Page 129 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. One

I blink. Look between the three of them. Then shake my head. “So why the hell is he still alive?”

“It took us years to figure out who killed Sammy. Once we did, we only got a nickname: Redback. From there, we searched to uncover his real identity—which we finally did last year.”

Redback.“Like the spider?”

Elliot nods.

“Because he…” I grimace.

“Restrains his victims and kills them slowly, just like the spider,” Oliver says. “And then he watches them die. Sick fuck likes it.”

I shiver. Then my eyes go wide. “Is it safe to talk about this here? What if the room is bugged?”

Rhett shakes his head. “He doesn’t bother with rooms like this. There’s too much background noise.”

I wonder how he knows that for sure, but I don’t ask. There are more important questions right now. “And he’s not dead because…?”

Elliot takes my hands in his. “He’s not dead yet because he deserves worse than that. We’re going to utterly destroy him, Wren. After we’ve completely broken him,thenwe’ll kill him.”

“Once he’s suffered enough,” I whisper.

Elliot nods.

It’s dark. It’s really,reallydark. But I can’t help but think that Ludo Holloway deserves it. How can you kill a child and not hate yourself afterward? How can you find joy in watching an innocent person struggle for their life?

“You have his trust.”

“As much as he gives it to anyone. When he wants someone dead but doesn’t want to do it himself, he comes to us. We don’t always accept, but when we do, we don’t fail.” Oliver tugs me from Elliot, cupping my cheek with his hand. “I know it’s a lot to take in. But you deserve to know the truth. So you know what you’re really getting into.”

They trust me.

The realization hits as Oliver searches my eyes for any hesitance. This isn’t child’s play. It isn’t trivial or innocent. No, this is what they’ve made their life’s mission—destroy and kill Ludo to get revenge for Sammy.

It’s morally gray at best, and highly dangerous and illegal even if it’s not. Yet they’ve revealed it all to me.

My gaze darts between the three of them, and I find that they’re all watching me patiently, almost curiously—maybe a little bit hesitantly.

When my eyes lock with Oliver’s, I pause for a mere moment. And then I grab his face in my hands and press my lips to his. He lets out a startled sound, but other than that, he doesn’t miss a beat. As his arms wrap around my waist, he kisses me back with the same passion that’s swelling in my chest.

I pull away first, but only a few inches.

Oliver grins. “It’s a good thing I bought you smudge-proof lipstick.” Then he’s pushing me into Elliot’s arms.

“Wren,” Elliot murmurs. His thumb runs over my bottom lip.

I don’t wait—can’t. I kiss him the same way I kissed Oliver, and he keeps pace. It’s everything I’m feeling and more. Every shred of affection I have for him. For all of them.

I’m in. I’m in, and I won’t betray your trust. I promise.

When I find myself in Rhett’s arms, I pause. His expression is pained. Mournful. But there’s the happiness that comes along with new beginnings, too. The relief of coming home—or of finding it.

I touch his cheek. His eyes slide shut, and he leans forward, resting his forehead against mine.

“Tell me you understand,” he whispers.

“I do. I do, Rhett.”

He lets out a shaky breath before capturing my mouth in a kiss. It’s all-encompassing. All-consuming. And I’m pretty sure the only things keeping me balanced are his hands on my waist. But then the kiss turns startlingly wet, and I realize my cheeks are coated in tears.Mytears.