Page 113 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. One

“Tyler came after us,” Oliver says. “My guess is he realized someone was shooting from behind them when I shot out one of their back tires. Is that why you guys took so long to check in? You weren’t sure where he was?”

Rhett nods. “What happened?”

“I kicked him in the face,” I say.

Oliver gives me a proud kiss on the cheek.

“He got that close?” Elliot comes around to stand next to Rhett. He looks as panicked as Oliver did when they weren’t answering their phones.

“It was my fault,” I blurt before either of them try to pin this on Oliver. “Oliver was busy doing… well, shooting. Whatever happened over there. It was so dark, I didn’t see Tyler until he was on the ladder of the hunter’s stand.”

“And Wren is the only reason he didn’t fucking kill me,” Oliver says. His voice is stronger now. “So the lecture you have coming our way? Save it.”

Elliot’s jaw snaps shut. Then, “He’s dead?”

We nod.

For another second, Elliot stays tense. Then he blows out a breath and runs a hand over his hair, and his face softens. “I’m just glad you two are okay. I was worried.”

He steps around the coffee table and pulls me up. When his arms encircle me, I lose myself in his soothing citrus and sandalwood smell. I didn’t realize how tense I was until I relax into him.

Tears prick my eyes, but I blink them back. Rhett and Elliot already had to deal with Oliver breaking down. I don’t want to give them one more emotional burden.

“You were really brave tonight, Wren,” Elliot says, pressing his lips to my forehead. “I’m proud of you.”

Fuck.The tears come back, and this time it’s harder to calm myself down. I need some sort of distraction.

“What happens next?” I ask, looking between the three of them. Oliver looks absolutely exhausted, but Elliot and Rhett look as alert as ever.

“After a finished job, normally we celebrate,” Elliot says. “But Wren, I’m sure you have a lot of questions, and—”

Tyler’s body flashes in my mind again, and my empty stomach turns. “Celebrating sounds great. How do you normally do that?”

Oliver grins lazily. “With sex.”

“Oh.”

“Unfortunately, I’m much too tired to do anything but watch. But it’s lucky for us, those two—” he nods to Elliot and Rhett, “—like to be watched. What about you, princess?”

My body is still a little shaky from throwing up, and emotionally, I’m in shambles. “I don’t think I’m up for it, either.”

“That’s okay, love.” Elliot gives me a reassuring kiss. Then he does the same to Oliver, and it’s so tender it melts my heart.

Oliver rubs his hands together. “Oh, princess. You have no idea what you’re about to witness.”

Chapter nine

Wren

We all move to a bedroom, and Oliver settles into an armchair in the corner, pulling me onto his lap. It faces the bed, almost like its sole purpose is for what we’re using it for right now.

Elliot and Rhett circle each other, watching each other like predators sizing up their prey. Over the weekend, they both showed their rough side, but I’ve never thought what would happen when you put two dominant people in a relationship together.

Leaning into Oliver, I whisper, “They’re not going to kill each other, are they?”

“I wish we had popcorn,” Oliver mutters in my ear. “It’s always entertaining to watch these two go at it and see who gives in first.”

“Who gives in first?”