Please help me up."
His hand grabbed hers and he felt a jolt. She had to feel that. She couldn't walk on her ankle. He never intended to hurt her. Not like this anyway.
"Damn it." She said. I can't drive like this. "I know you're probably here visiting family, but do you think you could drive me home? It's just a sprain and I don't want to see any of the doctors here. I'm tired of this place."
This wasn't his plan, but it could work. The puzzle pieces were changing shape, but the end game was the same.
As she climbed into the passenger seat of his jeep she took note of how clean it was. She loved guy who kept things neat. This wasn't in her plan, but it could work.
"My name is Kelsey, by the way, what's yours?"
"Austin." He blurted out. He hadn't intended to give her his real name, but he was still reeling from hearing her say her name. It was like music floating through the air.
"So, I know you don't work at the hospital, but do you have family there?" She asked. She immediately felt stupid for saying that. She looked on the hospital employee security page and didn't see his picture. Now she looks like a stalker.
"No." He said, quickly realizing his mistake. She was smart. She would figure it out.
"Oh." She said confused. "Then why were you at the hospital every day at 10:00 p.m. when I was...Oh my God." She quickly put the puzzle pieces together.
The car ride was silent for two minutes.
"You can just let me off up at the next gas station. My parents live about a mile from here, they'll come get me. I appreciate the ride." She was shaking. She had a tear that had spilled from her left eye.
"No they don't." He blurted out. "Your dad died in a car accident when you were 14 and your mom lives in Acklund, abut two hours away." He knew he was ruining everything, but it's too late to turn back now.
"Are you going to hurt me?" She whimpered. Just her luck. She obsesses over a guy who turns out to be a total nut job and then kills her. "Where are you taking me?"
He sighed, trying to keep his cool. She asked a lot of questions. He loved to hear her voice but he didn't have any answers for her that would make this better for either of them. "I am not intending to hurt you. We're going to my house."
He turned down an isolated back road. About a half mile down he turned down an unmarked driveway. A quarter mile down that they came upon a well maintained two story home with a meticulously groomed yard and garden. It was nothing like she expected. This home was his sanctuary, his baby. Other than Kelsey, it was the only thing he cared about.
"Stay put." He ordered. He got out of the car and walked around to her side. She thought about running, but she figured he'd kill her for sure. She has a bum ankle and couldn't get far anyway. Plus something about this house and something about him made her feel like everything was going to be okay. She didn't think he was the monster he was trying to be.
He helped her from the car and walked her into the house. The inside was as stunning as the outside. The furniture was new, but homey. If she weren't being brought here against her will she could imagine raising a family here. Why did Trevor the Ideal Guy turn out to be Austin the Creep?
He picked her up and carried her down the stairs. He figured it was faster than her limping down them. Having her so close to him was making him hard as a rock. She didn't wear perfume, but she used a lavender soap that made his knees shake.
At the bottom of the stairs was the basement. He unlocked a door. Inside that door was a cage. More like a jail really. Inside the jail was a bed, a toilet, a seat, and a chair. It was well stocked with books and magazines.
"Are you seriously putting me in there?" She shrieked and tried to fight him off. He swiftly unlocked the cage and shoved her in there. It was the first time he'd gotten rough with her and he felt bad about it.
She landed on the bed with a jolt of pain. "How many women have you kept in here?"
"None." He said, telling the truth. "I made this for you. I love you Kelsey and I want you to love me, but you won't so I'm just going to have to make you love me."
"Austin, you never even talked to me or gave me a chance. I really wanted you to ask me out, I would have said yes in a heart beat. Please let me out so we can talk about this. We can still come back from this." She begged, tears rolling down her face.
"LIAR!" He screamed. "All you women are liars. You would have laughed at me, or given me a fake number, or just left the next day, or never called me back."
Clearly he'd been hurt a lot. She could relate. She was probably just a heartbreak away from locking a man in her basement too.
"Let me show you how much I like you Austin." She hobbled over to the bars and got down on her knees. "Come here." She reached through and grabbed his flannel shirt and pulled him closer. She unzipped his jeans. He started to pull away but she begged. "Please let me do this for you, Austin."