Page 43 of Ruthless Desires, Vol. Two (Ruthless Desires Series Extended Editions #2)

Elliot

They separate us.

Of course they separate us.

I’m not sure why they drag Rhett off to the other side of the mansion, but my last look at him is filled with regret.

I should’ve suspected this from a mile away.

Holloway’s men take us to the second floor via the back staircase, and they throw Oliver into what appears to be an empty room. When he realizes I’m not joining him, he tries to break past the guards.

“Ell—no! Please just give us a minute.”

“No talking to each other,”

one of them snaps. He pushes Oliver back hard enough to make him stumble.

I’m barely able to mouth the words I love you before they slam the door in his face.

Considering I’m not putting up a fight, these guys are rather rough when they shove me into the room next to Oliver’s. It’s bare except for a mattress in the corner.

“Do we need to remind you of the consequences if you try to escape?”

one of the men asks in a gruff voice.

“No.”

It’s what I’m supposed to say, even if I’m not sure I believe it.

My gaze flicks to the windows. One of them is even open, for fuck’s sake. I don’t doubt for a second that it’s intentional. Holloway isn’t even in the room, but he’s still found a way to taunt me.

Oliver is so close yet completely unreachable.

Escape would be so easy if not for the consequences.

And I’m sure Ludo has plans to make this a thousand times worse by adding Wren into the picture.

My stomach roils at the thought.

She’ll be fine.

Most likely, the team that’s being sent to capture her won’t leave until nightfall. Wren will figure out by then that something is wrong, and she’ll contact Finn. She may have gotten kidnapped under his watch once, but he won’t let it happen again.

As long as she has him, she’s safe. I have to believe that.

Ludo’s men leave the room, and I clench my jaw when they don’t even lock the door behind them.

They know I won’t try it.

My mind hasn’t completely caught up with our situation yet. I thought that by now, we’d be on our way home—or at least that we’d still be on Holloway’s good side. This is so far off from my expectations that it feels like I’m living in a dream.

It can’t be real, can it?

How did I not even consider that this could’ve been a trap?

We have to find a way out of here.

Leverage. Leverage means Holloway still needs something from us. I’m not sure what he’s planning on forcing us to do, but I’ll find a way to turn it against him. I have to.

For now, I’ll cooperate. We’ve been rendered hopeless, so I don’t have much of a choice, but I won’t let it stay like that for long.

Resting my forehead against the wall that separates me from Oliver, I close my eyes. I can’t talk to him—that’d only alert the guards and piss them off. It feels stupid, but I place my hands against the faded paint, hoping he can feel me.

I’ll find a way to get us home.

I promise.