Page 81 of Ruthless Desires, Vol. Two (Ruthless Desires Series Extended Editions #2)
Wren
Two weeks after Ludo’s death
The last song of the concert comes to an end, and applause fills the theater as one of Oliver’s favorite pianists gets up from the bench and takes a deep bow. She’s glowing, and as she straightens, I grin at the smile on her face.
Oliver leaps to his feet along with the rest of the audience, and I follow suit. He looks good—healthy and happy—and it makes my heart melt to see him this enthusiastic.
It’s amazing how much difference a short amount of time can make. All of us are doing much better.
As we file out of the theater, Maria loops her arm through Oliver’s.
“Did you enjoy yourself?”
“That was amazing. She’s even better in person than I thought she’d be. I’m glad we got the chance to see her. Thanks for coming out with us.”
“Oh, Ollie. You’re always worth celebrating.”
She plants a happy kiss on his cheek.
Right. I almost forgot that she thinks this is all because of Oliver’s birthday next week. It sort of is, but it’s mostly an extended celebration of Ludo’s death. We have other things planned for O’s birthday.
We all head to a nearby rooftop restaurant that Elliot loves and get drinks. Meredith has been enjoying a lively conversation with Finn, which is a relief to us all. I was worried she wouldn’t be able to get over her initial dislike of him, but they’re getting along just fine.
The guys are laughing happily with Sparrow and Maria, and I watch them all with a soft smile. Behind them, the sun is mostly set, but the string lights overhead illuminate the rooftop just fine.
We’re just missing Aubrey, I realize. When I told her about our plans, she said she wished she could come out for a week, but she can’t risk showing her face here. Ludo is officially missing, but the authorities and the general public don’t know he’s dead yet.
With the information that Axel has leaked, there are now a lot of people who want to hurt Holloway. Many of them would be happy to do that by killing his wife. It’s all right, though. We’re planning on doing a yearly trip so we can see each other in person.
Maria slips away from the rest of the group to join me. Together, we lean against the railing and take in the view.
“We still good for our shopping trip tomorrow?”
she asks me.
“I have our whole day planned, and Elliot already gave me the go-ahead.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
We got to meet last week when we went over to Meredith’s for dinner. Just like Oliver said, his mom is an incredible cook. I didn’t want to stop eating.
A slight breeze passes over us, and I shiver. Without the sun, it’s a little chilly. I’m in love with what I’m wearing—a black dress that hugs me in all the right places—but it probably wasn’t the smartest thing to put on.
“Cold?”
Rhett asks as he moves toward us. He already has his suit jacket halfway off.
“A little.”
But at the realization that he’s been watching me, warmth floods my body. When he drapes his jacket over my shoulders, I stretch upward and plant a kiss on his lips.
“Thank you.”
He adjusts the jacket to make sure it’s secure before he rejoins the group, his hand sliding into Elliot’s. Over the past two weeks, I’ve seen him loosen up more than I ever thought possible. Now, he looks completely at ease.
“Did something happen?”
Maria asks me.
“I mean, I know his dad passed away. But is that really what’s made the difference? I’ve never seen him be this lovey-dovey before.”
I choke on my drink.
“Lovey-dovey?”
She giggles.
“I think it’s cute.”
With a laugh, I let my gaze rest on Rhett. He’s still fairly reserved, but he’s definitely been more affectionate lately. Me, Ell, and O have all been soaking it up.
“I think Richard’s death probably had something to do with it. He’s healing. We all are.”
Maria will probably never know the full extent of what we’re healing from, but that’s okay. It doesn’t change the amount of love she has in her heart for us.
We should probably join everyone else, but Maria and I wander into the little garden section of the rooftop. It’s a peaceful area with a cute archway and a fountain in the center. The small pool is lit up, and the water glitters from the lights.
I don’t know if I’ll ever fully get over my fear of water. At this point, it’s more of a simmering anxiety instead of the full-blown panic it was a month or two ago. Standing right next to the fountain, I’m more conscious of my balance, and my mind desperately wants to put more space between the water and me. But I don’t need to.
I’m okay, I realize with a smile.
Maria nudges me, leaning in to whisper, “Elliot is staring at you.”
Looking up, I meet his gaze. Even at this distance, I can see the slightest hint of concern on Elliot’s face as he takes a slow sip of his drink. His eyes never leave me, but he doesn’t come closer.
Always watching.
The guys know my strength, and while their first instinct is to shield me from anything that might hurt me, they’ve come to respect it. But that doesn’t mean they won’t always be there to catch me if I fall.
“He does that sometimes,”
I say softly.
“I think it’s sweet. I remember being a kid and noticing when he’d just randomly watch Ollie or Rhett. Oh, who am I kidding? They all did it to each other.”
She rolls her eyes.
“Although back then, they were all lovesick for each other and just wouldn’t admit to it. Bunch of idiots if you ask me.”
At that, I laugh. I remember Elliot telling me that they didn’t start dating until senior year of high school, but hearing Maria’s perspective is much more entertaining.
Maria smiles as we both watch Oliver slip his arms around Elliot from behind. He’s grinning, and based on the way he’s leaning into Elliot just a little too much, I’d say he’s well past tipsy.
“You girls all right?”
Meredith asks, and I realize she managed to sneak up behind us.
“Yeah,”
Maria replies, “we just wanted to check out the garden. You ready to head home?”
“Only if you are.”
Meredith smiles.
“I’m too old for late nights.”
“Ugh, Mom, you’re not even that old.”
Maria shoves her in the shoulder lightly.
“But yeah, we can go. I have to get a good night’s sleep so I can drag Wren around all day tomorrow.”
They both say their goodbyes. Once they’re gone, Oliver sweeps me into his arms, almost causing us to tumble to the floor.
Rhett grabs us both before we lose our balance, and he frowns at Oliver.
“After this, I’m cutting you off.”
“I’d like to see you try,”
Oliver taunts playfully.
His eyes darkening, Rhett wraps an arm around Oliver’s torso and yanks him closer. I don’t hear whatever Rhett murmurs into Oliver’s ear, but I think I get the idea.
Oliver’s eyes are sparkling as he pulls away.
“I dare you to do it right here.”
“O,”
Rhett says, his voice low and threatening.
“Do it, you won’t.”
Finn shakes his head.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’ve missed your stupid antics, Oliver.”
“Don’t worry,”
he says with a grin.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ve had enough kidnapping to last a lifetime, thank you very much.”
“If Finn has to help bail you out for a third time, you all owe him a vacation,”
Sparrow says.
“A long vacation.”
“I feel like we might already,”
Elliot says on a chuckle.
“Thank you both for all your help in taking down Ludo. If there’s any way we can repay you, just let us know.”
“Oh, don’t worry,”
Sparrow says with a smile, her eyes sparkling.
“The future holds plenty of possibilities. I’ll be cashing in a favor when the time is right.”
“To the future,”
Oliver cheers, his voice a little louder than it needs to be. He raises his drink, and we all do the same.
“To the future,”
Sparrow says, clinking her glass with Finn’s.
“It’ll be much more peaceful and prosperous than the past.”
“Why are you being so goddamn cryptic?”
Finn narrows his eyes at her.
“You’ve got something planned, don’t you?”
She takes a sip of her drink to hide her smirk, not bothering to respond.
“You and your secrets,”
Finn grumbles.
We all laugh, and I lean into the guys, appreciating the warmth that comes with their closeness. Even if Oliver is a little too drunk, I’m in agreement with him. Our future is bright, and hopefully, it’ll be as prosperous as Sparrow says.