The sound of a chair being dragged across the floor reawakens my senses. He's back. The game has begun.
"So," his voice echoes around the room. "We're alone again Rosalind." His laugh vibrates off the walls.
I watch expressionless as he stops in front of me, adjusting the chair and sitting slowly. I can feel his breath on my face. He's that close.
"I know what you want," I blurt out. I say blurt, it came out in a rush. I suppose the rancid stink of tobacco smoke on his breath tipped my senses over the edge. I want him to back away; I want him to give me breathing space. He doesn't know this of course, and I won't tell him.
He looks taken aback, but interested nonetheless.
"What is it that I want Rosalind?" There's a hint of flirtation in his voice. I smile to myself.
I lean forward slightly and cup my hands together. Placing my elbows on my knees I rest my chin on my conjoined hands.
"Freedom." The word comes out in nothing more than a whisper, but I can tell from the sudden shift of expression that I've hit a nerve. Ros 1, Other 0.
From experience I know this is going to go one of two ways. From experience he knows he has to act quickly.