Page 213 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. Two

“Let’s go,” one of them says.

I step into the room, closing the balcony doors behind me. “Where?”

“Now,”he bites out.

Of course I’m not getting an answer.

Crossing the room, I feel my muscles tense as I wait for the men to grab me, but they don’t. One leads me down the hallway, and the other trails behind us.

“Where are we going?” I ask again.

“You’re going to meet your brother,” the guy in front of me says. “He doesn’t know you’re a prisoner here. He thinks you’re a guest, and that’s how it’s gonna stay. You understand?”

It’s so Benny doesn’t get upset.That’s what Andrew told me when he and his partner threw me in my bedroom. It didn’t make sense to me then because I never thought Ludo would let me anywhere near my brothers.

The man in front of me stops and whips around, his glare intense. “Do you understand?”

“I’m not going to jeopardize my brothers’ safety.”

“Good.” He turns on his heel and continues walking.

A mild form of hope fills me as I follow him. If they’re going to let me out of my room, maybe I’ll be able to find some way to get us out of here. I’m not sure how—I’ll have to be careful—but it’ssomething.

Downstairs, I’m led into the dining room. Holloway is sitting at one end of the table, leisurely picking at a cluster of grapes. Based on the light smile on his face, it seems like he’s in an unusually good mood.

Axel is on Ludo’s left side, but he’s not eating. His dark hair is pulled up into its usual bun, showcasing the upside-down cross tattoo on his temple. I’m pretty sure he looks paler than normal, but I could be imagining it.

As I cross the room, Ludo nods to the chair across from Axel. I lower myself into it silently and fold my hands into my lap.

“Please,” Ludo says, gesturing to the food laid out on the table. “Eat.”

I don’t move.

At that, his smile falls, replaced with a menacing stare. “Your brothers will be joining us soon. Eat, Brooks.”

Brothers?I have to school my frown. Obviously, most of Ludo’s men don’t eat with him, so why does Andrew get that privilege? Is it to help Benny feel more at home here, or is it to manipulate me?

Of course it’s to manipulate you. That’s the whole fucking point.

Grudgingly, I place some fruit on my plate, along with some buttered toast. Food is the last thing on my mind, but I can play along. The other option is one I’d prefer not to dwell on.

“Benny seems to be adjusting fine,” Ludo says without addressing me or Axel. “Since I brought Andrew back from his training, Benny has even started liking it around here. Says he prefers it over living with your father.”

I swallow down my retort with a gulp of water, setting the glass down on the table much more forcefully than I need to. Some of the liquid sloshes over the side and onto the tablecloth, causing Axel to arch an annoyed brow at me.

“I think getting to know you will do him good,” Ludo says. “He has questions—who I am, why I care enough to help him and Andrew, et cetera. He’s at that age where vague answers don’t satisfy him anymore.”

“And that’s where I come in?” I ask dryly, already knowing exactly what Holloway wants to use me as.

“Learning about who you are will keep Benny distracted and give him something else to think about,” Ludo continues. “I want him happy, of course, and I’m sure you want to get to know your younger brother.”

Translation: the more attached I get to Benny, the less likely I’ll be to try and pull shit behind Ludo’s back.

It’s not like I can refuse the offer, even if I wanted to. And the thing is, Idowant to get to know Benny. The more he trusts me, the easier it’ll be to convince him to leave with me when the time comes.

“I didn’t think you were the type who cared about a child’s happiness,” I say before I can stop myself.

With a dark chuckle, Ludo takes a long sip of what looks like orange juice. “Makes Andrew easier to manipulate.”