Page 2 of Her Outlaw Prisoner (Vanishing With the Rebel #1)

Ellie

I knew working at a prison wouldn’t be easy. I mean, it’s home to all sorts of criminals, the most hardened men in the country. I was ready for surprises. But nothing could have prepared me for Ronan Callahan.

Even now, long after he walked out of the infirmary, I can still feel him…the weight of his gaze, the way his rough voice sent chills across my skin, the raw intensity in his eyes.

I should be scared.

Instead, my hands are shaking for an entirely different reason as I clean up the tray of supplies, my fingers brushing against the used gauze that holds traces of his blood. I take a slow breath, willing my heart to settle. It doesn’t.

His eyes were the first thing I noticed. Icy blue, but not cold. More like fire trapped beneath ice…burning just beneath the surface. He barely spoke, but when he did, his words carried authority, like he’s used to people listening.

And I did listen.

I listened to him, and I hung on every word like a fool.

See you soon, Eleanor.

Heat floods my cheeks at the memory. Nobody has called me Eleanor since my dad passed away when I was little. Hearing Ronan call me that name triggered distant memories of when life used to be so much simpler. And happier…

But more than that, hearing him say my name makes me feel a sense of awareness that I’ve never felt before in my life. There’s something about the way he says Eleanor …like it holds some secret meaning that only he knows.

Heat pools between my legs as the sound of his voice echoes in my head. I swallow hard, pushing the memory away.

I should not be thinking about him like this.

He’s an inmate. A convicted criminal. A man who probably has nothing to lose.

And yet…

I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to shake the strange, unwelcome pull inside me. It’s just adrenaline. Just nerves from my first real encounter with an inmate. It doesn’t mean anything. Right?

“You must be the new nurse?”

I jump, nearly knocking over the tray of supplies. I look up to see an older woman in a uniform similar to mine, standing in front of me with a small smile. She looks to be in her mid thirties, maybe late…

“Yes. Yes, I am,” I say, clearing my throat awkwardly. “My name is Ellie.”

She nods, her smile widening just a fraction. “Nice to meet you, Ellie. I’m Gina.” She scans my face, her expression unreadable. “You okay?”

I nod quickly, forcing a smile. “Yeah. Just…just cleaning up.”

She eyes me like she doesn’t quite believe me, but she doesn’t push. “First day can be overwhelming. You’ll get used to it.”

I doubt that.

She leans against the counter, crossing her arms. “Who was your first patient?”

I hesitate. “A man named Ronan. Ronan Callahan.”

Her expression changes instantly, her posture stiffening as she exhales sharply. “Jesus. That’s a hell of an introduction to Oakdale.”

I glance at her, my curiosity flaring despite myself. “Do you know him?”

“Everyone knows Ronan,” Gina says, giving me a strange look. “He’s practically royalty around here. Feared, respected, untouchable. If there’s a king of Oakdale, it’s Ronan Callahan.”

A shiver travels down my spine at her words, though I’m not sure if it’s from fear or something else.

I shouldn’t ask. I shouldn’t…

But I do. “What’s he here for?”

Gina huffs out a laugh. “You don’t want to know.”

“I—I think I do…”

She studies me for a moment, then leans in slightly, lowering her voice. “Five years ago, his sister was murdered. Brutally. The guy responsible got off easy for lack of evidence or some bullshit technicality. So Ronan took justice into his own hands. Hunted him down and ended him.”

My stomach twists. “What?”

She nods. “The news called him the vigilante killer.”

I swallow hard, a strange mix of emotions swirling inside me. Horror. Sympathy. Understanding?

Gina sighs. “Look, he’s been a model prisoner, but don’t let that fool you. He’s dangerous, Ellie.”

Dangerous.

I should remember that.

I should be scared.

But all I can think about is the way he looked at me. Like he saw me. Like he really saw me. No one has ever looked at me like that. In my twenty-two years, no one has ever made me feel the things he did in just minutes of meeting him.

I try to shake off the conversation as I finish cleaning up, but Gina’s words echo in my mind.

He’s dangerous, Ellie.

It’s not just what Ronan did…it’s how she said it, the weight behind her words. The warning in her tone. Like she knows something I don’t…

Whatever the case, I’m here now. I don’t have the luxury of second-guessing myself. I took this job to escape, to disappear into something new. Oakdale isn’t ideal, but it’s far from home. Far from him .

The last thing I need is to get tangled up with a man like Ronan Callahan. It doesn’t matter that my body still feels wired from our brief encounter, or that I still want to see him again even after Gina’s warning…

I need to steer clear of him.

Gina pats my shoulder, startling me from my thoughts. “If Callahan’s taken an interest in you, be careful.”

I nod, even though I’m not entirely sure I’ll heed her warning. When it comes to Ronan, I have no control over how my body reacts to him.

By the time my shift ends, I’m exhausted, but my mind refuses to quiet down.

I had several other patients throughout the day, but I keep thinking about Ronan, replaying our interaction in my head, dissecting every second.

The way his voice curled around my name, the way he watched me like he was memorizing me.

I hate that I liked it.

I step outside into the cold evening air and pull my jacket tighter around me. The bus stop is just a short walk from the prison gates, but even as I move quickly, I can’t shake the feeling of being watched. It’s a familiar unease, one that makes my stomach twist.

I glance over my shoulder. Nothing.

I exhale sharply and keep walking.

It’s just paranoia. It has to be. I have lived half of my life looking over my shoulder, scared of whatever’s lurking in the shadows. I moved to a different state, moved all the way to this small town, just to run away from that feeling.

There’s no way he’ll find me here.

I keep telling myself that, but I can’t shake away the dread that clings to me like a second skin. By the time I reach my tiny apartment, I’m on edge. I double-check the locks, flick on all the lights, and try to convince myself that I’m safe.

I left my old life behind. And my stepbrother in it.

I take a long shower, letting the hot water ease the tension in my body, but even as I close my eyes, I see Ronan. I feel the way my pulse jumped when he said my name. The way his presence filled the room, swallowing the space between us.

It’s reckless and stupid, but I want to see him again.

And the next morning, I get my wish. I arrive at the medical wing earlier than required, hoping to get lost in my new routine. Anything to keep my mind occupied.

But as soon as I step inside the clinic, my breath catches in my throat. Ronan is here. Waiting for me.

He’s sitting on the exam table, a lazy smirk curving his lips, his hands resting on his thighs like he owns the place.

“Good morning, Mr. Callahan,” I say, trying to keep my voice level. “How may I help you this morning?”

“Aren’t we way past last names, Eleanor?” he asks, his lips tilting upward in a smug smirk.

My cheeks flare up in embarrassment. “You’re my patient.”

“Call me Ronan.”

“How may I help you, Ronan?” I ask, suppressing the urge to laugh when he arches his brows playfully.

His smirk deepens. “I have a little…stomachache.”

I blink at him in confusion. He looks nothing like someone with a stomachache. I glance at the guard who escorted him in, noticing the looseness in his stance…the way he’s actively ignoring us. And it clicks.

“Did you fake a sickness just to be here?”

“What if I did?”

My heart skips with excitement, but I keep my expression neutral as I grab a pair of gloves and step closer. “Well, since you’re here, I might as well check.”

His smirk doesn’t fade as I press my fingers against his abdomen, feeling for any signs of real distress. His skin is warm beneath the thin fabric of his shirt, his muscles rigid beneath my touch. He watches me the whole time, his gaze burning intensely into mine.

“Am I dying, doc?” he murmurs.

I roll my eyes, unable to hold back a burst of laughter. “I’m not a doctor. And you’re fine, Mr. Calla—Ronan.”

“But I don’t feel fine,” he counters with a nonchalant shrug. “I think you should examine me again.”

He’s dangerous, Eleanor.

Gina’s words flash in my head, unbidden. I should send him back to his cell…should tell him to leave…but instead, I linger.

Instead, I meet his gaze with a defeated sigh. “Why exactly are you here, Ronan?”

“To see you, Eleanor.”

There’s something so intimate about the way he says my name, the way he’s looking at me…

I should ignore it. I should stop whatever this is that’s budding between us, but a reckless part of me, the part that has always been stifled, caged by the terror of always being watched—wants to push.

Just a little.

So I tilt my head, pretending to study him. “You faked a stomachache just to see me…why?”

“Why not?” he counters, his lips spreading in a carefree smile that makes him look even more handsome.

“That’s kind of desperate, don’t you think?” I let my lips curve slightly, challenging him.

Something flashes in his blue eyes, but he doesn’t look offended. If anything, he just looks…intrigued.

“Desperate?” he repeats, like he’s tasting the word. “No. Just…determined.”

I arch a brow. “Determined for what?”

He leans in just slightly, enough that I can feel the heat rolling off him. “You tell me.”

My breath catches.

I should not be doing this. I should not be flirting with a convicted felon, especially one as dangerous as Ronan Callahan.

But there’s something between us…an undeniable pull that’s fast spinning out of control.

Something keeps drawing me to him. Maybe it’s the way he looks at me, like I’m something precious. Something beautiful.

Or maybe it’s the way he lets me push, lets me prod.

Like he’s giving me control.

And God, that’s a new feeling.

My entire life has been dictated by the whims of others. My stepbrother’s cruelty, the world that told me to keep my head down and be good. I’ve never felt like I had control over anything in my life, but right now, with him, I do.

Yes, Ronan is dangerous. The kind of man who could snap his fingers and make someone disappear. A man who is feared inside these walls. And yet, he’s letting me play with him.

My pulse skips as I take a step closer, breaking the last bit of space between us. His nostrils flare slightly, but he doesn’t move away.

“You know what?” I murmur, tilting my head, pretending to examine him. “Maybe I do need to examine you again.”

His eyes darken. “Yes?”

“Yes.” I place my fingers lightly against his wrist, right where his pulse beats strong and steady. “Your pulse seems normal.”

He watches me, unmoving, as I trail my fingers up his forearm, slowly. His muscles twitch beneath my fingertips, his eyes burning with a fire that urges me on. I know I’m playing a dangerous game, but I can’t seem to stop.

I press my palm lightly against his chest, over his racing heart. “Though…your heartbeat does seem a little…erratic.” I bite my lip, trying to suppress a smile. “Are you under some kind of stress, Mr. Callahan?”

His jaw tightens. “Careful, Eleanor.”

“Why?” I let my hand linger a second longer than necessary before I finally step back. “Afraid I’ll diagnose you with something embarrassing?”

His eyes burn into mine. “No. Afraid you’ll keep pushing until you get more than you’re ready for.”

A shiver rolls down my spine. I should back away now. But I’m enjoying this too much.

So I lift my chin, meeting his stare head-on. “Maybe I’m ready.”

Ronan exhales slowly, like he’s reining something in. For a second, neither of us move. The air between us becomes charged, crackling with tension. Then, in a move so subtle I almost miss it, he shifts so I’m standing between his legs, my thighs pressing against his erection.

My core clenches in response, heat pooling between my legs. I glance down to see him looking at me, waiting…

He’s waiting for me to decide.

The realization makes my breath hitch. No one has ever given me such power. I’ve spent my whole life under someone else’s thumb, feeling small and helpless. But Ronan makes me feel in control. Powerful.

Slowly, I step back, dragging out the moment just to watch the flicker of frustration in his gaze.

I like it.

I like knowing that I can get under his skin, that I can make a man like Ronan react.

His eyes stay locked on mine as I grab a notepad and scribble something down, my hand steady even though my whole body is shaking from having him so close.

“Looks like you’re fine,” I say breezily. “But next time you fake being sick, at least try to make it convincing.”

A low chuckle rumbles from his chest. “I’ll work on that,” he murmurs.

I press my lips together to stop my own smile from forming. “Goodbye, Ronan.”

“See you soon, Eleanor.”

Oh, those words…

I’m sure he’ll keep his promise. And so help me God, I look forward to it.