Free Stockholm Syndrome by JB Brooks Page B

search started, and would lead to a mystifying dead end. She had no
hope of rescue in the foreseeable future, unless she could save herself.
    Feeling very brave and proud that she’d faced the reality of
her situation without crying or panicking, Evelyn turned her thoughts to her
captor.
    What a mass of contradictions he was, filled with regret
about what had happened, yet ruthlessly determined to see through his crazy
plan of keeping her prisoner until he somehow convinced her not to turn him in
to the police. He’d openly admitted that he had no idea of how that was ever to
be achieved, but was sure he’d think of something. In the meantime, he was
adding to his list of crimes and inflaming her desire for revenge. Just look at
the undignified and uncomfortable way he’d trussed her up!
    And speaking of inflaming desires, he wanted to fuck her. He
made no effort to hide it, the arrogant bastard! Though honestly, if she’d met
him under any other circumstances, she would have been so on board with that,
which was a huge issue in itself given that she’d sworn off men for life. God,
what a mess!
    But she prided herself on her ability to solve problems, and
the dilemma in this case was clear. She had to persuade Mason that she wouldn’t
go to the police. And she’d have to be very, very convincing.
    A plan formed in her mind. A risky, terrifying, audacious
plan. She wouldn’t even consider it if she could find another way. She needed
to see where he was taking her first, in the hope that there would be some
other option, but if not…
    ***
    Mason negotiated the traffic of Rockhampton with care.
Evelyn was very quiet, but he doubted that she’d fallen asleep again. While he
was grateful that she wasn’t fighting with him, the silence made him uneasy.
What could she be thinking?
    He considered what to do with her once they reached his
ranch. His plan, such as it was, was to treat her like a guest and get to know
her better. He hoped that she would likewise get to know him, and realize that
he was a decent guy.
    If he could persuade her to accept money, his problems would
be over immediately, because if the police got involved, he could claim that
she agreed to sleep with him for payment, then changed her mind afterward. It
would be her word against his, but the transaction would support his claim. He
was man enough to admit that it felt like a cheap trick, but there were more
people involved, so he’d do it if he got the chance. But she’d refused his
offer of financial compensation, and he wondered if she’d guessed his strategy,
or if it was simply because of anger and hurt.
    So unless she changed her mind, he was back to getting to
know her, and hoping that something would come up.
    He snorted. Something was up and it wanted to get to know
her inside and out. But of course, that was the one thing he mustn’t do.
    It was late afternoon when he turned into the long, winding
dirt road that was his driveway. He caught glimpses of the house through the
trees as he approached, a magnificent old Queenslander. He loved those flashes
of pale walls, the gray roof, and the crunch of gravel under the wheels as he
pulled up next to the kitchen door—the sights and sounds of home.
    His Range Rover stood on the other side of the door, and as
he turned off the engine, Owen came out of the house.
    “Brother, what the fuck took you so long? I’ve been here for
almost an hour!”
    Mason arched an eyebrow at the van. A loud ticking noise was
emanating from the general vicinity of the engine. “Need you ask?”
    “It’s just cooling off. You obviously don’t have the touch
for driving my old girl.”
    “No I don’t. And I hope that I never have enough experience
to acquire it. The driver’s seat’s given me a backache!”
    “My heart bleeds for you. Where’s Evelyn?”
    “Tied up in the back. I’ll get her now.”
    “She’s tied up in the back of my sleeper van?” Owen groaned.
“I’m not gonna fucking sleep