Claiming Sarah (Ace Security #5)(65)

But Owen didn’t look like much of a threat at the moment. He was still smiling down at her as if she were dancing a jig to entertain him or something.

“Go on. Drink,” he ordered.

Sarah had no idea if the juice was drugged or not, but she was thirsty. She didn’t know how long she’d been knocked out either. She tentatively took a sip of the drink and was happy when it didn’t taste funny. “Thank you,” she said softly.

If possible, Owen’s smile grew. He nodded several times and repeated, “OJ makes everything better.”

Sarah wasn’t so sure about that. She looked down at her ankle and winced. It was swollen to twice its normal size. She wasn’t wearing shoes, and she knew there was no way she could walk on it. She had a feeling she’d broken it, which would be bad. Very bad.

Tears threatened. If she could walk, she could be nice to Owen until he let down his guard, then she could run. But that was obviously out. Even moving her foot an inch had her wanting to scream with pain.

“Where are we?” she asked before taking another sip of the orange juice.

“My house,” Owen said proudly.

“And where’s that?” She needed information. If she could get to a phone, maybe when Owen fell asleep, she could tell 911 where to find her.

“The mountains.”

Oh shit. Castle Rock was surrounded by mountains. There was no telling where they were.

“Where in the mountains? Are we near Denver?”

Owen shook his head. “We aren’t near anything. This used to be Gran’s house. Then it was my mama’s. Now it’s mine. Mama taught me how to get here. We can live here forever and ever. I can take care of you, and you can take care of me.”

Sarah’s head continued to pound, and she felt sick. She glanced toward the one window and saw nothing but trees. “Owen, you have to take me back.”

He frowned and shook his head.

“Yes, you do. My ankle is hurt really bad. I need a doctor.”

“No!” he yelled, scaring the shit out of Sarah. “I brought Mama to the doctor, and she died! No doctor!”

“It’s okay, Owen,” Sarah said as calmly as she could. “I don’t have what your mama did. I’m not going to die.”

“No! No no no no no!” he chanted, pulling at his hair as he paced in front of the couch she was sitting on.

Sarah had never seen a grown man have a tantrum, but that’s exactly what Owen was doing right in front of her eyes.

“No doctor! No leaving! We’re gonna live here forever. I love you, and you love me. We’re married like Mama was. She said you’d take care of me! You aren’t leaving. Ever. You’ll cook for me and clean. I’ll help. We’ll play games and live happily ever after just like in the books!” Owen’s voice had gotten louder and louder until he was practically yelling.

Tears formed in Sarah’s eyes, but she immediately nodded and agreed. “Okay, Owen. No doctor. Calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” he yelled. Then he leaned over and pointed a finger in her face. “You aren’t leaving. I gave you presents! We love each other! I watched you. You’re nice and quiet. I like that. We could’ve lived in your house together, but then you started packing. You were gonna leave me! I won’t let you.”

“You watched me?” Sarah asked, shaking.

“From the top of your house.”

Suddenly, it all came to her. “You were living in my attic?” she whispered in horror.

Owen smiled and straightened. He nodded. “Yeah. I was real quiet. Like Mama taught me. You bought food for me and had boys’ clothes too. I came down when you left the house. I brought the clothes and stuff with me. Things for you too.” He rushed over to a corner of the room where a few boxes were stacked.

Sarah recognized them as being from her own house. He pulled out some of Mike and Jackson’s clothes that Owen obviously thought she’d bought just for him. Then he pulled out some sort of hideous muumuu covered with garish flowers.

“You wear Mama’s dress!” he said with glee.

“Oh God,” Sarah gasped under her breath.

“And food!” Owen rushed over to the kitchen and opened a cabinet filled with canned food. “I went shopping on the way here and also brought food from your house for us. It’ll last ages!”

A thought struck Sarah. “What happens when we run out?” she asked. “I’ll need to go get us some more.” If she could get him to take her to a store, she could alert a clerk that she’d been kidnapped.

Owen shook his head. “You make a list. I’ll go. I’m a good helper.”

Her hopes dashed, Sarah stared as Owen came back to the couch. He sat on the cushion next to her, and she inhaled sharply when his movements jostled her ankle and pain shot up her leg.

He patted her chest as he spoke. Not in a sexual way, but in a childlike gesture that Sarah knew he meant to be reassuring, but in reality was scary as hell.

“Me and you. We’re married now. Till death do us part.”

And with that not-so-reassuring statement, Owen got up and sat on the floor in front of the couch. He pulled a toy train set in front of him and began to play, occasionally mumbling something under his breath as he did.

The tears fell down Sarah’s cheeks unheeded. She leaned over, placed the half-empty cup of juice on the floor, and carefully scooted down until she was lying flat once again. Her head throbbed, and the pain in her ankle was almost unbearable.