Page 217 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. Two

Chapter four

Oliver

When I wake up, light is pouring in through the windows, and Elliot is gone. My heart breaks all over again at the same time that relief fills me. However much I wish his body was still pressed against mine, climbing from window to window in broad daylight is likeaskingto get caught.

There’s a small bathroom attached to this room, so I shower to clean off the sweat that came with my night of shitty sleep and stress dreams. When I come back into the bedroom, there’s a plate with some food on it and a glass of water.

My anxiety was through the roof yesterday, but surprisingly, I’m not worried about Holloway poisoning our food. I doubt our betrayal hurt his feelings—don’t think he has any—but we wounded his pride. When he kills us, it’ll be in a much more dramatic way than killing us without us realizing.

That’d be too easy. Too merciful.

My window is still open some. I’m sure Elliot had trouble closing it considering he had to maintain his balance. The fresh air is nice, even if it serves to remind me that I can’t go outside.

I eat my breakfast in silence. It’s only a couple scrambled eggs that are completely cold by the time I dig into them, but I’m happy to have something to fill my stomach.

“Is thereanythingcool about you?”

My eyes dart to the window at the young voice drifting in. At the low, tired laugh that follows, I scramble to my feet. I’d know that laugh anywhere.

Rhett.

Rushing to the window, I peer outside. He’s in the backyard with a young boy, who I’m assuming is Benny. Two men follow behind them, close enough to overhear their conversation.

“I guess that depends,” Rhett says. “What do you think is cool?”

“Magic powers,” Benny replies, “but you don’t have any of those.”

“What about fighting skills?” Rhett asks.

“Like with swords? I want to learn how to fence like Inigo Montoya!”

“I don’t know much about fencing, although I like him, too.” Rhett’s voice is smooth—calm. Happy isn’t the right descriptor, although I think a part of him is. He finally gets to be with Benny, after all.

“Then whatdoyou know?” Benny asks impatiently.

“How to fight with my hands.”

“Oh! Like wrestling? Drew did that in high school.”

“Sure. I can show you some basic moves if you’d like.”

“Will your bodyguards let you?” Cautiously, Benny peers around Rhett to the men who’ve been trailing behind them. “They won’t think I’m trying to hurt you?”

Bodyguards.So that’s what Ludo told him to dispel Benny’s suspicion about how Rhett is likely never alone.

“No,” Rhett says, and the amusement in his tone makes my heart ache. “I don’t think they’ll be too worried.”

“I’m gonna join the wrestling team once I’m old enough,” Benny says. “Drew has already taught me a couple things. Well, he’s tried. He gets mad really fast when I don’t do things right the first time.”

“Is that so?”

Rhett and Benny stop in the middle of the yard. It takes everything in me to not call out to them. Most likely, it’d only confuse Benny, which would piss Ludo off.

Look up,I think.Just look up and see me.

But Rhett doesn’t. His focus is entirely on his younger brother as he teaches Benny a few basic moves. It makes me smile even as the distance between us feels like it’s growing. I’m not surprised in the least that we’ve only been here for two days, and Rhett is already teaching Benny how to defend himself.

Sure, it may be bonding, and it may be what’s keeping Benny’s attention, but this is what Rhett does. Before we were captured, he was doing the same thing with Wren. It was the best he could do to make sure she could protect herself in case something happens.