Free Her Submission by Vonna Harper

went through growing up—please, I just want to be left alone!
    Her thoughts looped and looped until she couldn’t find a way out of them. Her captor had brought her here to torture and rape. In essence she’d dropped off the face of the earth. Her boss would conclude she’d walked out on the job maybe because she’d taken off with some man with a better car than her beater. Years from now someone would find her bones.
    Self-pity had never been her style but it became part of the tangle in her mind. For the first time in her memory she wanted her parents.    
    #
    Kaci’s legs nearly went out from under her but not just because she’d been restrained for so long. Minutes ago, saying nothing about the condition he’d found her in, her captor had untangled her and hauled her out of his truck. The rope around her ankle trailed behind. She figured he’d left her for the better part of an hour. In sharp contrast to her stinking body, he smelled of soap and shampoo and had obviously just shaved. It wouldn’t surprise her if he’d eaten before bothering to come for her but maybe he’d simply wanted to enjoy his place before soiling it with her presence.
    Given all the evergreens she’d seen before they stopped, she’d guessed he’d brought her to some isolated cabin, but she could hardly call the magnificent structure ahead of her. She’d taken a moment to take in the surroundings and had concluded there weren’t any neighbors. He had this incredible place to himself.
    A great stone fireplace dominated the two story building’s left side. The other walls were finished with what she guessed were cedar shakes. At first glance she’d thought the roof was made from wood shingles. Then she realized it was a manmade product probably as defense against fire danger. The large, multi-paned windows were framed in red which made them stand out.
    An expansive porch braced by logs sheltered the front door. Two- foot high stonework that marched around the entire structure had probably been designed to mask the foundation. Not that it mattered but she guessed the cabin have to be at least two thousand square feet.
    “ Yours?” she finally got out. “You live—“
    “ Yeah, it’s mine.”
    She knew pride when she heard it, which was understandable. A handful of times she’d allowed herself to conjure up what her dream home would look like, but her imagination hadn’t been vivid enough to come up with something this beautiful. A red cinder footpath led from where he’d parked the truck to the front door. Other than that nature was in charge of the landscaping. Wild grasses covered the open areas and towering pines flanked the house.
    “ I wanted you to see this before—“ He tightened his hold on the chain and lifted it until she was forced onto her toes. “Before we go inside.”
    He wanted her to be in awe of what belonged to him and she was. No way could she hide her reaction from him.
    “ Wait,” she begged and dug her toes into the cinder. “At least tell me if there’s someone inside.”
    “ No.”
    If he’d answered one question maybe she could she ask another but did she want to know what he intended to do to her? Still nothing else mattered.
    “ I know what you’re thinking,” he told her and began leading her toward the ominous-looking log front door. “You’re convinced I’m an insane beast and you’re going to be killed, but that’s the last thing I’d do. You’re too—valuable alive.”
    No matter how she tried, she couldn’t wrap her mind around what he’d just said. Maybe some of her incomprehension came from being lightheaded from hunger and fear plus being this close to a place beyond her wildest dreams. Instead of solid wood, there was a small window in the door at eye level. Four metal bars cross-hatched the window, reminding her of a prison cell. Terrified all over again, she kicked at him and tried to throw herself to the side.
    “ Not going to happen!” His hand closed