Page 10 of Bones

“You’re not afraid of me, are you?” he asks, sounding pleased by the idea.

“Should I be?” I ask, frowning. “I should. I’m out in the middle of nowhere with you. You’re a stranger.” And clearly not right in the head.

“Think of it like a little vacation. I’m not going to hurt you, Doc. I promise you that.”

“Like I can trust a word that you say,” I seethe, glancing around. “Where are we?”

“Just a tiny off-grid cabin for those who want to disconnect and take a few days to reset their nervous system.”

My eyes narrow. “I’m kidnapped! You’re fucking setting off my nervous system.”

Is this a joke to him? Does he have some sort of PTSD from being in foster care? It’s definitely a real thing. I wonder if this means he’s going to open up about his past and why he walked into my office in the first place.

I take a few deep breaths. Manage your fear, Meredith. Don’t let it control you.

“What a mouth you have on you, Doc. You don’t seem too scared to me,” he murmurs, lip twitching. “Now, how do you like your steak? And don’t say well done.”

Sitting on the swinging chair in front of me, I take a deep breath. I should probably feel scared and unsafe with Nate, but for some reason, I am pretty sure he’s not going to hurt me.

At least not physically.

“Medium rare,” I respond with a heavy sigh. I can’t run away from here. There’s nothing but forest, and I’m not sure how he got us here since I can’t see a car. It looks like I’m going to have to play his game. “So, how long are we staying here for? You know, people are going to wonder where I am.”

“I don’t know,” he replies, studying me. “Two nights, maybe? If I’m gone too long, people will come looking for me too.”

“What do you want?” I ask, frowning.

“To feel something,” he replies quietly, turning back to the barbecue. He clears his throat and then says louder, “I want to make sure I can trust you before I tell you all my secrets, Doc.” I stare out at the trees, wondering what I’m meant to do right now. I live alone, and it’s a Friday. Work will be trying to contact me if I’m not there on Monday, but that’s three days away. The lady who runs the animal shelter, Sadie, will be questioning why I haven’t shown up to help her, though.

“Food is ready,” he says, placing my plate on the outdoor table. There’s a steak on it along with a baked potato, corn, and salad. “You want water or wine?”

“Water, please,” I mutter, my manners kicking in. He pulls out a chair for me, and I take a seat. “You cook often?”

“Not really anymore, but we had to cook for ourselves a lot growing up. Like I told you, my brother and I went into foster care after our parents died, so we had to grow up fast,” he responds, cutting into his steak and taking a bite. He chews thoughtfully, then puts down the cutlery. “What about you?”

“I like to cook.”

“That’s all you’re going to give me?” he asks, smirking.

“You kidnapped me. I don’t owe you anything,” I fire back, but he just laughs. It hits his eyes and makes him even more sexy. “Has anyone ever told you that you’re unhinged?” I ask, eating a slice of tomato.

“No, that’s usually saved for Ghost,” he replies, amusement etched across his face.

“Who is Ghost?”

“A brother of mine.”

“How many brothers do you have?” I ask, my brow furrowing. “Is this the brother that you mentioned in my office that day?”

“No,” is all he gives me.

I decide to change the subject. “The steak is perfect.”

“So is the company,” he replies, winking at me.

“Is this your first kidnapping?” I blurt out. He stills, and then laughs, throwing his head back. I can’t look away. He has a really sexy throat.

“Yes, it is. How am I doing so far?” he teases.