Page 218 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. One

I choke on air. Ten thousand dollars?!

How much money have they spent on me?

Oh god, I think I’m going to be sick.

“I’m well aware of my position, but if you’re hurting her, then I can’t just stand by and let that happen. Are you holding her captive? Or is this a sex thing? Or—”

“It wasn’t them,” I cut in. “They saved me.”

My voice isn’t convincing, mostly because I’m still recovering from the shock of howexpensivethis is. The doctor narrows his eyes, watching me briefly, before gathering his things.

“Her lungs sound fine. No persistent cough, miss?”

“No.”

“Then you’ll be fine in a day or two. Drink lots of water, don’t skip meals, and make sure to get plenty of rest. And please—stay away from bodies of water.”

Oh, I plan on it.

With a half-hearted smile, I say, “Thank you.”

The doctor turns to Rhett. “You want me back in two or three days to check on her?”

“Definitely.”

“Will do.”

Once he’s gone, Rhett starts fussing over me again. It’s too sweet to be annoying. Just as we finish eating lunch, Elliot and Oliver come inside, carrying my duffel bag and a backpack I normally keep under my bed. Elliot also has a familiar-looking box tucked into the crook of his arm.

“My book!” I rush over to him, ignoring the way it makes my head all fuzzy, and open the box with a grin.

Elliot lets out a relieved sigh. “I wasn’t sure if you’d like it.”

“It’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever received, Ell.” I stand on my tiptoes and peck him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

“It’s the least I could do,” he says, sweeping me into his arms and capturing my mouth with his.

If this is the least he can do, I can’t help but wonder what the most is. But then I realize I already know the answer to that.

Anything.

I nuzzle my face into Elliot’s chest before glancing between them. “You three are the best.”

Oliver winks at me. “Trust me, princess. We know.”

Chapter nineteen

Wren

I take the week off from work. My boss isn’t too happy about it, but I tell her it’s a family emergency and I don’t have a choice. Hopefully that doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass later.

We barely leave the house. The guys make sure I get enough to eat and drink, and Rhett refuses to let me have coffee until the doctor declares me re-hydrated. Oliver lets me have a few sips of his while Rhett isn’t looking, though.

None of them push me about sex. Hell, they don’t even mention it. Oliver explained how I’m feeling to Elliot and Rhett so I wouldn’t have to hash it all out again, and they understand completely.

After a few days, I’m feeling much more like myself. My headache is gone, my stomach is back to normal, and I’m not feeling dizzy anymore.

Emotionally, I’m still unsteady. I’m having nightmares every night, although I never wake up alone. And at least once a day, I have to remind myself that I’m not trapped in that room anymore, waiting to die.