Page 76 of Ruthless Prince

He could hurt me right now, but he wouldn’t get away with it. Notforever.

“I have to go,” he said, turning toward the steps that led to the exit. He glanced at me over his shoulder. “I’ll be back to see you later. I’m not sure when, so don’t hold yourbreath.”

I frantically shook my head. “Wait! You can’t just leave me like this! There’s no food or water, and there’s nowhere for me tosleep.”

He turned back to me and dipped his chin toward the cold floor. “You can lie down and sleep where you are. Someone will bring the other things to youeventually.”

“You can’t beserious.”

“Iam.”

I glared at him, wishing he would drop dead. “Could you at least get some books for me before you go? I’ll go crazy down here with nothing todo.”

“No books. No distractions. I want your mind on me at alltimes.”

My nostrils flared. “Fine. I’ll think about all the different ways I’m going to hurt you when I figure out a way toescape.”

I thought he might twist my arm back again or hurt me in some other way, but instead he dropped to my level and moved his lips to my left ear. “I know I’ve said this at least ten times already,” he murmured. “But good luck withthat.”

With a nasty grin, he stood and strode away. I screamed curses and insults at his retreating back, but it didn’t make a difference. He was gone, and I was stuck here with nothing but candles to keep mecompany.

I spent the next hour or so trying to break my chain by picking it up and smashing it on the hard floor. I didn’t even make a dent. With a frustrated groan, I finally stood up and walked around the cell to figure out how far the chain would let mego.

I discovered that I could walk almost anywhere within my dim confines, but I chose to stay out of the awful cage with all its sadistic implements. The mere sight of it made me shudder, and I hoped to god that Logan only put it there to frightenme.

I kept pacing around the dungeon, chewing on my nails and muttering as I entertained myself by counting different things. Stones on the left wall, shadows on the right, nails in the ceilingbeams.

I knew I was wasting energy that I should probably conserve considering the lack of food and water, but I couldn’t just sit on the floor and do nothing. If I did that, there would be nothing to distract me but my own thoughts, and right now, they were too terrifying toacknowledge.

After what felt like several hours of pacing and counting, my legs grew weak and sore. I sat down and curled up in a ball with a defeated sigh. Horrible images of what Logan might do to me immediately entered mymind.

After biting my lip to stop myself from screaming pointlessly, I decided to make a series of vows tomyself.

No matter what Logan did to me, I would not yield tohim.

I would not cry in front ofhim.

I would not beghim.

I would not blame myself for anything he chose to do tome.

I would hurt him if I ever had thechance.

All of a sudden, footsteps started echoing on the steps leading down to my cell. I stifled a yelp of fear and stared up at the dark entryway. Despite the crushing boredom I’d experienced while I was alone down here, I knew it was probably better than the alternative. Logan had made it abundantly clear that he wouldn’t treat me well whenever he was around, and I wasn’t looking forward to finding out once and for all whether the torture cage was an actual threat or a mere scaretactic.

I had a feeling it was theformer.

With wide eyes, I watched as Chuck and Elizabeth Thorne stepped inside instead of theirson.

“Hello, Willow. Welcome to Thorne House,” Chuck said with a bright smile. His deep, booming voice echoed throughout the space. “Liz and I wanted to bring you somethings.”

Elizabeth knelt by me with a brown paper bag. She pulled out a wheat bread sub loaded with salad, cold cuts and cheese, along with a pink cupcake and a bottle of water. “We thought you might be hungry or thirsty,” she said softly, holding the food out towardme.

“Is it poisoned?” I asked, eyeing the sandwich withsuspicion.

Chuck laughed uproariously, like I’d told a hilarious joke. “Of course not,” he said, crouching beside his wife. She smiled nervously and let out a soft giggle as well. “We just want you to eat. We need you to behealthy.”

“Why do you care about my health? I’m just a prisoner toyou.”