Page 6 of Run, Rabbit, Run
“You can walk around this basement apartment as much as you want tomorrow. Demetrius wants to begin working with you before then, though. There’s a kitchen down the hall with anything you need in it… except for sharp objects, of course.” He chuckled at the end of his own sentence and her jaw almost dropped. He was in on it.
“What the fuck is wrong with you people?” She screeched.
“For what it’s worth, I sympathize with your position, Barbara... But it’s kind of out of my hands. And it’s not all bad, I promise. Demetrius isn’t a bad man-” Michael was cut off by incredulous laughter.
“Are you out of your fucking mind? Not a bad man? He kidnapped me, chased me through the woods, assaulted me, and now he’s keeping me here against my will. He’s a goddamn monster, and you are too if you don’t help me get the fuck out of here.” By the end, she was shrieking and trembling with anger.
“I’m sorry, Barbara, but I can’t help you.” He snapped as though agitated with her.
With that, Michael turned and left the room, and Bunny screamed after him, “And don’t call me Barbara, asshole! My name is BUNNY.”
Frankly, she felt a little ridiculous. People often questioned her nickname. What self-respecting adult insisted people call them a cutesy name for a rabbit?
But the nickname was hers. She chose it, and a title felt immeasurably important compared to what little she could choose about herself.
Even so, it did feel silly to be screaming at an accomplice to her kidnapping and assault, demanding he call her “Bunny.”
Just then, she realized that Michael had used a name: Demetrius. Bunny now knew who had done this to her. What a stupid name, she thought as she crossed her arms.
Another knock sounded soon after Michael left. This time, it was loud and confident instead of loose and timid. She knew it was Demetrius before he opened the door.
Bunny looked away, fear pooling in her belly and tightening her dry throat. She wanted more water but was frozen as she waited for him to make the first move.
“Hello, little Bunny.” He purred, stalking forward like a panther. He was sleek, attractive, and predatory in all the right ways. His black hair and dark eyes created a stunning picture. In a different situation, she might have pined after him. In the current circumstances, Bunny wanted nothing more than to drive a knife through his bastard neck.
“It’s Barbara to you, you fucking sicko. What do you want?” She was nearly squeaking as her pulse picked up, racing faster the closer he came. It was a wonder she could find the courage to be so disrespectful… but fuck him, honestly.
She might take issue with anybody else using the formal version of her name. But this deranged lunatic? It was the only name she wanted in his mouth. Her nickname made it feel like he had claimed some intimacy with her that he had no right to.
“I just want to check in on you. I gave you a hefty dose and that comes with side effects.” He grabbed a chair without slowing down and dragged it with him as he approached her.
Demetrius swung the chair around in one movement and sat in it, looking every bit like a bored monarch giving council to his lowly serf.
She wanted to ask for clarification on the cocktail of drugs, but she decided she’d rather not know the specifics. Instead, Bunny swallowed, attempting to wet her throat, and decided to play along. That was the right decision, wasn’t it? To keep your captor placated and happy until help arrived?
She hoped to God it was because she’d be pissed if she ended up on one of those late-night True Crime shows as a cautionary tale.
Don’t be a dumb bitch, or you’ll end up like this dumb bitch, she thought sardonically.
“I’m fine. Thank you for the water,” Was all she could manage.
“Good, I’m glad,” He rested his elbow on the arm of the chair, leaning slightly to rest his face in his hand, “Now, come here. Crawl to me.”
Bunny froze, eyes widening as she waited to see if this asshole was serious.
From the look of it, he was.
“You can make this easy or hard on yourself, Bunny. I won’t repeat myself and you have five seconds to comply. One, two, three…” He started counting, and Bunny eased herself to her knees until she was exactly where she didn’t want to be: right where he wanted her.
She was all too aware of her nakedness. Blame it on the rise of contrived perfection via social media or the constant weight of societal expectations placed on the shoulders of women, but she had never been comfortable in her skin. Even though she knew she was stunningly attractive, she struggled with self-esteem.
Bunny trained her eyes on the floor as she shifted, chewing her lower lip.
Once she was on all fours at his feet, she felt a hand slip under her chin and jerked back, sucking a quick breath through her nose. Demetrius simply chuckled and then grabbed her chin more firmly.
“So jumpy, little Bunny. But I do love seeing you like this, so helpless and fragile.” When she glanced up, her eyes meeting his, he looked amused.
The fucker.