She squeezed it to get it to form to her hand. She liked possessing a weapon, even an improvised one. It was better than nothing, but she’d have only one chance to use it. If she stabbed her captor and for some reason didn’t manage to get away …

She didn’t even want to contemplate what he might do in retaliation. Probably kill her, which was why, when she made her move, she’d have to completely incapacitate him. Otherwise, she’d face the consequences.

The thought of killing someone made her woozy. Like most people, she could act in a violent manner if she was feeling directly threatened. She’d fought for her life—and won—before. But this guy hadn’t done anything to seriously harm her. Not yet, she told herself, unable to shake the memory of what Jasper had done. So while she was frightened and uncertain and even angry, she wasn’t feeling the same level of “kill or be killed” desperation that had fueled other actions. She just knew she had to get out of this place, guessed it was going to get a lot worse if she didn’t, and he was standing in her way.

She heard the lock bolt on the slot begin to move, so she hurried to slip her shiv back inside her mattress. If only this guy would give her some idea of what was happening and why! Then she’d know whether she had to stab him in order to escape—or a ransom was forthcoming and she could simply wait.

“Hello?” She bent down to peer out.

He stepped out of view without answering, but she could hear him moving around, knew he was most likely preparing her food.

“Not knowing what I’m up against is scaring me,” she said. “Are you trying to put me in labor?”

No comment.

“I should probably tell you that I’ve been feeling some contractions.”

“I hope that isn’t true,” he said flatly.

That wasn’t exactly friendly, but at least she’d gotten a response. “It’s not as though I can control when the baby comes.”

“That’s what you’ve said.”

“It’s true! I’m not all that likely to carry this baby to term. When I was sixteen, I was tortured for days. A body doesn’t go through what mine went through and come out of it without sustaining a few scars. My doctor has said it a dozen times.”

He brought her a tray with another peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a bag of chips and some more carrot sticks, but she refused to accept it. “If you’d just talk to me for a minute, give me some reassurance, it could make all the difference. I’m going out of my mind in here.”

He cursed under his breath. “Fine. This is your reassurance: relax.”

“You expect that to be enough?”

“You’ll only be here for a few more days. Try to make the most of it.”

“But I don’t understand! Where will I be going?”

“Home.”

“You mean you’re going to release me?”