Page 248 of Ruthless Desires: Vol. Two

I can’t do this.

“Ell,” I whisper as the first tear falls. Fear grips my heart, and I’m halfway across the parking lot before I realize I’m running.

Elliot steps onto the sidewalk. As I get closer, his features come into view, a tortured look on his face. I fling myself into his arms, unable to keep myself from him.

Just one more minute. Just one more.

I sob into Elliot’s damp shirt, and my knees give out. My body can’t take it anymore—the worry, the pain, the loneliness.

“Love.” Elliot’s voice breaks as he locks his arms around me.

“You can’t die, Ell,” I cry. “You can’t.”

“Wren, I—”

“Please,” I choke out, fully aware that I’m being too loud. Too emotional in a situation that doesn’t allow for any. “Please tell me I’ll see you again. Please tell me we’ll all be okay, and we can go home soon and eat ice cream and watch movies and fall asleep together. That we—that we can go on that trip you mentioned, and I can meet Oliver’s family, and we can open a bookstore together, and—”

More sobs wrack my body, cutting my pleas short. I’m vaguely aware of being lowered to the ground, of Elliot joining me on the cold sidewalk. He pulls me into his body protectively, and I pray to whatever is out there—fate, gods, maybe nothing—that it won’t be the last time.

“I’ll do everything I can,” Elliot tells me, and when I look up at him, his eyes are glistening.

“So will I,” I whisper shakily.

“He won’t win, Wren.” Elliot’s hand smooths my hair back from my face. “We’ve come so far—too far to lose each other. I promise you, we’ll make it out alive, and we’ll come back to you. You’ll get us out.”

I’m aware that they’re somewhat empty words—that Elliot can’t really promise all that—but I soak it up anyway. If I’m going to make it through the next few days, I need some kind of hope to cling to.

“But right now,” Elliot says, “I have to go, love. If we stay out much longer, Ludo will get suspicious.”

That will only make things much, much worse, so when Finn offers me a hand to help me up, I take it. My gaze falls to Axel for a split second, and I swear his eyes are a hint glossier than they were earlier. His jaw is clenched, his hands shoved into his jacket pockets, as he turns away from me.

This time, Finn stays on my side of the car until I’m buckled in and the door is closed. With tears streaming down my face, I look out the window and watch Axel and Elliot head to the black SUV.

Elliot looks back just before he climbs in. I wave, and he waves back, and after that I have to turn away.

Aside from my sniffles and muffled sobs, the drive home is silent. It feels so much faster than the drive to the motel did.

A dark gray sedan is parked in the driveway, and Finn parks next to it, seemingly undisturbed by the extra vehicle.

“There’s someone here,” I say, my voice scratchy.

“They’re supposed to be.”

Finn doesn’t seem to be in the mood to elaborate, so I silently follow him inside. The lights are already on, and I peer into the house as I slip my jacket off my shoulders.

Sparrow is standing in the mudroom, her locs twisted into a bun on top of her head and her thumbs hooked into the pockets of her dark jeans. And there, right next to her, is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. Her smile is as bright as ever despite the tears in her warm brown eyes.

My jacket drops to the floor as confusion, relief, and worry swirl through my mind.

“Aubrey!”

Chapter thirteen

Wren

The porch swing sways slightly as Aubrey and I slowly catch up over coffee. The morning air carries a chill to it, but with the blanket settled over our laps and hot mugs in our hands, we’re staying warm enough.

Last night, Aubrey and I only talked for a minute before Finn forced us to go to sleep. I was so tired that I don’t even remember climbing into bed.