Page 90 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. One

Elliot

I spend the morning and afternoon locked in my office, gathering every morsel of information I can find on Williams’ security team.

All except one are your standard ex-military guys who’ve gone into private security. The other? Tyler Williams, Edgar’s nephew and right-hand man. Rumor has it that Edgar is grooming him to take over his empire one day.

But that’s not what I care about. It’s the fact that he’s wildly reckless, but it always works out for him. Stick him in a dangerous situation in which he’s not in control, and he’ll gain it quickly—usually leaving a trail of bodies in his wake.

We’re planning an ambush, which gives us the element of surprise. But if Tyler is going to be with Edgar tomorrow night, that might still put them at an advantage. He’s clever, unpredictable, and fast.

We’ll have to be careful.

Sometime in the late afternoon, there’s a knock on my door. Oliver slips inside, followed by Rhett. Both are giving me a look that says my time of moping alone is over.

I sit back in my chair, watching both of them in silence. Rhett leans against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest, while Oliver walks right up to my desk.

“What do we do when we need to fix something, Elliot?” Oliver asks.

I chew on my lip for a second. There’s no way I’m going to like where this conversation is going. “Ignore it?”

“Ell.”

It’s the wrong answer, and I know it. It’s also distinctly unlike me to avoid my problems. But I can’t get it out of my head that at any moment, Wren is going to text me and tell me that she has no desire to be with someone who was willing to toss her aside so easily.

Not that it was an easy decision. In fact, I’m ridiculously grateful Wren fought against it and changed my mind.

“What do we do, Ell?” Rhett says. His gaze is calm. Cool. Authoritative. This man isn’t in the mood to take anyone’s shit.

Who am I kidding? He never is.

“We fix the goddamned problem,” I grumble.

Oliver grins, and the sparkle in his eyes tells me he has something up his sleeve. “That’s right. Now get up. We’re going for a ride.”

***

“I don’t like this.”

I’m in Rhett’s truck, arms crossed, glaring at him and Oliver from the backseat. If I’d knowngo for a driveactually meanthead to Wren’s place,I never would’ve agreed to this.

No idea what else they could’ve meant, though.

I eye Wren’s apartment building warily. “There’s no way I’m just going up there unannounced. What if she’s busy?”

Oliver chuckles. “Oh, she knows you’re coming.”

“What?” I snap. Then I narrow my eyes.

“No backing out now, Ell. Get your ass up there. Text us when you’re ready to come home.”

Rhett gives me adon’t you dare protestlook in the rearview mirror.

I swallow. “She knows I’m coming?”

They both nod.

I’m so fucked.

I hop out of the truck, shoving my hands into my coat pockets. The whole way up to her floor, my mind is a whirlwind of anxiety.