Page 31 of Ruthless Desires, Vol. Two (Ruthless Desires Series Extended Editions #2)

Rhett

There are a lot of things I appreciate about Finn. The man has never been late a day in his life, he’s not one to pry into personal matters without an invitation, and he’s always there when we need him. Not to mention, he has a wide skill set and access to a large number of resources that are incredibly useful.

But today, all those things pale in comparison to his dedication to making sure Wren is as ready as possible for the wedding. When it comes to protecting the people we love, Finn knows no limits. He may not know Wren well yet, but he understands that she’s part of our family. His loyalty to us extends to her.

“It’s fairly simple to use,”

Finn explains as he holds the safe cracking device up for Wren to see. Then he fits it over the dial on the safe I bought so she could practice.

“It goes on like this. The only logical way to place it, really, so it should be easy to remember. It has magnets on it to latch it to the safe. You don’t have to hold it the entire time, and it’ll turn on its own once you get it going.”

“Got it.”

Wren takes the device when Finn hands it to her and places it over the dial the way he did.

“Seems fairly simple.”

He shows her how to turn it on before pulling her back a step or two.

“You’ll want to be sure not to bump the safe while you’re using it. It works by detecting the click of each pin coming into place, so any large vibrations could throw it off.”

“No large vibrations.”

Wren frowns.

“What about the music from the reception? Will that be a problem?”

Turning to the coffee table, Finn scans the blueprints of Ludo’s mansion. He points to the ballroom on the first floor.

“This is where everyone will be?”

“Yes.”

Wren spins the blueprint of the second floor around so Finn can look at it properly.

“And this is where Ludo’s billiard room is.”

Finn narrows his eyes as he does some mental calculations. He runs a hand through his dark hair, and I’m worried it’s going to be a problem, but then he says, “Considering the distance between them, you should be fine. Just don’t jump around while you’re waiting for it.”

Wren laughs.

“I don’t think jumping around would’ve even crossed my mind, but good to know.”

The cracker takes a couple minutes, and then we hear a loud click. Finn gestures to it, and Wren takes the device off before opening the safe.

“Perfect,”

Finn says.

“From here, what happens?”

“I take the hard drive and the cracker and put them both in Aubrey’s makeup bag, close the safe, put the painting back in place, and get the hell out of there.”

Elliot has been standing silently by the fireplace, but now he cuts in.

“Aubrey said that the painting seemed to be on hinges. My guess is there are magnets installed in the wall and on the back of the painting. That way, the unattached side doesn’t swing out from the wall randomly and reveal the safe. So expect some resistance when you’re pulling it back.”

“Got it.”

Finn closes and locks the safe.

“Again. You’re practicing until you can do this with your eyes closed. Odds are, you’re not gonna have great lighting.”

Before Wren gets back to work, she moves to where I’m sitting in an armchair and kisses me.

“Still not afraid of you,”

she whispers so only I hear.

It’s the third time she’s told me that since she watched me kill Austin. Her reassurance is sweet, and while I believe her, I’m worried I made a bad call by letting her come with me—not that she gave me much of a choice.

I don’t want Wren to have to get used to violence in preparation for some unknown event in the future. That’s a horrible way to live, and she deserves so much better.

I watch silently as Wren practices cracking the safe again and again. I’m so focused on her that I almost don’t notice the sound of the garage door opening.

Oliver must be home.

Knowing that eases some of the tightness in my chest. Normally, we don’t go places alone—safety in numbers and all that. But today, we decided we could make an exception.

Ludo’s reputation and his strong list of allies keep him safe. We’ve used a similar strategy to ensure that when we make enemies, they don’t come after us. People in our circles know how skilled we are, and they’re only becoming more aware of just how ruthless we can be.

Currently, rumors are getting out that Holloway—along with us—is behind the fall of the Williams family. I’m not sure who discovered the brutal scene we left at Jordan’s property, but it sent the message we hoped it would. Hurt one of us, and you won’t live to tell the tale.

Still, I didn’t realize just how worried I was about Oliver until now. He’s humming, and the closer he gets, the more I find myself relaxing.

When Oliver steps into the room, he spots Wren immediately, and a smile forms on his face. Relief shines in his eyes as he sweeps Wren into his arms and spins her around without warning. She lets out a delighted laugh, grabbing on to his shoulders. She doesn’t let go, even after he’s set her down.

“Hi, princess.”

“Hi—”

“Oliver,”

Finn snaps.

“We’re in the middle of something here.”

Ignoring him, Oliver says to Wren, “You’re perfect. Fucking perfect, you know that?”

“What—”

She’s cut off by Oliver pressing his lips to hers. When he dips her backward, she moans and wraps her arms around his neck.

“Seriously?”

Finn grumbles.

“How do you idiots get any work done around here with all this kissing?”

Elliot and I exchange an amused yet relieved glance. I’m not sure what has Oliver in a better mood, but I hope it lasts. I like it when he’s happy.

“What’s this about?”

Elliot asks when Oliver finally straightens.

“Wren.”

Oliver brushes his nose against hers, still smiling.

“I ran into Ludo at the Garden Grille. He owns the place now.”

Just like that, my hopeful mood dissipates, and dread creeps through my veins.

“What did he say?”

“I only spoke to him briefly. It’s what I overheard a couple minutes later that matters. I saw him and Axel head out to the garden, so I followed to see if I could listen in on their conversation.”

“You did what?” I snap.

“Ol,”

Elliot says, and the hurt in his voice makes me pause.

“You know our rules.”

“I couldn’t help myself,”

Oliver says, finally tearing his gaze from Wren but not letting her go.

“And I was perfectly safe.”

Elliot throws his hands up.

“Perfectly safe? There was no one to watch your back and no one to help you if something went wrong. What if—”

“You know,”

Finn says as he slips his hands into his pockets, “working alone is a perfectly viable option.”

“Not for us,”

Elliot snaps back with a fierce glare.

“Not when we agreed to take the cautious route whenever possible. Ol, after Jordan, what the hell were you thinking? If someone saw you, it could’ve derailed our whole operation.”

Oliver sighs.

“It sounds more dangerous than it actually was, okay? It looked like I was hanging out in the garden, and I just happened to be within earshot of Ludo and Axel. I saw the opportunity, and I couldn’t pass it up. Not when we’re so close.”

Elliot doesn’t look convinced, but I don’t want this to blow up into a big fight. Whatever Oliver overheard seems to have given him some hope, and I don’t want to change that. We can deal with what he did later.

“What did you overhear?” I ask.

“Stuff that looks good for us,”

Oliver replies.

“It sounds like they still haven’t found their rat, and Axel suggested us.”

Elliot frowns.

“That doesn’t look good for us at all.”

“Oh, absolutely not. Except Ludo refused to even consider that we’d betray him. He said he’s tested us enough that he trusts us. And you.”

Looking back to Wren, Oliver’s smile widens.

“He doesn’t think you’re a threat at all, princess. He has no idea just how much of his downfall hinges on you.”

Her smile fades.

“What did he say about me?”

Oliver hesitates.

“He, um… The specifics don’t matter. What does matter is that the night of the wedding, you’ll be almost invisible to his men. Not only because you’re part of the bridal party, but because he’ll specifically tell his men you’re not a threat so they can focus on other people.”

Slowly, Elliot lowers himself onto the love seat. His eyes slide shut as he slouches into the cushions.

“Ell?”

I ask.

“You good?”

“Relieved,”

he says on a heavy exhale.

I’m right there with him. Knowing that Wren will be able to fly completely under the radar takes a lot of stress off our shoulders. Unfortunately, if Oliver doesn’t stop putting himself in danger like this, it’s not going to help with Elliot’s anxiety at all.

“So if Ludo is that bought into you three,”

Finn says, “then that means he won’t suspect you of helping Aubrey leave. Or of stealing the drive.”

“That’s how it seems,”

Elliot replies.

Up until now, we’ve been hoping that Ludo’s trust in us will be enough. It’s not like he’d have much reason to suspect us anyway, other than Wren and Aubrey getting close. But now that we know how Ludo feels about Wren—and about all of us—it means we’re in the clear.

As long as the night of the wedding goes off without a hitch, that is.

“We’re hoping that Holloway will think Aubrey managed to steal the drive,”

Elliot says.

“Either that or she was working with his rat. And now, even if he comes to a different conclusion, we know he won’t suspect us. Not unless we give him a reason to—which we won’t.”

“Do you think he’ll involve you once he finds her missing?”

Finn asks.

“I wasn’t sure,”

Elliot says, “but O, after what you just said, I think he will. Holloway trusts us more than we thought. Knowing him, he’ll want Aubrey brought home as soon as possible. I wouldn’t be surprised if he hires us to find her, so we’ll have to play along until she contacts him.”

“Did you overhear anything else?”

Finn asks Oliver.

“Just that Ludo thinks he might know who his rat is. Owen Harris? I’ve never heard of him. Axel was in complete disbelief that it could be him.”

“That’s Sparrow’s man.”

The color drains from Finn’s face as he yanks his phone from his pocket. He types away furiously before swearing and placing it to his ear.

“Sparrow? Ludo is on to Harris.”

A pause.

“Oliver Moore overheard a conversation.”

Another pause, and Finn nods.

“Just let me know if you need anything.”

Once he shoves his phone in his pocket, I ask, “Will she be able to get him out in time?”

“Hopefully. I’ll keep you updated.”

Finn rubs his face with both hands before turning to Wren.

“It’s great news that Ludo doesn’t think of you as a threat, but it’s not going to matter if you’re not prepared.”

“Right.”

Oliver glances behind Wren to where the safe is.

“You figuring it out okay?”

“Yeah,”

Wren says.

“But I really should keep practicing. I want to be familiar with the process.”

With a kiss to the tip of her nose, Oliver releases her.

“I won’t stop you. Actually, I’ve got some stuff to work on, unless you guys need me down here?”

“Get out,”

Finn says as he pulls Wren toward the safe.

“The less distractions, the better.”

With a playful roll of his eyes, Oliver heads back out. I turn my attention to Elliot, who’s still sitting quietly with his eyes closed. Dammit. I get what Oliver was trying to do, and the information he got was helpful, but he can’t keep pulling this shit.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” I say.

“Please take your time,”

Finn replies.

I catch up with Oliver in the upstairs hallway.

“Hey. Can we talk?”

“Sure.”

He steps into his bedroom. “C’mon.”

Once I’m inside, I shut the door. Oliver begins unbuttoning his shirt while he watches me with a raised eyebrow.

“I get that the opportunity to eavesdrop on Ludo’s conversation was tempting,”

I say.

“But Elliot’s anxiety is at an all-time high. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this worried.”

A shadow crosses over Oliver’s face, and he nods in agreement.

“I know. That’s a big part of why I spied on Ludo today. We need to end this as quickly and cleanly as possible.”

“Yeah,”

I say.

“But you know what it’s like when you can’t stop worrying. We always try to be there for you when things get bad. Right now, Elliot needs us to help him in whatever way possible. The least we can do is to not put ourselves in unnecessary danger.”

Oliver shakes his head.

“The more we know, the sooner we can get this over with. That’s what will soothe Elliot’s anxiety. Not continuing to play it safe. I’m worried, too. That’s why I want Ludo chained up downstairs as soon as possible and everything that belongs to him burned to the ground.”

“Yes, but—”

“No. We knew we’d have to take risks. This was a relatively small one considering it’s given us the peace of mind to continue with our current plan. Knowing Ludo doesn’t see Wren as a threat—that means she’ll practically be invisible to his men the night of the wedding. They’ll be on the lookout for real threats. Didn’t you see Elliot’s reaction when I told you what I heard? He looked so relieved.”

“About Wren, yes. But now he’s worried about you going off on your own and getting yourself killed.”

Oliver is in the middle of pulling his shirt off, but my words make him pause. “Oh.”

“You’re beginning to establish a pattern,”

I tell him gently.

“First, it was getting yourself kidnapped to save Wren. Now, it’s this. Trust me, I get it. But just think about Elliot next time, okay?”

“I’m just tired of living our lives based on what ifs.”

He rolls his eyes as he tosses his shirt onto the bed.

“Which is stupid of me to say, I know.”

“O…”

“I’m sorry,”

he says softly.

“You two have always been so patient with my anxiety. I’m just not used to having to do the same for Ell. I don’t like how shaken he is by this.”

He runs a hand over his face before staring at the floor.

“It scares me.”

“I know.”

Pulling him into a hug, I stroke a hand down his spine.

Normally, Oliver is the one full of what ifs. Elliot and I always do our best to be accommodating. Planes make him less anxious than driving, so we fly whenever we can. Not working alone was actually his idea because he’d get so worried when one of us did a job by ourselves.

Now we’re used to it, and having one of them with me has saved my ass more times than I care to admit. The most recent incident being Adam, although the fucker didn’t actually pose a threat.

“I know you’re trying to help him,”

I murmur, and his arms tighten around my waist.

“But I think what Elliot needs right now is predictability.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.”

The words are muffled considering Oliver is speaking directly into my chest. He makes no move to let go of me, so I continue running my fingers up and down his back.

“I want this to be over, too,”

I whisper.

I can’t deny that I need to destroy Ludo in every way possible. But there’s also no getting around the fact that the path we’ve taken is slowly wearing us down. I haven’t seen Elliot read for pleasure in god knows how long. Oliver has been distracted with our project for Wren, but otherwise, I’ve missed the joy that usually sparkles in his eyes.

As for me, I can’t say I’m much worse, but that’s because I’m used to the exhaustion that comes with being in a constant state of anger. If anything, approaching Ludo’s demise is helping me. I’m getting closer and closer to finally letting loose.

“I won’t do it again,”

Oliver says after a minute.

“No more going off on my own.”

“I’m not the one who needs to hear it.”

With a sigh, Oliver pulls away.

“I’ll talk to him. It’s the least he deserves.”

“Sooner than later, yeah?”

He nods.

“And I think we should give Wren her surprise today. She deserves it with how hard she’s working, and I think it’ll cheer Ell up, too.”

“Is it ready?”

“Ell said he has one last thing to add to it. Apparently it arrived this morning.”

“Perfect. But apologize first, okay?”

“I know. I’ll do it once Wren is done practicing with the safe. There’s no way Elliot is leaving her side.”

With a hum of agreement, I press my lips to Oliver’s forehead. Elliot can’t be there with Wren the night of the wedding, but he’ll do everything he can to help her before and after. We all will. I just hope it’s enough.