Page 189 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. One

The SUV lurches forward. Carefully, I peer into the front of the vehicle. There’s one man driving, and Jordan is in the passenger seat. The other man who got me into the trunk is currently driving the car I stole.

“I was so close,” I whisper.

“I know, princess. I’m sorry.”

“Oliver, I can’t go back. I can’t do it again. He’s going to kill me.” It’s a struggle to keep my voice down, but somehow I barely manage.

“Listen to me,” he says quietly. “You’re going to be okay. But don’t agitate him more. Just let them bring us inside.”

“Oliver, no—”

“Yes, Wren. Trust me.”

I look into his eyes, trying to figure out what he means—what he knows but can’t say. But the only thing I see is fear.

“Please,” he whispers as the SUV comes to a stop in front of the house.

I nod. “Okay.”

The trunk door opens, and Jordan’s men pull both of us out. I cringe against the cold, but they don’t keep us outside for long. Every part of me wants to fight against the man holding me, but I follow Oliver’s lead. He’s walking calmly, letting two men shove him around as they bring us through the house.

Jordan follows us upstairs, where we can hear a pounding of sorts.

“Let me out! Get me out of here!”

The man I fought earlier must be awake.Shit.I wasn’t supposed to be here when they discovered him.

Jordan unlocks the door and throws it open. “Seriously?” he yells. “How the hell did she get the better of you?”

“She surprised me,” the guy says, staring at the ground in embarrassment. His head is bloody from where I hit him.

Jordan turns to me, and his eyes are void of everything except hate. “You thought you could get away?” He advances toward me until he’s in my face. “You thought you could outsmart me? Stupid girl.”

“Fuck you,” I grit out.

My defiance earns me a slap to the face, which makes Oliver try to fight against the men holding him. My cheek stings, but I don’t care. If Oliver is back, that means Elliot and Rhett are home, too. Beforehand, I was beginning to lose hope. But with Oliver here, it’s like I have access to some secret reserve of strength that’s deep within me.

I’m still scared as hell. And if I find myself in that cellar again, I’m not sure I’ll make it out alive. But I just need to not think about that. Elliot and Rhett will find us. I know they will.

“No one comes in here by themselves,” Jordan yells, snatching the toilet lid from the ground. “Lock them up. And I want two of you guarding the door at all times.”

The men release us, shoving Oliver to his knees before exiting the room. The second the lock slides into place, I run to him. Crouching down, I throw my arms around him. He’s warm and familiar and safe. A little piece of home in this hellish nightmare.

“Shit, Wren. You’re freezing.”

“I’ll be okay.”

“No—fuck. Let me get up.”

I help him to his feet. Carefully, he bends at his knees and brings his hands down. Then he steps through his arms so his hands are in front of him. “Can you tighten the zip tie for me?”

“What?Tightenit?”

“Trust me, princess.” He holds his hands out to me. Once I’ve tightened the zip tie as much as I can, he steps back from me and raises his hands above his head. Then, with his elbows open, he brings his arms down hard until they connect with his sides. The force breaks the plastic, and it falls to the ground.

My eyes widen. “I didn’t know you could do that.”

“I’ll teach you how to do it once we’re out of here,” he says as he pulls his T-shirt over his head. “Here. Put this on.”